The King as Proletarian: Thinking about Elvis Presley as a Worker

Abstract

ABSTRACT What are the implications of conceiving of musicians as first and foremost being particular forms of workers? This article argues that such an approach leads to a greater understanding of musical lives and soon necessitates a consideration of the industries within which musicians seek to work. In order to justify such claims the article looks at the working life of one of the most famous popular musicians of all—Elvis Presley, someone often referred to as the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll.” It argues that an examination of Elvis Presley’s working life reveals that rather than being that of a king it was that of a proletarian.