Was Elvis influenced by old records and tapes?

Elvis Presley was born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi. By this time, audio recorders had already been widely available for around 40 years, so yes, records and tapes likely played a significant role in his upbringing and musical formation. He grew up around diverse musical influences such as the Southern gospel singing, country music, pop from radio broadcasts featuring artists like Dean Martin.

Elvis' musical experiences from radio, records, and church exposure led him to embrace various elements in his unique signature sound and performance style that eventually brought him fame.