Elvis' Cousin Billy Smith relates a story that Jesse was drunk at the scene and was 'coochy cooing' the stillborn twin until Vernon shouted at his Father exclaiming that the baby was dead ! 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. Gene died a few years ago. After all, Smith is the King's cousin. According to the Express, Elvis Presley's cousin, Billy Smith has revealed some of the King's biggest secrets. We could talk about anything, and we did! Over the years, there have been many rumors that have circulated about Presley, one in particular that he also had webbed toes. For we who know, know it well, 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. I remember my family went to his house to hear it on the radio for the first time. It's no secret that Elvis Presleyhad many relationships throughout the years. He also tried to distance you all from Elvis by making Joe Esposito head foreman. By accepting "all cookies", including profiling cookies, in addition to supporting our free offer, you will receive advertisements in line with your interests. . Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Authorities in Maine said one bison remained on the loose Tuesday after three of the animals were seen running loose on a road Monday. But, he has a sharp memory. He always had a love for music even at very young age. . Billy Smith. The first expos book, Elvis: What Happened?, appeared in 1977 shortly before Elvis's death. l, like most the guys, was in many of his movies as an extra. Travis was the brother of Gladys Presley, Elvis's mother, making Billy and Elvis first cousins. Elvis Presleys cousin and right-hand man Billy Smith spent almost every waking day beside The King but has no contact with anyone in the Presley family these days. However, Presley's enormous wealth allowed him an ability to separate himself from the general public, especially in his home city of Memphis. [GRACELAND UPSTAIRS]Elvis: How Lisa Marie's name was chosen and what a boy would be called[LISA MARIE], Jo shared: He actually was there [as a Graceland guard] until he became ill and couldnt work anymore and Elvis retired himhed had a stroke.. [5], Smith was one of Elvis' closest friends and confidantes, and the two would talk for hours up in Elvis' bedroom at Graceland, even acting out Monty Python scenes. Billy Smith. Right: Billy Smith, The Colonel and Elvis all looking jovial in June 1967- about three months after the 'Clambake' incident. Elviss cousin grew up with him in Tupelo, Mississippi and says that it could be true. Billy says that Elvis likely got them separated since people often take that route. Elvis saw me as he passed and pulled me out! Welcome back. Billy Smith was interviewed by Piers Beagley for EIN, January 2006. Click on the topic that interests you to follow it. Jerry was always nice to me and my family and to my Mother and Daddy, and I will always remember him for that. Elvis had a hard time hiding it if something was bothering him. Dictionary.com adds 'hellscape,' 'woke' and 311 other new terms. This article "Billy Smith (Memphis Mafia)" is from Wikipedia. After his death, there were still family members living on the Tennessee mansion. Needless to say Elvis knew that cousin Billy Mann was the one who failed the test back in 1957). And Elvis trusted him. More info. [8], In the last year of Elvis' life, he became more reclusive and withdrawn, along with abusing medications. The Memphis Mafia members themselves say on their website that Elvis liked the name and it stuck. Billy Smith, Elvis's first cousin, confirms that the boy in the photo is indeed his relative. [1], Other articles of the topic Elvis Presley:Elvis PresleySome use of "" in your query was not closed by a matching "".Some use of "" in your query was not closed by a matching "". I don't agree with some of the tales he tells, but Larry was there for a while. I talked to Elvis about hiring Jerry. He had a heart attack and 4 stints put in. Priscilla sketched out the design on note paper; positioning the letters and lightning bolt in various ways before they found what they liked. As one of Elvis' closest confidants and a blood relative, Smith has been described as a "wonderful asset to the Elvis Presley fans worldwide."[13]. Both families were very poor at that time, to the point that the fathers searching for work added cardboard to the soles of their shoes when they wore through. After being in Elvis' employment for two decades, both Red and Sonny were only paid a few weeks' severance pay. In fact, there are many new Elvis Presley projects in the works in 2020. He was more upset and mad over the socks. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Billy: Yes, Elvis was a handsome man. Several in our group were close to Elvis at one time or the other. This entourage included first cousins and several of Presley's friends from his boyhood in a poor Memphis housing project plus junior and senior high school friends and early employees from Memphis such as Alan Fortas, nephew of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas. At nearly 800 pages the book is justifiably acclaimed as one of the. Our hearts will intertwine.". Professional handlers and celebrity security experts had not yet evolved. Episode 77. As the years went on, Smith then lived with his wife, Jo, on the same grounds. That happened a lot of times, and we thought nothing of it. Nor I him. He was there with the rest of the Memphis Mafia when Presley was at his peak. The Memphis Mafia was the nickname given by the media to a group of Elvis Presley's friends, associates, employees and cousins whose main functions were to accompany, protect, and serve Presley from the beginning of his career in 1954 until his death in 1977. Billy: The pledge came about because we had an incident as kids and were never to talk about it. The King then kept his uncle on his payroll up until his death and then kept Travis wife on the payroll too for the rest of her life. He talked about it many, many times, and we all looked forward to the day that happened. Some use of "" in your query was not closed by a matching "". Billy: Yes, Billy Mann was the one who took the picture in the coffin. [citation needed], Peter Guralnick writes that Elvis spent all day and night with the members from the Memphis Mafia: "For Elvis and the guys Hollywood was just an open invitation to party all night long. She adored him. When asked about the stories, Smith revealed he was not too sure about that one. Billy Smith was Elvis' first cousin, the son of Gladys Presley's oldest brother. When Billy was old enough he started working with the Memphis Mafia team. He was the only member of the Memphis Mafia to last from beginning to end of the group. Elvis was on military maneuvers when she came to the hotel where his father and grandfather were staying, but Vernon and Dee hit it off 'from day one,' she said. I was always close to Elvis even as a young child. He did a lot for me and my family in the early years and for my family in the later years. 'He was so wonderful. 'I could. However, the distance didnt change what he was seeing. But The Colonel tried to get information out of us all. Billy: I don't remember anything about him practicing with Johnny Burnett or his brother. He said that he stood there gawking at Elvis Presley while he played and sang in Studio B. He trusted us. [citation needed], In numerous press conferences concerning Elvis: What Happened?, both of the West cousins stated they wrote the book in part to make Elvis realize that his dependence on prescription medications was (literally) killing him. Find your friends on Facebook. Is it true that your Aunt Gladys had the same temper? Elvis spoke up and said, "If you guys aren't going to say anything, I'm going to bed." Billy Smith is one of those great sources of Elvis Presley information. Here, in Part One, Billy talks about his family, the Memphis Mafia, the Movie Years, meeting The Beatles and much much more. News coming in as follows: Please keep Billy Smith, Jo's husband, Danny and Joey's Dad in your thoughts and prayers! Elvis Presley left behind more than a massive collection of hits. "Elvis always tried to improve his looks." Billy also mentions that Elvis also had caps on his teeth and facial blemishes removed. They were not allowed to take the trailer that Elvis had purchased for them that they had lived in on the Graceland property. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A swimmer visiting a beach in New South Wales, Australia, found a mussel-covered message in a bottle that turned out to have traveled more than 185 miles. 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. The series is co-created by Priscilla Presley. 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. 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.. Marty Lacker was a brutally honest "sounding board" advisor, Jerry Schilling gave advice about what other groups were using for audio equipment etc., and Billy Smith was a "Jack of All Trades". (which was first published on July 12, 1977), he worried that his reputation would be adversely affected. Did you ever see the bad side of this? Sounds like that urban legend has yet to be confirmed or denied! Elvis uncle, who got on well with people, would crowd control the fans and made sure they kept off the neighbours lawns. Very early on I remember once when Elvis pulled me out of a garbage can! Most of all, Elvis was concerned his daughter Lisa Marie, would be adversely affected by the contents of the book. EIN: What about your brother Bobby, he died way too young as well? EIN: After Elvis fall & concussion before Clambake, The Colonel demanded that Elvis burn all his spiritual books. Dee and Vernon Presley remained friends after their divorce, she said, and might have gotten back together someday if he had not died in 1979. July 4, 1956. [19] Each Christmas all Presley employees received bonus checks. by. This seems more than a coincidence as back in 1957 he was also involved in an incident involving $1000 bills. 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. EIN: In the mid-sixties Elvis seemed to need a new avenue of exploration or interest. Billy was 8 years younger than Elvis and grew up with him in Tupelo. Billy Smith with his parents Travis & Lorraine Smith, and his brother Bobby on the right. According to Alan Fortas, an all-Memphis football halfback who became a bodyguard and part of the Presley entourage, "Elvis needed someone to baby more than he needed a sex partner. EIN: Do you remember any build up to Elvis recording his first record or practising with Scotty Moore & Bill Black? Enjoy a few stories about Elvis from Billy and Jo Smith. Maybe it's because I was where he was before it all happened, and that was the link. But, we couldn't make a big deal about it in front of Elvis. New Elvis projects will include Hound dog treats for dogs and a Netflix original series in 2021. "For the first time in his life, he had a group of male friends to pal around with, and he relished being the leader of the pack. When she and Vernon returned from their honeymoon, Elvis had redecorated their quarters -- even putting pictures on the walls for her three boys. In the early days no wives were allowed to go, but then, when Priscilla started to go back and forth, so did the wives. Even though the famous couple broke up 8 months before Elvis Presley passed, Thompson stayed close to his nine-year-old daughter, Lisa Marie. Contents 1 Biography 2 With Elvis 3 Later life 4 References Biography [ edit] She describes herself as having been like a sister to Elvis, a companion, confidante and keeper of secrets in the exciting days of his early career. Photo above - Junior Smith in New York with Elvis & his date. "Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century. He had gotten a quick acetate cut, which . . Joe Esposito handled money and cross referenced the extensive travel arrangements. Today, Tomorrow, and Forever. Is it true that your father also went to the penitentiary but that Elvis grand-father bailed Travis out & left Vernon in jail? "[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. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Can you remember how the city move affected Elvis? Lamar Fike handled Elvis' stage lighting. The interesting part will not be the cartoon itself, but the fact that the Elvis character is working undercover as a government spy. He took rat poison. In two separate interviews, Billy Smith and Marty Lacker each spoke of the faking of Elvis' death.once regarding Elvis' plan to do so and once recounting that it was actually done. Over the years they were joined on the payroll by Alan Fortas, Richard Davis, Marty Lacker, Jimmy Kingsley, "Chief" Ray Sitton, Jerry Schilling, Mike Keeton, Dave Hebler, Sam Thompson and numerous others. (We can only hope the publisher may one day see fit to release a second volume!) People named Billy Smith. [10] According to Patrick Humphries, they "acted as Elvis' bodyguards, babysitters, drug procurers, girl-getters, mates and car buyers." Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. Can you clarify once & for all whether you saw Elvis being obviously racist in anyway? But, why bust his bubble. As I place my hand upon your heart, I remember them cutting pasteboard to put in their shoes to cover the holes. She was generous like Elvis, but she also had a quick temper. Elvis' father Vernon increasingly distrusted and disliked many members of the Memphis Mafia as Elvis' financial condition deteriorated in 1972. She also opened up about the devastating phone call relaying his death to her. According to one account,[6] a crowd of people in front of the Riviera Hotel watched as two big black limousines arrived. Smith was part of The King's Memphis Mafia entourage for decades. Sometimes they would hang out with Sammy Davis, Jr., or check out Bobby Darin at the Cloister. Answer (1 of 12): It depends whether or not you count his cousin Billy Smith. 15 distinct works. Presley said another telephone call years earlier, in 1958, led to her becoming part of the Presley family. At least, he always told me did. He seems to remember his importance more than some of the other guys remember it. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Serial world record breaker David Rush reclaimed a Guinness World Records title when he threw and caught a fire sword 135 times in 1 minute. Elvis' grandfather got my father out of jail and left Vernon there when it first happened. And you who don't can never tell. A scene from the very rare documentary "Rare Moments with the King" from the early 80s. [14] For Joe Esposito, "it was a party like you wouldn't believe. Junior looked like the actor Jack Elam. EIN: And what of Vernon? Billy: Junior Smith was Gene's older brother and his real name was Carroll. He left behind an undying legacy. Occasionally, Travis would give fans a ride and even let them inside the gates of Graceland. [2] When Smith was five in November of 1948, his family moved along with the Presley family from Tupelo, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Georgia came to the rescue of a dog who fell into a storm drain and ended up stranded about 12 feet underground. We all loved him and had a job to do. Recently, Billy Smith opened up about what it was like watching Elvis Presley work in the studio back in 1958. What was his relationship like with Elvis? Since the emphasis was on large and potentially lethal fireworks, everyone had to wear air force jump-suits plus gloves, helmets, and goggles. , Thompson stayed close to Elvis recording his billy smith, elvis wiki record or practising with Scotty Moore & Bill Black from.. For me and my family in the coffin in front of Elvis know... Very rare documentary & quot ; rare Moments with the Memphis Mafia as '... Test back in 1957 ) about three months after the 'Clambake ' incident could talk about anything, we! New terms got my father out of a garbage can that it be. 12, 1977 ), he worried that his reputation would be adversely.... 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