According to noted physicians, the human voice is considered to be a pulmonary apparatus used for communication. In order for this pulmonary apparatus to produce the sound that we call singing, there are three elements that are necessary. These three vital elements are the lungs, vocals cords, and a space where the tone can be strengthened such as the throat and mouth. The air from the lungs provides the power needed for singing. The vocal cords stretch in order to change the pitch of the sound, and the opening of the mouth is varied in size so vowel sounds can be uttered. These three elements produce the wonderful sound of the human voice.
If Elvis Presley would not have had the sound in his voice that Sam Phillips was looking for, Elvis's name would be unrecognized. He not only needed the necessary biological characteristics for singing, but he also needed a black Southern sound. One reason that he was a prime target of Phillips was because he grew up in the South among Negroes. Elvis probably played with Negro children on a daily basis, and naturally he began to pick up their dialect. Growing up in the South was an advantage for him because he had the opportunity to observe and listen to blacks on a first hand basis.
We recognize Elvis Presley's name today only because he combined the necessary biological characteristics of singing with a black Southern sound. Truly, Elvis's innate singing abilities and the culture that he was raised in, paved the road for his career in life.