Elvis Presley

Probably the most famous singer of all time, Presley emerged from humble country beginnings to become a rock'n'roll phenomenon whose cultural influence was so huge it still resonates over 30 years since his death in 1977. It all started in the summer of 1953 at Sun Studios, Memphis when he recorded a demo as a present for his mother's birthday. Sun boss Sam Phillips heard him and, while unimpressed by the young truck driver's conventional country style, he saw the potential when Presley started rocking around singing Arthur Crudup's That's All Right, Mama. The demo was played on a local radio station and caused a sensation, most listeners assuming he was black. Signed by RCA, he outraged older audiences with his suggestive dance moves, but first single Heartbreak Hotel went to Number 1 and he became the biggest teen idol the world had seen. He went on to score 17 US Number 1s and 21 in the UK.