And that will probably be the last time that I would go back to it.. He said they were all just alike, basically. Billy: Gene was Elvis' first cousin. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. "He thought it made him look better and that he needed it," Billy reveals. He wanted stronger roles. Billy: Elvis was southern, and so he joked sometimes. It hurts. Junior was at my house in my bed when he died. Over the years, there have been many rumors that have circulated about Presley, one in particular that he also had webbed toes. In a new video, one asked: Why do you think it was so hard for Elvis to be alone?, Initially, Jo said: I dont know. We were like brothers. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. producing.no propelling, an unstoppable, fundamental and primordial shift in not only musical, but social, political and cultural history", "Elvis, the musician, is largely a relic belonging to the baby boomer generationElvis, the icon, is arguably one of the most potent symbols of popular culture", "It [rock & roll] was always about Elvis; not just because he was Elvis, but because he was the big star", "If they had let me on white radio stations back then, there never would have been an Elvis", "Elvis loved opera, and he especially liked Mario Lanza. But he knew it from memory, and we went over it several times so I could memorize it. He was my hero.. Billy Smith was interviewed by Piers Beagley for EIN, January 2006. The quartet kicks off the video with a plethora of jokes and laughter. February 1983: A furor erupts when new video network MTV refuses to play Elvis' first video, shot to promote his new cover of Olivia Newton-John's Physical. She was in Germany where Elvis was stationed in the Army. Is it true that your father also went to the penitentiary but that Elvis grand-father bailed Travis out & left Vernon in jail? I know now he was trying to tell me something -- it was a most touching goodbye.'. Billy Smith said that he knew there was something special about Elvis Presley the first time he watched the King work in the studio. The interesting part will not be the cartoon itself, but the fact that the Elvis character is working undercover as a government spy. Potato Head toy in 12.11 seconds while blindfolded. Billy, had a heart attack on January 27th and he had 4 stints put in. From the time they were kids till the end. Although Elvis Presley was beloved by many, he surrounded himself with a small inner circle known as the Memphis Mafia. (1969) and cocks his head in a manner that conspiracy theorists swear is identical to Presleys onstage mannerisms. What was his relationship like with Elvis? May 1 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Pennsylvania came to the rescue of a deer spotted stranded in a Montgomery County canal. But Elvis loved movieshe starred in 31and Christmas, so it almost makes sense that he would risk blowing his cover by appearing in the 1990 holiday comedy Home Alone. I don't agree with some of the tales he tells, but Larry was there for a while. Dedicated Presley fans are well aware of the controversy that has surrounded Presley's death from day one. What do you remember of that time and how different was it from life in Tupelo? That's the reason I've never remarried. Billy: With Elvis, all the movies were fun. He supposedly gave the name Jon Burrows, a pseudonym Elvis used when checking into hotels. Not that we arent happy with our family, we are, Jo said. However, the upstairs where he died of a heart attack in 1977 was his private space and access was by invite only. 'It was love at first sight,' she said in an interview. Several in our group were close to Elvis at one time or the other. Billy admitted: And [for] many years Id always heard these fans saying, Is Elvis still alive?, So many sightings and all this. Moreover, it fulfills our commitment to. His former wife weeps when she talks about the deaths of her stepson and his father. EIN: After Elvis fall & concussion before Clambake, The Colonel demanded that Elvis burn all his spiritual books. It still hurts that hes gone. Billy's father Travis Smith was the brother of Elvis' mother Gladys and became the main guard at Graceland. Photo above - Junior Smith in New York with Elvis & his date. New Elvis projects will include Hound dog treats for dogs and a Netflix original series in 2021. And Elvis trusted him. Can you tell us if this is true? It is quite a stretch, but imagine if it were true. Billy: When the Beatles came, we were all excited about getting to meet them. 'He said, 'Dee, I'm sick. And, whenever we were able, we always went to see him, especially local. MTV could have dodged the controversy by explaining that the spectacle of a bare-chested Elvis in a series of multihued headbands and sweatpants was faintly ludicrous, or even that Physical was a lousy record. Elvis had a hard time hiding it if something was bothering him. Sound crazy? . 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." And we were always close, even with the eight year age difference. With that, what critics like to call the "Fit Elvis era" is over. Our lives are like night and day. We were told that she was a beautiful woman. Since then, Dee Presley has worked as a sales clerk in a department store -- a job she described as 'the best therapy in the world -- and now does public relations in Nashville. Elvis made the rules and decisions when it came to me, and most of the other guys. Blasting SA, IDI CHE-247.845.224, Via Carlo Frasca, 3 - 6900 Lugano (Switzerland) I could SWAP places with a doppelgnger The King's cousin speaksG, Elvis ALIVE? Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. So I think he had someone with him as much as he could., The Kings mother Gladys Presley died just a couple of years into his fame in 1958, leaving him devastated. And was late for work many times. As the years went on, Smith then lived with his wife, Jo, on the same grounds. One of the most popular of these is that The King took another identity after swapping places with a doppelgnger who was terminally ill. Interestingly, Elvis cousin and Memphis Mafia member Billy Smith has revealed how The King once told him how he could swap places with a lookalike. EIN regularly gets asked questions relating to Billy Smith & his life with Elvis, so we sincerely thank him for taking time out of his busy life for this long interview. Travis was the brother of Gladys Presley, Elvis's mother, making Billy and Elvis first cousins. Billy: Yes, I was with him on many of the recording sessions. He was sullen and disturbed because of what had happened to him when he was in the army in Korea. Billy's family also went with the Presleys when they first moved to Memphis. The series is co-created by Priscilla Presley. Maybe Elvis figured his acting skills would help him avoid suspicion. There were a lot of rumors circulating at the time that Elvis was alive. So, he watched from a distance. Elvis is treated for deep bruising, and a doctor decrees that he stay overnight for observation. EIN: I believe that you brought Jerry Schilling into the group. EIN: Do you remember any build up to Elvis recording his first record or practising with Scotty Moore & Bill Black? Joe could tolerate Colonel better than some of the others. Can you clarify what happened and how did you feel about this happening being real family? Elvis Presley's cousin Billy Smith reveals singer's most intimate secrets on his cosmetic surgeries, Elvis Presley's cousin reveals singer's most intimate secrets on the singer's surgeries, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck enjoy during family dinner in Malibu, 'Shameless' season 11 spoilers: countdown to saying goodbye to the Gallaghers has begun, Elvis Presley affection once turned down by Mary Tyler Moore, Its not true: from UN call to decriminalize pedophilia to BlackRock behind Tucker Carlson's firing, SYFY ends 'The Magicians' with current season 5, Emperor Palpatine is a clone according to upcoming 'Rise of Skywalker' novelization. Smith went on to recall how Presley decided to have his nose trimmed down. Thirty-six years ago Friday, owing to pressures we can hardly imagine and self-indulgences we can imagine only too well, Elvis Presley died. Another one of Elviss cousins, Billy Smith, claimed the singer simply preferred the more common double-A spelling, as legal documents bearing Presleys signature attest. And you place yours on mine. He always had a love for music even at very young age. Elvis'/Jesse's Hair, rings and . In the clip, a gray-haired dude in a baseball cap and Elvis Week T-shirt fusses with some wire and holds up two fingersapparently some type of numerological clueas he walks past the camera. From this day forward, our minds, our souls, At the very least they have some stories to tell about the legendary rocker. When asked about the stories, Smith revealed he was not too sure about that one. . He tells variations of this story, often using a line like "the ego flies on Tuesday, baby," in most of his subsequent live appearances. 'We're getting ready to do another show,' she said. Elvis enjoyed the Self Realization Park. . I remember them cutting pasteboard to put in their shoes to cover the holes. Speaking on his son Danny Smiths YouTube channel, Memphis Mafia Kid, Billy said: This question, Is Elvis still alive? Well, let me say this. But Elvis had all kinds of people working for him - black, white, Jews, Italians, Mexicans. Its not his home. In addition to Elvis absence, the family suggested their disdain for the way Graceland controls access to Elvis grave. When Elvis Presley passed away in August of 77, he was surrounded by family and members of the Memphis Mafia. He hated how wide it was and the way it flared. That broke the ice, and after that, they talked for hours. ", Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. EIN: Do you remember when Elvis started complaining about the quality of his movies going downhill? This article has been curated and verified by, This area provides transparent information about Blasting News, our editorial processes and how we strive for creating trustworthy news. That seems very strange. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Billy: I was always close to Elvis, but I was his family. He seems to remember his importance more than some of the other guys remember it. Elvis' private late night chat about Lisa Marie with his cousin, Oscars 2023 odds Elvis star Austin Butler gaining on Brendan Fraser, Real reason Elvis found it so hard being alone unveiled by close relative and confidant, Elvis with his Memphis Mafia Billy Smith is on the far left, Elvis death: Last person to see Kings body before casket was closed, Priscilla Presley returns to red carpet after Lisa Maries death, Elvis movie deleted scene from 4 hour version released by Baz Luhrmann, Elvis sang hit song to Priscilla as they left divorce court together, Elvis Presley tops Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra in epic record, Elvis' granddaughter shares how King influenced her as 70s rock star, Elvis 'was never the same' after big change claimed The Beatles. I remember once Elvis took us shopping and brought us a complete wardrobe shortly after we moved to Graceland. Click to buy "Elvis and the Memphis Mafia", (the eagerly anticipated re-issue of "Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations of the Memphis Mafia", Click to view the "Memphis Mafia" website, Click to read Marty Lacker's interview with EIN, Click to read Lamar Fike's interview with EIN, Click to read EIN's article 'Elvis was Not a Racist', "Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture", " Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together.which subconciously gives our world meaning", "Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis", "He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying", "I think Elvis Presley will never be solved", "He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here", "When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybodyhearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail", "When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley", Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead", (EIN Note Billys full story about The Pledge is also featured in the book Elvis & the Memphis Mafia), Subscribe to EIN's FREE weekly newsletter, Selected back issues of EIN's FREE weekly newsletter, DVD: A Tribute To The King (Scotty Moore), Book: Elvis Aaron Presley: A Candle In The Wind, Elvis That's The Way It Is: 1970 vs. 2001, The man who bought Elvis (Robert Sillerman), Elvis on The Creative Edge - Part 2 - The CD, 'Elvis Seriously'- Why is Elvis' voice too often ignored, How & where to sell your Elvis collection, Elvis & other major artists miss out on Grammy Awards, Listen to the Elvis "strung out" in Vegas audio, View video of "All Shook Up" opening night on Broadway, Billy Smith, Marty Lacker & Lamar Fike have all recently been involved in the re-issue of the excellent book Elvis & The Memphis Mafia. Elvis' version of Jennifer Holliday's And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going becomes an adult-contemporary chart-topper. 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. The man would now be in his 80s, and the oldest person on record only lived to 122. "Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century. Its been almost 43 years since Elvis Presley died. 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. Like I said we had to go to a whole new area. But those photos of her later on make her look sad because she was sick, as well as being sad about Elvis going to the army. Billy: Junior Smith was Gene's older brother and his real name was Carroll. . I know that Elvis loved Colonel, but he also had resentment toward him for holding him back on certain things that he really wanted to do. Theres a bearded guy behind her who looks a little like Elvis in Charro!

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