Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often referred to mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi,
and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family when he was aged 13. His music career began there in 1954, recording at Sun Records with producer Sam Phillips, who wanted to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience. Presley, on rhythm acoustic guitar, and accompanied by lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage him for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. Within a year, RCA would sell ten million Presley singles. With a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records, Presley became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll; though his performative style and promotion of the then-marginalized sound of African Americans led to him being widely considered a threat to the moral well-being of white American youth.
In November 1956, Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Drafted into military service in 1958, he relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. Presley held few concerts, however, and guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided. Some of his most famous films included Jailhouse Rock (1957), Blue Hawaii (1961), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed television comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley gave the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast around the world, Aloha from Hawaii. However, years of prescription drug abuse and unhealthy eating habits severely compromised his health, and Presley died suddenly in 1977 at his Graceland estate at the age of 42.
Having sold roughly 500 million records worldwide, Presley is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He was commercially successful in many genres, including pop, country, rhythm & blues, adult contemporary, and gospel. He won three Grammy Awards, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame. He also holds several records, including the most RIAA-certified gold and platinum albums, the most albums charted on the Billboard 200, the most number-one albums by a solo artist on the UK Albums Chart, and the most number-one singles by any act on the UK Singles Chart. In 2018, Presley was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Vernon Presley and Gladys Love (née Smith) Presley in a two-room shotgun house that his father built for the occasion. Elvis' identical twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was delivered stillborn thirty-five minutes before him. Presley became close to both parents and formed an especially close bond with his mother. The family attended an Assembly of God church, where he found his initial musical inspiration.
Presley's father Vernon was of German, Scottish, and English origins, and a descendant of the Harrison family of Virginia through his mother, Minnie Mae Presley (née Hood). Presley's mother Gladys was Scots-Irish with some French Norman ancestry. She and the rest of the family believed that her great-great-grandmother, Morning Dove White, was Cherokee. This belief was restated by Elvis's granddaughter Riley Keough in 2017. Elaine Dundy, in her biography, supports the belief.
If you want to read a WHOLE LOT more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley
- 1 (13.8-ounce) refrigerated pizza crust
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/2 onion, cut into thin half-moon slices
- 1 (5-ounce) container brie cheese spread (see Tip)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts
- Preheat the oven to 400º. Coat a 10- x 15-inch baking sheet with cooking spray. Unroll dough onto baking sheet and lightly press dough to cover the entire bottom. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is lightly browned; let cool.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Spread brie evenly over crust. Top with onions, strawberries, and blueberries. Sprinkle pistachio nuts on top. Cut into slices and serve.
This works great with other spreadable cheeses like cream cheese, goat cheese, or your favorite herb cheese spread. So, explore your dairy aisle and have some fun.
Each year on July 16th, National Personal Chef Day recognizes the dedication and hard work of personal chefs across the United States.
There’s a difference between a personal chef and a private chef. A private chef usually works exclusively for one client and typically lives in a person’s home or on the property. A personal chef may have many clients, run their own business, or work for a company.
The services a personal chef provides may include preparing meals in the clients’ homes or delivering meals already prepared. They may also create a meal plan according to dietary needs or the client’s preferences. Clients then follow instructions provided by the chef for heating the meals. Some personal chefs offer catering services as well.
Since being a personal chef is a competitive business, experience, and training is necessary. While not all personal chefs attend a culinary program, they do have years of experience and have honed their skills in the trade.
The days can be long for a personal chef. Depending on the client, their duties include shopping, preparation, and clean up. A dedicated chef with several clients will also spend long hours on their feet. Personal Chef Day acknowledges the hard work and often long lonely hours a chef puts into their craft. Many days also require additional research for clients with allergies or special diets. However, their passion for cooking and bringing nutritious, delicious meals to the table keeps them striving to create in the kitchen. The celebration dedicates the day to personal chefs with the drive to keep growing their skills and their business.
Some celebrate this holiday in February of each year.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL PERSONAL CHEF DAY
For anyone aiming to become a personal chef or run their own business, this day is for you. Pat yourself on the back. If you know someone interested in being a personal chef, encourage them. Be their taste tester. Thank a personal chef you know for their outstanding work. Give them a shout out or a recommendation.
NATIONAL PERSONAL CHEF DAY HISTORY
The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) founded National Personal Chef Day.
