To date, numerous reports say fans believe that Elvis Presley did not die in 1977, but was placed in witness protection. 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". Never wanting to disappoint his fans, nothing was too extreme for Presley. It was a good meeting. From this day forward, our minds, our souls, I really wasnt expecting this. ", "Absolute id crashed into absolute superegoas the uptightset man in America shook hands with just about the loosest. 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." It wasnt like he constantly had to have somebody, but he preferred it.. He always seemed to want me around him and was very protective of me. Travis was the brother of Gladys Presley, Elvis's mother, making Billy and Elvis first cousins. However, the best sources for information about Elvis Presley are the people who knew him while he was alive. Billy: Elvis loved to read. Elvis Cousin Billy Smith and his . Geldof moves on to the next star on his list. January 1986: Elvis is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's initial class with nine other seminal artists. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. He hated how wide it was and the way it flared. He visits President Bush at the White House, presenting Bush with a set of Elvis-logo dumbbells and offering his help in stamping out the nation's crack problem. 'It was love at first sight,' she said in an interview. I could SWAP places with a doppelgnger The King's cousin speaksG, Elvis ALIVE? After learning that his mother, Gladys, had died, she said she decided to call Elvis and express her sympathy. EIN: After Elvis fall & concussion before Clambake, The Colonel demanded that Elvis burn all his spiritual books. blue eyes and lighter skin. Billy admitted: And [for] many years Id always heard these fans saying, Is Elvis still alive?, So many sightings and all this. And Elvis trusted him. He would watch The Student Prince which was set in Heidelberg, over and over again. Billy was also one of the few who actually spent a lot of time with Elvis near the end of his life. 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. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. Its like a light switch turned off. We have decided that I want to go back through Graceland one more time with Teresa. The family sits and discusses Elvis last night, Graceland, and why theyre not satisfied with how some things are currently run. Smith recalls that the legendary entertainer had some major issues with how his nose looked. Unfortunately, it never came to pass. Elvis'/Jesse's Hair, rings and . The interesting part will not be the cartoon itself, but the fact that the Elvis character is working undercover as a government spy. During the racquetball game, he accidentally smacks himself on the shin with his racquet. It is quite a stretch, but imagine if it were true. What follows is a brief history of why some people refuse to let this American icon rest in peace. This seems more than a coincidence as back in 1957 he was also involved in an incident involving $1000 bills. 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. He was my hero.. He decided to prove to me that it would never happen again, and that's how the pledge came about. EIN: Cousin Billy Mann. . "Ain't no problem," Elvis says, "I'll take care of it." Two respected Elvis aides, Marty Lacker and Elvis's cousin Billy Smith, say that although the body found slumped in the bathroom of Elvis's Graceland mansion on August 16, 1977 was certified dead, the real Elvis was hundreds of miles away. ", (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. I dont care if I never go to Graceland again, Jo said. After all, Smith is the Kings cousin. He'll do it for a million dollars in cash." Additionally, many of them are more than willing to share a little Elvis knowledge with the public. July 1985: The Colonel had been persuaded, reluctantly, to see the benefits of Elvis' singing on We Are the World, but when Bob Geldof approaches him about Elvis performing at Live Aid, the enigmatic manager tells him, "Sure thing. The video has been viewed more than 2 million times on YouTubefar more than the one where a clever Elvis fan debunks the whole thing by chatting with the actual Graceland employee, an affable gentleman named Bill Barmer. Elvis saw me as he passed and pulled me out! Were they fun or boring as a bystander? He made it a good time. Billy Smith is not only Elvis first cousin but a former member of the singers inner Mafia circle. Billy was 8 years younger than Elvis. After sharing fond memories of Elvis, the group discussed their animosity toward Gracelands current attractions. On the afternoon of August 16, 1977, a man bearing a striking resemblance to Elvis is said to have purchased a one-way ticket from Memphis International Airport to Buenos Aires. 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. What was that night like for you and why didnt you run a tape recording of it?! Billy: Yes, l remember when he was discouraged about the quality of his movies. Billy Smith, is the son of Travis Smith who was the brother of Elvis' Mother, Gladys. When asked about the stories, Smith revealed he was not too sure about that one. May 1 (UPI) -- A dog brought into a West Virginia animal shelter was found to have been missing for 6 years from a Virginia home 470 miles away. Now naturally Elvis wasnt going to change his looks, so the guy had to look like him. It would be the most historic and brilliant well-kept secrets any celebrity has ever pulled. Elvis had a hard time hiding it if something was bothering him. 'It was a very strange telephone conversation. And, in the early days, they lived with him. She was generous like Elvis, but she also had a quick temper. It is Elvis' last live performance. 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. 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. But if so, he would not have been surprised to hear if Presley had them surgically separated. The couple emphasised that all this was just their opinion and they didnt want to dissuade fans who like the Elvis movie from seeing it again and again. And, he had unbelievable strength. Photo above - Junior Smith in New York with Elvis & his date. Elvis Cousin Billy Smith and his Wife Jo talking about August 16, 1977. Its not his home. In addition to Elvis absence, the family suggested their disdain for the way Graceland controls access to Elvis grave. In 1988, a woman named Louise Welling from nearby Vicksburg claimed she had seen Presley standing in line at the local Felpauschsupermarket. At this point, I tell you this with all my heart and its the only reason that Im here: Its been done right.. 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. He wanted to know why I didn't come to Graceland (Elvis's Memphis home) anymore. Bee Gees producer Albhy Galuten, who presided over the workout-themed releases, is let go, but new producer Barry Manilow is no improvement. The plot of the series will feature the animated likeness of Elvis, who goes undercover as a government spy. Dedicated Presley fans are well aware of the controversy that has surrounded Presley's death from day one. Smith, eight years younger than Elvis, grew up alongside the star in Graceland. EIN: As most people know, Elvis father Vernon went to jail for forging a cheque. So have issues concerning official paperwork. Billy was 8 years younger than Elvis and grew up with him in Tupelo. That means we've got maybe another 40 years of stories about the King chilling in Argentina or sipping coffee at Tim Hortons or doing whatever you do as an elderly man whos been in hiding since the Carter Administration. Theres also the question of why the most famous man on the planet would risk going into a public place in his hometown in order to book airfare for the purpose of faking his own death. Billy: Junior Smith was Gene's older brother and his real name was Carroll. How this got started was we actually talked one night of Elvis changing places. Thats you, thats not somebody else., So he said, I could swap places with this person and nobody would ever know the difference., And I said, Again, I know the difference. 1 and spins off a hit single, Elvis and Michael Jackson's unique duet on Heartbreak Hotel, which weaves together the artists' separate, title-sharing hits. He said in the clip that he felt him when he stayed upstairs in the house. Blasting News is working with the European Union in the fight against fake news. Our grandfather was a handsome man. Billy: I was travelling with Elvis for almost every one of the movies. . During the interview, Billy Smith noted something else he felt the famous rocker would have changed over the years, were he to have lived to the age of 86. His nose looked kinda puggy-looking, and his right sideburn was sticking straight outit looked about an inch, Smith said in the 1991 special The Elvis Files. But toxicologists found more than 10 drugs in Presleys system, fueling speculation that polypharmacy played a role in his death. Today, Smith and his family remain haunted by the day of Elvis death. EIN: What are your chief memories of the times working on the movies? Elvis Presley talking with newmen in Memphis, Tennessee after his discharge from the Army, 1960 / Everett Collection. He hated how wide it was and the way it flared. 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. Billy, is reportedly recovering well. Id get dressed, and Id go out to Graceland. For we who know, know it well, Traditionally, you cant have a funeral without a death, and what killed the King is another major source of controversy. Nor I him. 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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. Click on the topic that interests you to follow it. In the clip, he revealed why he and his family dont visit Graceland anymore. When Elvis Presley passed away in August of 77, he was surrounded by family and members of the Memphis Mafia.
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