Yeah,Elvis definitely was NOT stritly a rock and roll performer.R&B inspired rock was merely his genre of choice for the first phase of his career.Essentially,he could pull off different styles quite well.Won a couple Grammys for Gospel(I know many times the Grammys have been a lot of BS,but I think most music historians would agree that his victories here were among the legitmiate ones in the history of the controversial trophy).Like ALL the truly great singers,he was certanly gifted in the area of not just singing the songs,but also feeling the spirit in which the tunes were written.Sensational interpreter.Many have questioned the whole "King of Rock and Roll" thing,but then on the other hand,this was a title bestowed upon him by the public.Elvis just plain garnered much pleasure from giving a song all he could in order to maximize audience pleasure.Elvis was well aware that it was really black artists who molded the genre of rock as he learned much from black gospel church singers when he was a youngster and we all know here that Gospel did indeed play a part in the formation of orck and roll.He also was a big fan of black R&B,another major rock component.I sincerely doubt that Presley saw himself as the creator of ANY kind of music.He just plain possessed great passion for and derived much inspiration from good music.Once in a meeting with the members of Led Zeppelin,he even remarked that he was a fan of "Stairway to Heaven",yet he knew this was not HIS kind of song to record.He was well aware of both his gifts and limitations.NOBODY can sing EVRYTHING satisfactorily,a point some think the Stones made when they attempted psychedelia with "Satanic Majesties Request",not an wholly bad record,but hardly the Stones' fortey........