Elvis is Entertainer Of The Century As Well

E! Online had a series looking back on the twentieth century with every month a different subject. From hottest babes via biggest scandals to biggest laughs they now summed up the biggest entertainers of this (almost) past century. And guess who's at the number one spot ...

We bring you their text why they think Elvis is the Entertainer of the Century because we think that part of his other title, Artist of the Century, came from being a just that in stead of being a musician like for example The Beatles who were more musicians performing their own work. A recent poll in Holland had the same result (Elvis beating The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Jimmy Hendrix) and their reason was exactly the same, a big part of Elvis' status was build on his powerful stage and screen performances. In (Eastern) Germany Elvis got the same results, this time beating Elton John and Enrico Caruso E! Online defines the Entertainers of the Century as:

"They can light up a screen or bring down the house. Send a jolt of electricity through an audience or shivers down your spine ... the brightest stars to ever grace a stage, steal a scene or belt out a tune ... Some gained admission to this exclusive club because they're so damned talented in so many ways. Others earned a place because they're so damned good at just one thing ... What these entertainers have in common is their ability to stop you in your tracks, hold the spotlight and leave you wanting more".

Claim to Fame: Mixing hillbilly and blues, Elvis' musical contribution was immense. But his truly liberating contribution was in busting the shackles that restrained movement. He launched into middle-class living rooms through the TV and so captivated audiences that his popularity remains undiminished more than two decades after his death.
Why He Matters: "If you're looking for trouble/You've come to the right place." With those words, the King opened his 1968 comeback concert, proving the man who defined early rock 'n' roll had not died and gone to Hollywood. Seven years had passed since his last live performance, and not only was there doubt about his abilities, there was plenty of competition from British and American performers. The camera pulled back to reveal the artist wearing rebellious black with a blood-red scarf and guitar hanging from his neck. For about an hour, he jammed casually with old friends and sang with unbridled passion. Elvis proved he was beyond imitation.

Postscript: For Elvis, it was all about passion. But for his audience, it was all about Elvis. And whatever Elvis did or didn't do didn't seem to affect his popularity. Eventually, Elvis simply didn't do. His stage show became bloated like his body--both of which he degraded in his act--but the fans ate it up anyway. Addiction to pills proved the death of Elvis, his belief in science replacing his belief in himself. Dead at 42, he lives on as the most popular artist of all time.

The Last Word: Guitarist Scotty Moore, interpreting the shrieking that began at a Presley performance on July 19, 1954: "With those old, loose britches that we wore...You shook your leg, and it made it look like all hell was going on under there."

Source: E! Online

Besides all this good news about the scores of Elvis all around the world, our own "Elvis Girl of the Millennium" is still going (str)on(g).