The Formative Recordings of Elvis Presley 1953-1960' by Alan Tranter: In 1953, Elvis Presley made his very first recording, paying around $4 for two sides of a demonstration disc at the Sun Studios in his hometown of Memphis.
It was a humble beginning, but a significant one. This 267 page book traces what came next; the local success that within a couple of years would explode into worldwide stardom, which would endure for the rest of his life, and beyond.
It is not a biography, it is more accurately a chronicle of Elvis' growth; his visits to the recording studio, his first movies, his record releases, his influences, his live performances, his TV appearances, all of which paint a picture of the artist who became, and remained, King.
When Elvis completed his National Service, in 1960, he emerged almost anew. In this book, the author draws a line from that fledgling artist to the 25-year old that emerged, poised to take on the decade that would usher in so many (as yet unknown) musical (and social) changes.