Professional handlers and celebrity security experts had not yet evolved. EIN: I know that you were in Nashville for the Guitar Man sessions with Jerry Reed. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The World's Ugliest Dog Contest, held annually in California, announced applications are now available for owners of aesthetically-challenged canines seeking to prove the unsightliness of their pooches. Sign up for a free 30 day trial at the link to listen to unlimited music on Amazon Music! Billy Smith is known for Elvis (1979), Elvis: Tortured Soul (2022) and Elvis: The Final Hours (2018). We could talk about anything, and we did! Elvis and Aunt Gladys had a very quick temper, and I have seen the bad side of both when they were mad or upset. However, he was just a boy at the time. The Smith family collection includes a toy car from Elvis's childhood that was given to Billy Smith by Gladys Presley, a pair of lamps purchased by Elvis on one of his shopping sprees for the . 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. EIN: Few fans know the story of your uncle, Tracy Smith. He also had not only one but two facelifts in his lifetime, one in 1957 and the other in 1975. [2] When Smith was five in November of 1948, his family moved along with the Presley family from Tupelo, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee. Joined: Mon Feb 02, 2015 1:57 pm. Travis was illiterate and when fans at Gracelands gates asked him for his autograph he would put them off since he couldnt read or write. Was he really as lazy as often portrayed - and can you comment on your quote (in the book Elvis & the Memphis Mafia) that "Vernon always wanted more of everything, except responsibility"! See Photos. Elvis is testing the three songs that he recorded a few days earlier. 4.25 avg rating 537 ratings published 1995 7 editions. Never wanting to disappoint his fans, nothing was too extreme for Presley. Jerry still lives in the house in LA that Elvis bought him in 1974 and is still involved in Elvis projects. The reason being someone told him his eyes were so blue and all that, [so] if he had dark hair it would make his eyes stand out.. During a recent question and answer session, Smith and his wife Jo opened up about their estranged relationship with the Presley family. It was 1958 and Elvis was on leave from the US Army. "Elvis was surrounded by the first wave of what would become known as the Memphis Mafia." ", "Absolute id crashed into absolute superegoas the uptightset man in America shook hands with just about the loosest. 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. He always told me that he loved me. So, that makes him a wonderful source of information as well as stories about Elvis and the goings-on at Graceland and beyond. I lived on Circle G ranch at that time, when we were not in Los Angeles. EIN: In the mid-sixties Elvis seemed to need a new avenue of exploration or interest. But stranger things have happened. Lunar Moon Phases I January 2022 - December 2022 Calendrier12 Months | BONUS 4 Months 2023, Buffalo Thunder: The Athletic Tradition of West Texas A&m University, My Life as I Remember It: Growing Up in Alabama. "It's just a simple word, you see, To him, Elvis was more than the superstar the world swooned over; he was his best friend. In Elvis and the Memphis Mafia it is suggested he was the one who took the "coffin" picture. He seems to remember his importance more than some of the other guys remember it. Find your friends on Facebook. Eight years younger than The King, Billy grew up with his own family in a home in. Dog rescued after falling 12 feet into Georgia storm drain. He had to get in the studio and cut a few singles while he was home. That was the very first I knew how upset Elvis was. Thats it. Billy: Elvis was southern, and so he joked sometimes. Billy and Jo say they dont know exactly why theyve lost contact with the Presleys. EIN: And what of Vernon? While there is no living person that has spent more time with Elvis, Billy and Jo say they have no contact with Priscilla, Lisa Marie, or any other member of the Presley family. On the other hand, by clicking only on accept strictly necessary cookies, you will receive non-targeted advertising whose number and repetition will not be limited. Three bison escape Maine farm, two recaptured. Was it talked about within the family or was it a surprise for you when your cousin was suddenly on the radio? At the time I knew he was pissed at Colonel about something, but he never said what it was. "Elvis always tried to improve his looks." Billy also mentions that Elvis also had caps on his teeth and facial blemishes removed. He would wear a shirt with an E and a P emblazoned on each side of his chest as a uniform, accompanied by a cap and dark blue trousers. She said Elvis told her he was not surprised and the marriage had his blessing. So, he watched from a distance. Smith said, I feel like so many of Elvis fans know exactly what Im talking about. If he had to try to nail it down, he said, I think he put his heart and soul into every song he recorded, good or bad.. And was late for work many times. 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. Sounds like that urban legend has yet to be confirmed or denied! Isaid, hello and she said, Linda. I said, hey, she said, Its Lisa. I said, I know who this is, you little goobernickel. It was a pet name Elvis and I had for her, Thompson explained, according to aExpress.co.ukreport. There, he shares some of those stories with the public. EIN: After Elvis fall & concussion before Clambake, The Colonel demanded that Elvis burn all his spiritual books. Billy: Uncle Tracy had a fever when he was a child, and it caused him to be slow. He liked real dramatic things", (Marty Lacker in 'Elvis and the Memphis Mafia'), "If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead". Actually no, we dont. Billy: Yes, my older brother Bobby died in 1968. More Viewers Questions! He took rat poison. Eight years younger, Billy Smith is the star's cousin on his mother's side. Junior was at my house in my bed when he died. His cousin, Billy Smith, has revealed the truth behind those ongoing rumors. Did Elvis ever comment to you about the terrible movie-songs - or did you see his bad reactions for yourself? By accepting "all cookies", including profiling cookies, in addition to supporting our free offer, you will receive advertisements in line with your interests. He craved the attention of someone who adored him without the threat of sexual pressure, much as a mother would." . Smith realized this as he stood slack-jawed watching the King lay down vocals. Jul 10, 2019 - 206 Likes, 7 Comments - elvis aaron presley (@forever.presley) on Instagram: "Elvis's first cousin, Billy Smith with his wife, Jo Smith. Incredible as it sounds that after more than four decades since his passing that details surrounding Elvis Presley are still one of the most sought after and popular topics. More info. We took our kids with us so it made it a lot better. She also travels with Elvis impersonator Elvis Wade and introduces him when he performs. He wanted stronger roles. When Elvis Presley shot to fame he needed security so ended up hiring his mother Gladys brother, Travis Smith, to be his first Graceland guard. He only worked a couple of places before Elvis became famous, unlike Aunt Gladys who had worked at several places before Elvis became famous. Elvis spoke up and said, "If you guys aren't going to say anything, I'm going to bed." Billy's family also went with the Presleys when they first moved to Memphis. EIN: Perhaps Elvis' most famous abode before becoming famous was the Lauderdale Courts apartment. [8], In the last year of Elvis' life, he became more reclusive and withdrawn, along with abusing medications. Elvis and the Memphis Mafia was originally a monumental 4,000 page oral biography, written after numerous individual and group interviews between Alanna Nash and Memphis Mafia stalwarts, Billy Smith, Marty Lacker and Lamar Fike. To get inside you need no key. Kalendar Calendario Calendrier.1, Al View Calendar 2022: Landscape view, USA United States of America Noncontiguous State Nature. Elvis uncle, who got on well with people, would crowd control the fans and made sure they kept off the neighbours lawns. He went to great lengths to make sure that it was kept a jet black color at all times, making his blue eyes stand out. Dee Presley said her telephone conversation with Elvis shortly before his death was the first indication she had that something was seriously wrong with him. Nevertheless, Elvis' cousin and Memphis Mafia member Billy Smith has shared an insight into the star's lavish bedroom. But The Colonel tried to get information out of us all. Unfortunately, it never came to pass. But, he has a sharp memory. Tapir briefly escapes enclosure at Florida zoo. 'It was love at first sight,' she said in an interview. In the years leading up to his purchase of the ranch, Elvis' schedule was heavily focused on film; he starred in 21 feature films released between 1960 and 1967. . He was amazed at some of his findings, and he made sure that we all were aware of them. Dee Presley was married to the famed singer's father, Vernon, from 1960 -- at the height of Elvis's stardom -- until 1974 when they were divorced. It was then that Billy Smith realized that there was something different and amazing about Elvis Presley. There were often rumors of Elvis undergoing cosmetic surgery like facelifts and dying his hair. Nobody checked on him.. Both Elvis and his cousin were born in Tupelo, Mississippi before their families later moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Can you clarify once & for all whether you saw Elvis being obviously racist in anyway? Smith went on to recall how Presley decided to have his nose trimmed down. Priscilla sketched out the design on note paper; positioning the letters and lightning bolt in various ways before they found what they liked. She was always close to her family, but Elvis was her heart. Smith claims that Elvis was always hardest on himself when it came to how he looked, adding that if Elvis thought it would make him better, he did it. I dont know how you can look any better, but he did., RELATED: Eight Rare Photos Of Elvis Presley When He Was Serving In The Army, Elvis also dyed his hair jet black often. He felt comfortable with me and trusted me. It would be the most historic and brilliant well-kept secrets any celebrity has ever pulled. But Elvis never confirmed them. "[3], Among "the first to live, travel and play with Elvis" were cousins Red West and Sonny West,[4] as well as Billy Smith (who was with Elvis from the start to the end and the only original member still with Elvis after 1976), Charlie Hodge, Mevlana Hezri, and Joe Esposito. The interesting part will not be the cartoon itself, but the fact that the Elvis character is working undercover as a government spy. Afterwards we both cried like crazy and I'll remember it as long as I live. It comprises live recordings from shows given by Presley in Las Vegas through every decade of his career. 'It was a very strange telephone conversation. by. Message in a bottle travels more than 185 miles in Australia. Being the King of Rock and Roll and also a movie star, its no secret that Elvis Presley wanted to keep himself looking his best. These same fans also believe that Presley is also still alive in 2020 and will one day return to the public eye announcing that he had faked his death, revealing himself to his fans once again. This so-called Bodyguard book came from the West cousins and Dave Hebler, fired by Presley's father. EIN: Did you always travel with Elvis to film the movies? At the very least they have some stories to tell about the legendary rocker. We had so many memorable times on the set!! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Elvis came up with the phrase after hearing the 1973 hit song Taking Care of Business by the Canadian rock band, Bachman, Turner, Overdrive, also known as BTO. Bobby and l were always within a mile or two of Elvis. Billy Smith (Billy Smith) Billy with Elvis before leaving for Germany & the army in 1958. Movies. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Dictionary.com is adding 313 new terms and 130 new definitions to keep up with the ever-changing modern lexicon. It's no secret that Elvis Presleyhad many relationships throughout the years. This is [Elvis at home] with his cousin, Billy Smith (left), who's still alive, and Bobby Smith (right), who committed suicide. I'm in terrible pain.' I had so much respect for him. Elvis Aaron Presley : Revelations from the Memphis Mafia, The Blue Correspondence, Everton Season 1889 - 1890, The Blue Correspondence, Everton Season 1888-89. Charlie Hodge harmonized with Elvis, played background acoustic guitar, and gave him scarves and beverages during concerts, as well as being responsible for inspecting each stage layout before the concert. [9] When Elvis died, Smith was a pallbearer at Elvis' funeral, along with Joe Esposito, Charlie Hodge, Lamar Fike and George C. Our hearts will intertwine.". Idaho man breaks world record for fire sword throws and catches. Over the years, the number of members grew and changed, but for the most part there was a core group who spent much time with Presley. Once married he & his wife Jo lived behind the main Graceland house except for a few years when Billy worked on the railroad. What do you remember of that time and how different was it from life in Tupelo? 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. 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