Elvis at 21: New York to Memphis

In 1956, Alfred Wertheimer was asked by Presley's new label, RCA Victor, to photograph Elvis Presley's budding career just as it was about to take off in a way the world had never seen.

With unimpeded access to the young performer, Wertheimer captured unguarded and everyday moments in Elvis's life during that crucial year.

It was a year that took him from Tupelo, Mississippi, to the silver screen, the verge of international stardom, and his crowning as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll." As Wertheimer photographed Elvis during 1956, and again in 1958, he created classic images that are spontaneous, unrehearsed, and without artifice.