On January 8, 1935, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Recording for Sun Studios and later RCA, he became rock ‘n’ roll’s first superstar. Few photographers came as close to him as Alfred Wertheimer. When Presley was still an aspiring musician, the photographer was assigned to shoot him. For two years, from 1956 to 1958, Wertheimer accompanied Presley and at times did not leave his side. Around 2500 photographs were taken. Even after this time he stayed close to Elvis and photographed him in his private environment.
Elvis Presley becomes a superstar
In June 1956 Elvis was already a star and released his first songs on the major RCA label. In the restroom at the Mosque Theater in Richmond, Virginia, the 21-year-old singer does his hair before a performance. Looks have always been a part of his overall performance, especially the hairstyle.
Elvis Presley’s performances were immensely physical for the time. In particular, his provocative swing of his hips earned him the nickname “the Pelvis” (the pelvis).
The photographer Alfred Wertheimer captured his steep rise in pictures, so the fascination of the musician can still be understood today.
The photos are from the photo book “Alfred Wertheimer. Elvis and the Birth of Rock and Roll”, which was published by Taschen Verlag.