Elvis Presley’s musical career started in 1954. That year, he recorded at Sun Records in Memphis with producer Sam Phillips, beginning the professional chapter that would make him a rock-and-roll icon.
Presley’s first Sun session produced “That’s All Right,” backed by “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” The single’s energetic blend of rhythm and blues, country, and blues helped establish rockabilly, a style central to the early development of rock and roll. Guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black joined him in the studio and onstage.
Although Presley had made amateur recordings in 1953 and early 1954, those earlier acetates were not the start of his public professional career. He began performing regularly in July 1954, including appearances with Moore and Black, and soon gained regional attention through radio, touring, and the Louisiana Hayride.
A common mix-up is 1956, when Presley’s national breakthrough arrived through RCA Victor, “Heartbreak Hotel,” television appearances, and his debut film. Those events marked his national stardom, but his musical career began two years earlier in 1954.