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Legends: Billy Smith; Billy Smith sitting on Colonel Parker's lap during a break of
shooting Frankie and Johnny e Junior Smith with Elvis, in New
York, with his date, in 1956 (Junior is sitting behing Elvis).
Billy
Smith was Elvis' first cousin, the son of Gladys Presley's oldest
brother. Billy was 8 years younger than Elvis and grew up with him
in Tupelo. Billy's family also went with the Presleys when they
first moved to Memphis. When Elvis bought Graceland, Billy's family
also moved in and his father,Travis, worked for Elvis as Chief
guard. When Billy was old enough, he started working with the
Memphis Mafia team.
Once married, he and his wife, Jo, lived behind the main Graceland
house, except for a few years when Billy worked on the railroad.
They were true family and were in Elvis' company to the very final
day. Being both family and also a member of the Memphis Mafia, Billy
Smith was probably the closest friend that Elvis ever had. Billy
lives in Mississippi and is still working as a machine specialist in
a steel manufacturing company.
Billy Smith, Marty Lacker and Lamar Fike have all recently been
involved in the re-issue of the excellent book
Elvis & The Memphis
Mafia. At nearly 800 pages, the book is justifiably
acclaimed as one of the best ever books published about Elvis. EIN
regularly gets asked questions relating to Billy Smith and his life
with Elvis, so we sincerely thank him for taking time out of his
busy life for this long interview. Here Billy talks about his
family, the Memphis Mafia, the Movie Years, meeting The Beatles and
much, much more.
The Family
What's your earliest memory of Elvis? Do
you remember Elvis singing to you or the family before he became
famous?
I do
remember him singing a lot for the family and different ones. He
always had a love for music even at very young age. Very early on I
remember once when Elvis pulled me out of a garbage can! I fell in
head first. I was little, and I was trying to get some bananas out
that the man from the fruit stand had thrown away. Elvis saw me as
he passed and pulled me out!
As most people know, Elvis' father, Vernon, went to
jail for forging a cheque. Is it true that your father also went to
the penitentiary but that Elvis grand-father bailed Travis out &
left Vernon in jail? That seems very strange.
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 behaviour. Elvis' grandfather got
my father out of jail and left Vernon there when it first happened.
He said it would teach him a lesson.
When you first arrived in Memphis, you lived in the same house as
the Presleys, in Washington Street. What do you remember of that
time and how different was it from life in Tupelo? Can you remember
how the city move affected Elvis?
Well, for one thing, we had inside plumbing! 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. He was more upset and mad over the socks.
Uncle Vernon and Daddy looked for jobs and they even wore out the
soles of their shoes. I remember them cutting pasteboard to put in
their shoes to cover the holes. We had to eat turnip greens for a
month. Elvis swore that he would never touch another one after that,
and I don't guess he ever did.
Perhaps Elvis' most famous abode before becoming famous was the
Lauderdale Courts apartment. There is often talk of Elvis practising
with Johnny Burnette and his brother around this time. Do you recall
any of this and were you lucky enough to see Elvis first play in a
kind of rock’n’roll band?
I don't remember anything about him practicing with Johnny
Burnette or his brother. As far as I know, that didn't happen. And,
whenever we were able, we always went to see him, especially local.
Elvis was always my hero. And we were always close, even with the
eight year age difference. He always looked after me, and I always
wanted to be with him.
Do you remember any build up to Elvis recording his
first record or practising with Scotty Moore and Bill Black? Was it
talked about within the family or was it a surprise for you when
your cousin was suddenly on the radio?
He did practice, but it was at the studio. He talked
about the record to his mother and daddy, and we knew he was going
to make one, but when it came out, it thrilled all of us. I remember
my family went to his house to hear it on the radio for the first
time.
What can you tell us of your Aunt Gladys? From an outsider's view
she often appears sad, as she has that particular look in the photos
after Elvis became famous.
Aunt Gladys was a good person. I actually remember her as an
outgoing and fun loving person. . . She was always laughing and
carrying on. 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. She was generous like Elvis, but she also had a quick temper.
Elvis and Vernon knew how far to push. She worried a lot, and she
was not in good health. She was always close to her family, but
Elvis was her heart. She adored him.
Elvis was a gorgeous looking man. Supposedly some of his
characteristics were due to Cherokee Indian being in your side of
the family. Did you know of this when you were young and were there
any family stories of Morning White Dove your gt-gt-gt-gt
Grandmother?
Yes, Elvis was a handsome man. Our grandfather was a handsome
man. My Daddy (Travis), Aunt Gladys, Aunt Clettes, Uncle Johnny, and
Aunt Lillian all had that Cherokee look... Dark skin, dark eyes, and
high cheeks. Aunt Lavelle and Uncle Tracy looked like their Daddy...
blue eyes and lighter skin. We heard stories about Morning Dove, but
not that much talk about her. We were told that she was a beautiful
woman.
Elvis obviously had a quick temper. Is it
true that your Aunt Gladys had the same temper? Did you ever see the
bad side of this?
Yes.
Elvis and Aunt Gladys had a very quick temper, and I have seen the
bad side of both when they were mad or upset. Elvis had a hard time
hiding it if something was bothering him.
And what of Vernon? 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"!
He was never fond of working. And was late for work many times.
He only worked a couple of places before Elvis became famous, unlike
Aunt Gladys who had worked at several places before Elvis became
famous.
It
seems to me that Vernon being employed as Elvis' financial manager
was a terrible mistake. Had Elvis used a trained financial
supervisor who knew how to invest then he wouldn't have had to work
so hard in his final years.
One thing Uncle Vernon was good at was numbers,
especially if dollar signs were in front of them! And Elvis trusted
him. He did lookout for Elvis' interest and his own.
Once Elvis bought Graceland you also moved
in with your family?
My
father Travis was the first Gate Guard that Elvis had. So when we
moved into Graceland Vernon asked my daddy to be the head gate
guard, just as he'd been at Elvis' house on Audubon Drive. We lived
in a big-white house that was on the property. That's the same white
house that Elvis and I tore down with the bulldozer to make more
room to ride the horses.
Few fans know the story of your uncle, Tracy Smith. Please share
his story with us.
Uncle Tracy had a fever when he was a child, and it caused him
to be slow. He had the intelligence of a twelve year old but he was
a kind man. And, he had unbelievable strength. Sometimes Tracy would
stay down there at the gate with Daddy and pretend he was a gate
guard. He lived with us in that house behind Graceland. Aunt Gladys
looked after him as long as she lived, and after her death, he lived
with us, and then with some of his sisters. He loved Elvis, and
Elvis provided for him.
Can you tell us a little about Junior Smith, your
other cousin? What was his relationship like with Elvis?
Junior Smith was Gene's older brother and his real
name was Carroll. He's in a lot of those Alfred Wertheimer photos
from Elvis' trip to New York. He was sullen and disturbed because of
what had happened to him when he was in the army in Korea. I
remember him as a un-loving guy and he hung around a lot with Elvis
until Elvis went into the army. Junior looked like the actor Jack
Elam. He had his expressions and he even had a bad eye like Elam.
Elam always looked like he was about to do something really painful
to you. So did Junior! Junior was at my house in my bed when he
died. That was in 1960.
What about your brother Bobby, he died way
too young as well?
Yes,
my older brother Bobby died in 1968. I lived on Circle G ranch at
that time, when we were not in Los Angeles. Bobby and l were always
within a mile or two of Elvis... We grew up around him and moved to
Graceland as young teenagers. I remember once Elvis took us shopping
and brought us a complete wardrobe shortly after we moved to
Graceland. Can you imagine how we felt living in a place like that?
What about Gene Smith, he seemed to come and go within the group? Is
he still alive?
Gene was Elvis' first cousin. He was Junior's
brother. Elvis and Gene were close to the same age and were close,
especially in the early years. Elvis and Gene even worked together
at Precision Tool. Gene worked for Elvis for a number of years and
was one of the original Memphis Mafia members, along with Red West
and Junior. Gene died a few years ago.
Cousin Billy Mann. In
Elvis & The Memphis
Mafia it is suggested
he was the one who took the "coffin" picture. This seems more than a
coincidence as back in 1957 he was also involved in an incident
involving $1000 bills. Can you confirm the story?
Yes, Billy Mann was the one who took the picture in the coffin.
(EIN Note – The full story about Elvis testing everyone's honesty is
in the M.M. book. Needless to say Elvis knew that cousin Billy Mann
was the one who failed the test back in 1957).
Billy, you had a particularly special relationship with Elvis and
were closer to him than any of the other members of the Memphis
Mafia. Please tell us about it.
I was always close to Elvis, but I was his family.
Several in our group were close to Elvis at one time or the other. I
was always close to Elvis even as a young child. He always seemed to
want me around him and was very protective of me. I always loved
Elvis very much and would do just about anything to please him and
be with him. We could talk about anything, and we did! He felt
comfortable with me and trusted me. At least, he always told me did.
When he was sick, I usually stayed with him. I usually went to the
hospital and stayed with him there. I had so much respect for him.
He did a lot for me and my family in the early years and for my
family in the later years. He always told me that he loved me. Maybe
it's because I was where he was before it all happened, and that was
the link... we were family. He was my hero.
Your relationship with Elvis is probably best symbolised by “The
Pledge”. How did it come about?
The pledge came about because we had an incident as kids and
were never to talk about it. We promised each other. Later on Elvis
told someone and it hurt me a lot, and he knew it. He decided to
prove to me that it would never happen again, and that's how the
pledge came about. Now it was a known fact among the guys that Elvis
couldn't keep a secret, but if it was really important, he did. He
never betrayed me again. Nor I him. I don't know where it came from
or if Elvis just made it up. But he knew it from memory, and we went
over it several times so I could memorize it. Afterwards we both
cried like crazy and I'll remember it as long as I live. The first
two verses went like this... “It's just a simple word, you see, To
get inside you need no key. For we who know, know it well, And you
who don't can never tell. As I place my hand upon your heart, and
you place yours on mine. From this day forward, our minds, our
souls, our hearts will intertwine.”
I believe that you brought Jerry Schilling into the group. Do you
still see him or have any contact?
I saw Jerry at Richard's (Davis) funeral about two years ago.
All the guys in our group were extremely close. We were like
brothers. Some closer than others, but still we stood up for each
other no matter what. It was a very strong bond, and Elvis was the
center of it all. We all loved him and had a job to do. Some did
better than others, but still we each had a purpose. I talked to
Elvis about hiring Jerry. Jerry was always nice to me and my family
and to my Mother and Daddy, and I will always remember him for that.
There are tales of Joe Esposito being paid
by both Elvis and Colonel Parker and that The Col used him to spy on
Elvis. Can you tell us if this is true?
I
don't know about Joe being paid by Colonel. But The Colonel tried to
get information out of us all. Joe could tolerate Colonel better
than some of the others.
What did you make of Larry Geller?
Larry Geller was okay. I don't agree with some of the tales he
tells, but Larry was there for a while. He seems to remember his
importance more than some of the other guys remember it. But, why
bust his bubble. As I said, everyone had a job to do. Larry was his
hair dresser.
In
the mid-sixties Elvis seemed to need a new avenue of exploration or
interest. Reading seemed to have been a major preoccupation of his.
What did you see of his personal quest at the time and his visits to
the Self Realization Park?
Elvis loved to read. He had a thirst to learn new
things. He was amazed at some of his findings, and he made sure that
we all were aware of them. We have spent days in his room reading
and studying. Elvis was very intelligent. Elvis enjoyed the Self
Realization Park. He said it gave him a peace within, and, if it
did, well, that was good. He deserved to have peace of mind. Elvis
never changed his belief in God or Jesus Christ. We talked about
religion so much. But, he never criticized other religions either.
Elvis was very open-minded.
Is it true that in 1977 Elvis asked you to become Chief foreman
and that he considered getting rid of The Colonel once again and
even Joe Esposito? Was Elvis serious about changing things?
Elvis did ask me to become foreman, and he talked about getting
rid of several people. 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. One thing was to tour Europe. He talked
about it many, many times, and we all looked forward to the day that
happened. Unfortunately, it never came to pass.
The Movie Years
Did you always travel with Elvis to film the movies?
I was travelling with Elvis for almost every one of
the movies. I missed a few due to sickness in my family. l, like
most the guys, was in many of his movies as an extra. Elvis tried to
see to it that we all worked in his movies. He liked his guys around
him. He trusted us.
What are your chief memories of the times working on the movies?
Were they fun or boring as a bystander?
With Elvis, all the movies were fun. He made it a
good time. All the crew loved him, and they were always so nice to
his boys (us). We had so many memorable times on the set!!
Do you remember when Elvis started complaining about
the quality of his movies going downhill?
Yes, l remember when he was discouraged about the
quality of his movies. He said they were all just alike, basically.
He wanted stronger roles. But his movies made money, and Colonel
didn't want to change the format.
After Elvis got back from the army and you married your wife Jo, how
did you balance your months in Hollywood with your relationship back
home? Did Elvis understand?
Being married was not easy at times. There were a lot
of lonely days and nights until Jo started to travel with us. When
it was good, it was very good, and when it was bad, it was awful. In
the early days no wives were allowed to go, but then, when Priscilla
started to go back and forth, so did the wives. The wives also
continued to go back and forth after Priscilla was gone. We took our
kids with us so it made it a lot better. Then during the touring we
were together all the time. Elvis was more understanding, and he
wanted someone with him too.
Did you ever visit the studios for Elvis' recording sessions? Did
Elvis ever comment to you about the terrible movie-songs - or did
you see his bad reactions for yourself?
Yes, I was with him on many of the recording sessions. "The
Memphis Mafia" was with Elvis almost twenty-four hours a day, at
least one or two of them. And, in the early days, they lived with
him.
I
know that you were in Nashville for the Guitar Man sessions with
Jerry Reed. Did Elvis comment or realise that he was back making
great music again, or didn't his feelings turn around until the
American Studios sessions?
Elvis enjoyed the Nashville Guitar Man sessions
with Jerry Reed. We always thought he made great music whatever he
did.
Everyone knows about The Beatles visit to see Elvis at home, but you
were really there! What was that night like for you – and why didn't
you run a tape recording of it?!
When the Beatles came, we were all excited about
getting to meet them. But, we couldn't make a big deal about it in
front of Elvis. Elvis always liked to be the "Main Event." All our
wives were there. The Beatles came to Elvis' house at 525 Perugia
Way in Bel Air, and we all sat around and talked, and they were
extremely nice. So down to earth. I will never forget that night and
I know Elvis really liked them. 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. Elvis spoke up and said, "If
you guys aren't going to say anything,
I'm going to bed." They roared with laughter. That broke the ice,
and after that, they talked for hours. It was a good meeting.
After Elvis' fall and concussion before Clambake, the Colonel
demanded that Elvis burn all his spiritual books. He also tried to
distance you all from Elvis by making Joe Esposito head foreman. Can
you clarify what happened and how did you feel about this happening
being real family?
We were at Rocca Place at that time. We were in the
den when Elvis came out and said to us, "I fell and hit my head. I
think I need to see a Doctor." He had a pretty good bump on the back
of his head. So when he fell and got concussion, I stayed with him
day and night. At the time I knew he was pissed at Colonel about
something, but he never said what it was. Colonel tried to get rid
of some of the guys but it didn't really have any effect on me.
Elvis made the rules and decisions when it came to me, and most of
the other guys. We were all handpicked by Elvis, and he was very
protective of us.
There's a lot of rubbish printed about Elvis being racist, some
coming from that faked quote that was printed in a newspaper in the
fifties. Can you clarify once and for all whether you saw Elvis
being obviously racist in anyway?
Elvis was southern, and so he joked sometimes. But
Elvis had all kinds of people working for him - black, white, Jews,
Italians, Mexicans. Greeks... Elvis always looked at the person, not
what race he or she was.
Elvis' Girls
You are close to Priscilla in age, so what was your relationship
like with her, especially when she first arrived in Graceland?
When Priscilla first came to Graceland, she was a little shy. We
always got along well, I thought.
How did your wife Jo get on with Priscilla, were they good
friends? When was the last time Jo saw Priscilla?
Jo and Priscilla were close in the early days. They used to go
places together while we were out of town, and when they came to Los
Angeles. Jo and I stayed at Elvis' house along with Priscilla. They
went shopping together and were close. At Graceland, they did many
things together along with Patsy Lacker, Marty's wife. Marty and
Patsy lived at Graceland at that time. The three of them became
close and Jo and Patsy still are. They remained friends to this day.
However the last time that Jo saw Priscilla was after Graceland
opened.
Few people would have heard about Priscilla's flirtation with
singer Mylon Lefevre in the mid-sixties. Can you tell us anything
about this, was it anymore than a flirtation?
As far as I know, she only met him. I really don't know enough
to comment on that, as we were in Los Angeles at that time.
What did you think about Ann-Margret, did you get to see the two
of them together? How long did their relationship/friendship
continue for? Was she the right partner for Elvis? Do you think
Elvis really thought of leaving Priscilla for her?
Ann-Margret was wonderful! You could never meet a nicer person.
She was so sweet and beautiful and Elvis adored her. He had a pet
name for her. Most people thought it was Rusty, but that's not it.
He had a special name he called her. We all loved Ann. I think it
crossed his mind to stay with Ann.
How did you and Jo get on with Linda Thompson and was she good
for Elvis?
We loved Linda Thompson. Jo and Linda were friends, along with
Patsy Lacker. The three of them got along great. But, Linda got
along with just about everyone. She was great for Elvis! She took
care of him when she was there.
Do you ever hear from Linda Thompson or run into her nowadays?
I haven't seen or talked to Linda in a good while. She lives in
L.A. and I live in Mississippi, but Linda was great. I think
everybody liked Linda.
What are your thoughts on Ginger Alden? Would they have got
married?
Ginger always thought so. But Elvis had a way of putting things
off. He always said "when the time was right". And he'd laugh... the
time just never was right. I don't think they would have married.
On The Road
Dr. Nick is the most famous person to blame for Elvis' drug
problems, but there were plenty of other Doctors too. What is your
opinion of Dr. Nick, good or bad?
Dr. Nick tried to help Elvis. Elvis was a strong
willed person, and he did exactly what he wanted to do, in most
cases. In my opinion, Dr. Nick was good.
When you were on tour with Elvis, what was your main role?
Just basically keeping Elvis company and being with him. In the
later years a lot of the times it would just be me and him. I was
family and the closest person to him. There were nights when we'd
spend hours and hours in his room talking. Just me and Jo, with
Elvis and Linda.
Did Elvis ever suggest to you the idea of touring overseas? Was
this a lost opportunity?
Sure, Elvis wanted to tour overseas very much. But Colonel put
that aside!
So did your relationship with Colonel change over the
years?
I guess somewhat. In the early days I admired the
Colonel. He had a very strong look and piercing blue eyes. You knew
he was in control. When I got older I saw that things were changing
between Elvis and Colonel. He started picking on the guys, including
me, for information about Elvis. Colonel always liked me and my
family but my loyalty was always with Elvis. Of course I had known
Colonel since I was a kid.
Do you think that he overworked Elvis?
Elvis wanted to work or if he didn't he would find some excuse
not to.
So what concerts have great memories for you?
All of them!
The Later Years
Did you visit Elvis during the period you weren't working for him
and looking after your sick father? Could Elvis talk to you as
'family'?
I always visited Elvis when he was in Memphis while my father
was ill. I also went to Vegas to see him and we were always able to
talk about everything. We talked as family and about family. I guess
that's why we were close... We always had family and the early years
in common. Elvis was a way of life for me, Jo, and our two sons. It
was hard at times but we had a lot of opportunities that we wouldn't
have had, had it not been for Elvis. We loved being a part of his
world. We feel blessed to have been with him. And he will remain in
our hearts forever.
As you were family, did you ever manage to talk to Elvis about
his drug intake? What did he say?
Elvis did not want to talk about his drug intake because to
Elvis, he did not have a problem, and he would let you know to mind
your own business. He would say to us all, "I know what's best for
me."
Do you know why Vernon didn't make stand on Elvis' drug taking?
Wouldn't he have been the one person who Elvis might have listened
to?
I don't know why uncle Vernon didn't try harder to make Elvis
see. We all tried in our own way but Elvis didn't want to change
anything at that time. And, he had to be the one to help himself –
and he didn't!
In 1975 Elvis had the eye-lift in Hospital. Do you
think it changed his looks and is it true that you tried to talk him
out if it?
Yes, Elvis had the eye lift, and Linda, Jo, and I
stayed with him at the hospital. Yes, I did try and talk him out of
it. He didn't need it, he looked great. How do you improve
perfection? The doctor even told him that. But, he wanted it, so he
got it! I don't think it changed his looks that much.
Elvis obviously had great trust in you. Can you tell us the story of
him getting into bed with you and Jo to share his thoughts?
He got into bed with us many times at Graceland when
we would spend the night there in Lisa's room, or on tour in the
hotel, and at the trailer on the property at Graceland. So, yes, I
guess he had a great trust in me, and I did him, as well. After all,
we were all three there talking for hours about everything in the
world! Sometimes he would have a bad dream and come looking for me
to talk to, and he would actually fall asleep in our bed with us.
That happened a lot of times, and we thought nothing of it. I felt
good that he said he needed me to be there.
When you listen to the tapes of The Jungle Room sessions, Elvis
sometimes sounds happy and sometimes low. What do you remember of
the Jungle Room recordings sessions?
I thought the Jungle Room sessions were good. For some reason
Elvis decided to play bass guitar on Blues Eyes Crying in the Rain
and I remember Elvis laughing when J.D hit that real low note on
Way Down. Elvis did have fun on those sessions.
What was the last vacation in Hawaii like?
That was in March 1977. We had a great time. Elvis
seemed to enjoy it a lot. Elvis got some sand in his eye and got an
eye infection and so we came home a little earlier than planned.
What's your opinion of Red and Sonny's book
Elvis: What Happened?
Did Elvis talk to you about it and did he try to stop its
publication?
Yes, I read Red and Sonny's book and told Elvis what
was in it. He was upset about it. We talked some about the book, and
he did not want it to be published.
On
the final night you played racket ball with him and then he sat down
and played the piano. Was Blues Eyes Crying in the Rain the last
song he sang at the piano, and was he in good humour?
Elvis seemed to be sluggish and not in the best of
shape. He tried to do things and keep active, but he just was not up
to it. Elvis was moody sometimes, but, he was looking forward to the
upcoming tour. On the final night, Elvis, Ginger, Jo and I went to
the racket ball building and played a game or two. He was in a very
good mood, but didn't really get down to playing a serious game.
Mostly, just trying to hit me with the ball! We sat around the
piano, and yes, he sang Blues Eyes Crying in the Rain. He was joking
and laughing. We went back up to the house. I went upstairs with him
and helped him get ready for bed. He hugged me, said, "I love you
and Goodnight. . . This is going to be a great tour!"
Life After Elvis
Larry Geller mentions a different will – possibly a hand written
one. No one can understand why Elvis wouldn't want to have left you
something to live on after all your time looking after him. What are
your feelings about this?
Yes, I saw a different will. Elvis updated his will before we
went to Hawaii in March of 1977. He gave it to me to put up for him
and told me to read it. I put it up -- after he died, my cousin
Patsy called me and asked me if I knew where it was. Uncle Vernon
was looking for it. I told her! Elvis always told Jo and me that we
would be taken care of as long as he lived and we were. And that if
anything happened to him, we would be taken care of.
After Elvis died you worked as a Graceland Tour Guide Supervisor for
a while. What happened there and what are your feelings towards
Graceland itself?
Yes, I helped set up the trophy room, and I was a
tour guide supervisor for a while at Graceland. I didn't see things
the way that the people in charge did, and I couldn't be a part of
something that I didn't feel good about. I was fired -- I tried to
call Priscilla, but she wouldn't return my calls. I did reach Lisa
one time, but Lisa was not in charge at that time. I don't have good
feelings about the whole experience. But, they did what they thought
was best. Graceland was my home for many years, and I loved it there
when Elvis was there. It was home with a great feeling of belonging
and love. After Elvis died, it wasn't home anymore, and the feeling
was no longer there either.
What is your view on how Priscilla handled running of the Estate
after Elvis' death?
I think Priscilla did a good job. She made a lot of
money!
The sale of the operational/marketing arm of EPE to Robert
Sillerman. In your opinion, is this a good or bad thing?
I don't know about the business of Graceland and don't really
care to. We had Graceland during the good times, and the memories
that I have of it will be with me forever. I have so many. All the
family, the fans, the guys - I wouldn't trade all that for anything.
I remember when we first moved there. I thought I had gone to
Heaven. Aunt Gladys, my parents and brother, my cousins, Elvis, all
the many friends -- we had such good times. Christmas was
unbelievable. Elvis loved Graceland, and I guess anyone whoever
spent time there did, too.
A
lot of fans were upset because you weren't involved in the
Elvis By The Presleys project. I feel that it really should have been
called Elvis By The Beaulieus. Was the project ever mentioned
to you and what did you think of the actual show?
Well, as Marty Lacker and I talked about it, I guess
everyone wants to be the most important, but you can't tell a true
story of Elvis and Graceland without including everyone who was
involved. Whether you like them or not! Fact is fact, and the fact
is that many of us were left out. That's the same way it is when one
of the guys tells something. I feel like everyone that was there and
had a part in Elvis' world should be portrayed to make it accurate -
or else something is missing. As we've talked about, there was a lot
of jealously but I don't know why because everyone that was there
had a special place. But each person tells it like they would have
wanted it to be and maybe not how it was.
There are suggestions that you haven't spoken to Lisa Marie in
years, is this true? If so it must sadden you - what caused this
situation to occur? To an outsider this seems crazy as you spent so
long with her dad.
No, I haven't spoken to Lisa in many years. I don't really know
why. But after I was fired from Graceland, I lost contact with Lisa
and Priscilla. It must seem crazy as of course I spent most of my
life with Elvis before he died.
When you get together with the guys to chat about old times, like
for
All The King’s
Men or for the more recent BBC
The Elvis Mob, what's it like sitting in a Beale Street bar with the four
of you reminiscing? Does it feel like 28 years ago, is it like
"family"?
When we all get together (the guys), it's great. One of us can
start to say something and the rest of us already know what is going
to be said. All the guys were like family. We spent more time
together than with our own families. I've known most of them since I
was a kid and I still remain close to most of them. I see Marty most
of all. We were always close, and Jo and Patsy, and our kids grew up
together. Lamar, Sonny, and Red I've known them most of my life. I
see some of the others on occasion. I miss the ones that are no
longer with us, and I miss the times we had. Most of us had wives
and children, and we were like one big family. We travelled, worked,
and lived together for many years. Most of us remain friends today,
and it's all because of our love and respect for Elvis.
Finally…
Would you have done anything different? Do you have any regrets?
I think I would have done some things differently. But, over
all, we did what we had to do at that time, and over all, we're
better for it. I have some regrets. But, I wouldn't have missed
being a part of it all for anything.
What is your favourite memory of Elvis, the
one that always brings a smile to you face?
Oh, I
couldn't pick one favourite memory. I have so many. It would take
forever to go into all of that! I loved the time at home when we
were all together just having fun and doing all the crazy things we
did. Everything we did stands out!
Do
you dream of Elvis? Does he still talk to you?
I sometimes dream of him, and he talks to me all the
time in many ways. There is never a day that goes by that I don't
think of him and something that he's said. It either brings a smile
or a tear. And, which ever it is, I'm thankful!
Thanks so much for taking the time out or your busy life to
answer all these questions, you know the fans really appreciate it.
You are a real survivor and a true gentleman.
Thank you for asking!!
Source: EIN. |
