elvis and the beatles essays

elvis and the beatles essays Arguably, the success of Elvis Presley and the Beatles can be attributed to both their talent as well as skilled management. Arguing whether an artist or group is talented relies heavily on how talent is defined. For this essay, talent will be defined as a marked innate ability to do something well. Indisputably, both Elvis and the Beatles were central figures in the evolution of Rock and Roll thus, what they did, they did well. Many assert that the Beatles wrote and played their own music and therein lay their talent. Unlike the Beatles, Presley did not write his own music, nor was he particularly aspired to. However, does that render him any less talented? He may not have been the best or the most consistent but Presley is undoubtedly a central figure in the development of Rock and Roll. He had an ear for music and a gift for incorporating pre-existing styles of music into his own unique style. Presley grew up as a poor white southern boy and was in a position to absorb rhythm and blues, country and western, white and black gospel, bluegrass, western swing and pop. His musical versatility and multifaceted appeal, over the years, helped to redraw the boundary lines of Rock and Roll. He was the first artist to blend blues and country into a new musical style called rockabilly. He had an unprecedented explosive and sexual stage presence. His charisma, energy and showmanship, though controversial, made him popular, especially with teenage girls. Vocally, Presley was versatile and powerful. He had a varied repertoire of music, which included early rock classics like Thats All Right Mamma and Heartbreak Hotel to sentimental love songs. Though music lovers may not appreciate all of Presleys songs, he certainly catered to a variety of tastes. Though some criticize his move away from the classic rock style that popularized him in the 1950s, Presley never claimed to be a purist. H...