Rise of The King of Rock and Roll at Beth Tfiloh
In 2023, the stars on the sound waves around the country have been artists like Ice Spice, Travis Scott, Taylor Swift, and Drake. But here at Beth Tfiloh, especially among the 11th grade, an old voice has taken over. They call him “The King,” and now, he’s got BT All Shook Up.
From Jailhouse Rock, to Blue Suede Shoes, and all his other influential hits, how is it that Elvis Presley is now the most popular artist around the halls? For Yonatan P. ‘25 and Oscar W. ‘25, the answer is simple: “the lyrical creativity.” They described to me the rhythm he sang with, the “charisma” he handled himself with, and said he had the “greatest voice of all time.”
Though Elvis has been dead for 46 years, he’s been reborn at BT. Oscar says “it’s about time” that’s the case. In their cars, in school, and at home, it is always Elvis. As a matter of fact, Yonatan can still recall the first time he heard the king’s voice. He’s infiltrated their minds playing during car rides, study halls, and workouts.
Presley’s pervasiveness is not just rising among the juniors — Nadav D. ‘26 and Asher P. ‘24 have Elvis featured on their playlists. When asked to describe Presley, Nadav captured the king’s greatness in one word: Revolutionary.
Elvis’ influence on American culture should not be overlooked. Beginning with the symbolism within younger adults that kickstarted his era of greatness and continuing with the culture he contributed to the country, his power is still apparent in our lives. Even in my home, my only family pet, a Black Lionhead rabbit, is named after the Memphis Flash.
Elvis Presley, just like my bunny Elvis, rocked a slicked-back hairstyle, always walked around with his persona radiating the room and dispersing to the fans around him. That, along with his voice, led fans from the 1950s to the 2020s to still enjoy his music. Now, at BT, Elvis is back in style.
