Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was raised by his parents, Gladys and Vernon, in a poor and extremely religious home. Although he never really learned to read music, he sang with the church choir and taught himself the basics of the guitar. After graduating from high school, Presley was working as a truck driver and studying to be an electrician when he made a recording for his mother that would change his life. The song he recorded for her attracted the attention of music executives and they encouraged him to record his first single in 1954. With a sound that combined diverse musical influences (from country and gospel to rock and blues), he ushered in a whole new era of American music. Presley would go on to become one of the most popular recording artists ever. He has sold more than one billion records around the world, more than any other artist. Presley died in 1977 at the age of 42.