Click here for Part Two: Billy talks about Elvis' Girls, Elvis' Final Years, his relationship with EPE, 'Elvis By The Presleys' and more. Billy and Elvis' other associates are alarmed and decide, despite Elvis' protests, that with a tour days away, a trip to the hospital would be prudent. At the same time, much of the lore of Presleys life has become family history. In the end, a leather-clad Elvis, looking impressively buff at 53, revisits his classic hits of the late '60s and '70s, including In the Ghetto, Burning Love and Suspicious Minds. Recently, Smith appeared on his son Danny Smith's YouTube channel known as the Memphis Mafia Kid. What The Final 12 Months Of Elvis' Life Were Like [WILL]. One thing was to tour Europe. The series is co-created by Priscilla Presley. We promised each other. Billy Smith is not only Elvis first cousin but a former member of the singers inner Mafia circle. Afterwards we both cried like crazy and I'll remember it as long as I live. Billys family also went with the Presleys when they first moved to Memphis. It was either the death of Elvis Presley at the age of 42, as more than 80 percent of Americans believe, or the start of the most spectacular disappearing act in the history of mankind. I was little, and I was trying to get some bananas out that the man from the fruit stand had thrown away. It was 1958 and Elvis was on leave from the US Army. Elvis and Gene even worked together at Precision Tool. They were true family and were in Elvis company to the very final day. Right: Billy Smith, The Colonel and Elvis all looking jovial in June 1967- about three months after the 'Clambake' incident. Elvis always liked to be the "Main Event." Its like a light switch turned off. May 1 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Pennsylvania came to the rescue of a deer spotted stranded in a Montgomery County canal. And we were always close, even with the eight year age difference. However, the staff revives him, and when he regains consciousness, he tells his buddies: "I had the strangest dream .". Some Elvis Presley fans may find the animated series an insult to the King of Rock and Roll, while many others could find it very interesting. He never betrayed me again. In recent years, Billy Smiths son, Danny, created his own YouTube channel. Surprisingly, it works as effectively as the star's usual three nightly packets of Seconal, Placidyl, Demerol and several other medications, and he falls into a deep sleep, but he is unresponsive when a nurse tries to awaken him late in the day. (EIN Note The full story about Elvis testing everyones honesty is in the M.M. People said that he uses cosmetic surgery to improve his appearance and look his best. From an outsiders view she often appears sad, as she has that particular look in the photos after Elvis became famous. Elvis never changed his belief in God or Jesus Christ. Kolb came forward with an original color version of the image proving that it was himnot Elvisin the shot, but thats hardly laid the matter to rest. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. That was a lot different and I remember that it took a while for everyone to get jobs, and one of my daddy's cousins stole all the money we had, and my daddy's new socks. Elvis fans come from worldwide, they come here, and they have to, if I was a fan, I would, Smith said in reference to touring his cousins home. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Two weeks before his death, a sobbing Elvis Presley told his stepmother, 'I'm in terrible pain' -- a cry for help Dee Presley says will haunt her until she dies. Jo said how people often point out the star spending days in his bedroom, but she dispelled one rumour surrounding this. They have a little trouble finding material at first, since Elvis has already sung most of the great American songbook, but they widen the scope to include more recent standards. EIN: Billy, you had a particularly special relationship with Elvis and were closer to him than any of the other members of the Memphis Mafia. Elvis'/Jesse's Hair, rings and . May 1 (UPI) -- Michigan State Police troopers doing a clean-up at the side of a highway said what initially appeared to be a gruesome discovery turned out to be a realistic-looking severed hand made of rubber. Dark skin, dark eyes, and high cheeks. [2] When Smith was five in November of 1948, his family moved along with the Presley family from Tupelo, Mississippi to Memphis . Elvis was more understanding, and he wanted someone with him too. EIN: In the mid-sixties Elvis seemed to need a new avenue of exploration or interest. Billy Smith also claims that Elvis underwent two face life procedures, the first one being in 1957, and the second in 1975 just two years before his untimely death on August 16, 1977. Believers of this bizarre theory contend that a 55-year-old Presley turned up in the background of the scene where Catherine OHaras character is stuck at the Scranton airport while trying to get home to her son. She worried a lot, and she was not in good health. As for Presleys autopsy report: Its a private family document unlikely to ever see the light of day. Elvis Double Lay Dead at Graceland As We Saw the King Drive Off With The King had packed on a few pounds in his later years, but theres no way he was pushing a half-ton. One explanation: The casket was outfitted with a cooling systemthe kind youd use to keep a wax dummy of a beloved celebrity from melting on a hot summer day. It's raining, and Billy remarks that he's sick of it. I know this picture is of you and not of somebody else., I never thought about [that conversation] again until after Elvis was dead.. What was that night like for you and why didnt you run a tape recording of it?! Elvis Presley's Cousin Remembers Shocking Sight From - Outsider She was always laughing & carrying on. A great deal of Elvis is alive intrigue centers on August 18, 1977, the day of Presley's funeral. It was that the premiere was in Memphis and we were not invited to the premiere when other people that were not close to Elvis [were]. Billy Smith was Elvis' first cousin, the son of Gladys Presley's oldest brother. He lived in a separate home with his family on the grounds of Graceland. Aug. 16, 2012: Elvis dies in his sleep at Graceland on the 25th anniversary of the first Harmonic Convergence and 35 years to the day after his near-death in Memphis. She was in Germany where Elvis was stationed in the Army. A few years later, while studying them with a magnifying glass, Joseph spotted a shadowy Elvis-like figure sitting in the doorway. Plans for Elvis to appear solo are scuttled when RCA threatens to withdraw support unlesss its new star, Rick Astley, is included. As a result, he is one of the only people left alive who knew the true . Elvis Presley always loved to have his close friends around him. 6. Billy: My father Travis was the first Gate Guard that Elvis had. "Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century. Late August 1977: "I dreamed I died," Elvis will tell reporters later, "and I was headed toward a pure white light, but something sent me back. And that will probably be the last time that I would go back to it.. He also tried to distance you all from Elvis by making Joe Esposito head foreman. However, in reality, even if Elvis Presley did allegedly fake his own death in 1977, today, he would be a very old man, so the odds are that even so, he most likely would not be alive today. By accepting "all cookies", including profiling cookies, in addition to supporting our free offer, you will receive advertisements in line with your interests. The Beatles were excited about meeting him, but when they first got there they were a little quiet and were just kind of feeling him out. The last surviving original Memphis Mafia member Billy Smith, Elvis' cousin, had some of the closest access to The King. Billy: Gene was Elvis' first cousin. Elvis was always my hero. Billy admitted: And [for] many years Id always heard these fans saying, Is Elvis still alive?, So many sightings and all this. READ MORE:Lisa Marie's lifetime of 'disappointment' cured at Elvis premiere, Jo continued: Whats an invitation? His account, Memphis Mafia Kid contains a multitude of videos posted by the family of Elvis Presley. EIN: Whats your earliest memory of Elvis? Elvis Presley: How Muhammad Ali inspired The Kings show preparation, Elvis Presley:The King's wife Priscilla senses his 'spirit'. Id get dressed, and Id go out to Graceland. We lived in a big-white house that was on the property. Billy Smith interview on the Day Elvis Presley Died January 2019 Traditionally, you cant have a funeral without a death, and what killed the King is another major source of controversy. The less he had to think about that better he felt. Some closer than others, but still we stood up for each other no matter what. Billy: With Elvis, all the movies were fun. "Elvis always . I never meant for this story to mislead anybody or hurt anybody in any kind of way.. Do you remember Elvis singing to you or the family before he became famous? Had Elvis used a trained financial supervisor who knew how to invest then he wouldnt have had to work so hard in his final years. Elvis cousin Billy Smith, the last surviving original Memphis Mafia member, knew The King before he was famous and was with him in the Graceland upstairs bathroom just hours before the star died there of a heart attack on August 16, 1977. Billy's family also went with the Presleys when they first moved to Memphis. I could SWAP places with a doppelgnger The King's cousin speaksG, Elvis ALIVE? In an interview accompanying The Beatles Anthology DVD, George Harrison likens a brief 1972 encounter with Elvis at Madison Square Garden to meeting Vishnu or Krishna or something. His hair was black, his skin was tan, and his aura left the Beatle feeling like a snooty little nobody. Harrison may have been hinting at something Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper said rather deftly with their 1987 single Elvis Is Everywhere. Alive or dead, Presley is one pop culture deity well never stop worshipping. Billy: Yes, Billy Mann was the one who took the picture in the coffin. He said in the clip that he felt him when he stayed upstairs in the house. It was a very strong bond, and Elvis was the center of it all. That explanation was good enough for Joseph, but not everyone is satisfied. Aside from his blood relatives, his Memphis Mafia gang of male friends had free rein of the estate and home. Nor I him. Smith went on to recall how Presley decided to have his nose trimmed down. Also in attendance was Memphis Mafia member Jerry Schilling, who appears at lots of Elvis events with Priscilla. He was, and is supreme", "I wasn't just a fan, I was his brotherthere'll never be another like that soul brother", "There were rock 'n' roll records before Heartbreak Hotel, but this was the one that didn't just open the doorit literally blasted the door off its rusted, rotten, anachronistic hinges. "I know him and Linda [Thompson] were in there a lot. What did you see of his personal quest at the time and his visits to the Self Realization Park? January 1978: To underscore Elvis' new, clean image, the Colonel decides an anti-drug single would be a shrewd move. Billy: Well it's true that my father, Travis, went to the penitentiary with Vernon, but Vernon got out of prison a few months before my father because of good behavior. And, he had unbelievable strength. Elvis Presley's Cousins Recall Spending The Holidays With Him Three generations of The Kings family were present, from his ex-wife Priscilla and his only child Lisa Marie to the granddaughters he never met in Riley, Harper and Finley. Billy Stanley, her son by a previous marriage, called her and said Elvis was offering $5,000 if she would telephone him, she said. In the early days no wives were allowed to go, but then, when Priscilla started to go back and forth, so did the wives. Billy and his wife Jo are still alive and have a YouTube channel called "Elvis Fans Matter" where they talk about Elvis and give some pretty interesting insight into the life of The King. ", (Mark Feeney on the 'Elvis meets Nixon' meeting), "especially in the South, they talk about Elvis and Jesus in the same breath", "The image is one thing and the human being is anotherit's very hard to live up to an image", (Elvis Presley, Madison Square Garden press conference, 1972), "Elvis was a major hero of mine. Maybe Elvis figured his acting skills would help him avoid suspicion. Then during the touring we were together all the time. Now naturally Elvis wasnt going to change his looks, so the guy had to look like him. Elvis and Vernon knew how far to push. That's the same white house that Elvis and I tore down with the bulldozer to make more room to ride the horses. In Elvis and the Memphis Mafia it is suggested he was the one who took the "coffin" picture. Elvis and Aunt Gladys had a very quick temper, and I have seen the bad side of both when they were mad or upset. I just think its unacceptable for his fans or any of his family or friends to have to pay to go and pay their respects at his graveside, Jo said. January 1980: The tour over, Elvis spends most of his time in the gym. But, why bust his bubble. The insider swears that Elvis murmurs, "Return to sender. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. Sometimes Tracy would stay down there at the gate with Daddy and pretend he was a gate guard. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. EIN: There are tales of Joe Esposito being paid by both Elvis and Colonel Parker and that The Col used him to spy on Elvis. It was then that Billy Smith realized that there was something different and amazing about Elvis Presley. Before Elvis Presley passed away on August 16, 1977, he spent his last night and early morning with his cousin Billy Smith.. Billy is arguably one of the last people ever to have a conversation with Elvis. EIN: And what of Vernon? Interview by Piers Beagley - 2006. It won't be the last. Billy Smith and cousin Elvis Presley. He lived in a separate home with his family on the grounds of Graceland. Elvis' Cousin Shares Last Conversation With King Hours Before His Death One family member of Elvis Presley has revealed just how much work and how far the King of Rock and Roll went to make sure he looked his best. When he was sick, I usually stayed with him. Elvis spoke up and said, "If you guys aren't going to say anything, I'm going to bed." He didnt just go up in his room and not do anything His room up there with his office and all that was big, so. Asked in an interview to identify the man in the background, Ali reportedly said, Thats my friend Elvis., In the late 80s, the epicenter of the Elvis lives universe shifted to Kalamazoo, Michigan, a city Elvis played four months before his death. His performance with Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Keith Richards and Paul Shaffer's band on Berry's Promised Land is a highlight, though Little Richard hogs the microphone and Berry tries to upstage Elvis with a prolonged duckwalk. Elvis Cousin Billy Smith and his Wife Jo talking about August 16, 1977. But toxicologists found more than 10 drugs in Presleys system, fueling speculation that polypharmacy played a role in his death. . Elvis is paired with the likes of Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Elvis Costello, Kelly Clarkson, daughter Lisa Marie Presley, Whitney Houston, Astley and Mariah Carey. Did you know of this when you were young and were there any family stories of Morning Dove White your gt-gt-gt-gt Grandmother? He also allows his mystical bent to resurface, retelling the tale of his near-death experience to audiences and commissioning a midset New Age instrumental featuring cellos and mouth harps, which soon becomes known as The Harmonica Convergence. He tells Elvis, "You can't cover any old hit and expect it to become a hit again just because it has your name on it." Elvis Presley movie reminded Priscilla Presley of King's anger, Elvis filmmakers called idiots by family for 'betraying' his parents, Elvis family portrayed in movie aggravated not to be invited to premiere Really tacky, Elvis with his Memphis Mafia Billy Smith is on the far left, Lisa Marie Presley on emotional, incredible time at Elvis premiere, Lisa Marie's lifetime of 'disappointment' cured at Elvis premiere, Elvis movie erased major girlfriend: I saved his life many times, Elvis agreed with Linda on reason that marrying Priscilla was mistake, Elvis Week 2022: Graceland announce virtual tickets for global fans, Elvis movie review: Tom Hanks Colonel very much the villain of biopic, Elvis girlfriend who found him dead erased from movie Tell his story', Lisa Marie Presley has my first smile in two years with Elvis star, Elvis movie: Major girlfriends and life details erased from biopic, Elvis movie betrayed King, he'd be p***ed off declare close family. Billy: Well for one thing, we had inside plumbing! Dedicated Presley fans are well aware of the controversy that has surrounded Presley's death from day one.
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