An American tale:
Elvis Presley's rise and fall

(CNN) -- Elvis lives -- if not in the flesh, then as an icon of American culture.

Two decades after his death at age 42 the story of Elvis Aaron Presley gains currency. More than anything, of course, Presley is known as the king of rock 'n' roll. He was one of the first musicians to combine elements of African-American and white music, an explosive combination that changed music and culture to this day.

Presley was more than a sex symbol who died before his time. The Elvis Presley phenomenon is a peculiarly American tale, and that no doubt explains a big part of its resonance. It's also a tragedy: a self-made man who gained everything in his dreams -- fame, wealth, admiration -- only to become miserable and die.

The only son of a working class family from Tupelo, Mississippi, he completed high school in Memphis and became a national sensation as a teen-ager. In his early years, everything Presley did worked like magic. His bump and grind on stage drove his mostly female audiences into a frenzy. Skilled musicians may have scoffed at his string-breaking act, but Presley knew how to sing with soul, and was a perfectionist when it came to recording. Moreover, he was a master at playing to the press, never coming across as cocky, despite the sneering rebel routine he practiced on stage. For years, Presley didn't drink or smoke, with the exception of filtered cigars he chomped mainly for the sake of appearances.

"This is a decent, fine boy," Ed Sullivan said of Presley on national television in a huge boost to his career in 1957.

With his fresh sound and attitude, Presley burst onto America at a time when the nation's parameters were narrow and its prosperous youth bursting with energy. And at time of pre-packaged stars, Elvis distinguished himself through his authenticity. With his physical performances, outrageous clothes and singing style, he broke many of the rules of his day, rules that today seem quaint by comparison. Presley was always a rebel at heart, but he never left his working-class roots. He had an effortless way of expressing himself that continues to inspire artists.

Just as he was propelled by the forces he unleashed, Presley also became overwhelmed by them. In his later years he became a sad and bloated parody of himself, surrounded by guns, languishing in a pill-induced stupor in the isolation of hotels and his white-columned estate near Memphis. Even during his long decline during the 1970s, there were flashes of brilliance. But he grew increasingly unhappy and felt trapped by the persona he had built. Eventually, his stardom -- and his life -- veered out of control.