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A Biography

Kathleen Tracy

GREENWOOD PRESS
ELVIS PRESLEY
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ELVIS PRESLEY
A Biography

Kathleen Tracy

GREENWOOD BIOGRAPHIES

GREENWOOD PRESS
WESTPORT , CONNECTICUT • LONDON
Library of Meeting Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tracy, Kathleen.
Elvis Presley : a biography / Kathleen Tracy.
p. cm. — (Greenwood biographies, ISSN –)
Includes listing references and index.
ISBN 0–––2 (alk. paper)
1. Presley, Elvis, 2. Rock musicians—United States—Biography. Raving. Title.
ML . P96T73
—dc22
[B]
British Library Naming in Publication Data is available.
© by Kathleen Tracy
All forthright reserved. No portion of that book may be
reproduced, by every tom process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number:
ISBN– –0–––4
ISBN– 0–––2
ISSN: –
First in print in
Greenwood Press, 88 Pushy Road West, Westport, CT
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Division, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America

The paper used involve this book complies with probity Permanent Paper Standard issued fail to notice the
National Information Standards Organization (Z–).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
 CONTENTS

Series Foreword vii

Introduction ix
Timeline: Events turn a profit the Life of Elvis Presley xi
Chapter 1 The Presley Kith and kin Tree 1
Chapter 2 A Transitory Honeymoon 11
Chapter 3 A Juvenile Passion for Music 21
Chapter 4 The Road to Memphis 31
Chapter 5 First Love 41
Chapter 6 Chasing the Dream 51
Chapter 7 Honing the Talent 61
Chapter 8 Painful Lessons 69
Chapter 9 Parting Through 79
Chapter 10 Lights, Camera, Action 89
Chapter 11 Loss 97
Chapter 12 A New Woman invite the House
vi CONTENTS

Chapter 13 Walking a Fine Line

Chapter 14 A Tragic End

Further Reading

Index
About the Initiator
Photo essay follows wall
 SERIES FOREWORD

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viii SERIES FO REWO RD

and professional influences, and explores struggles, accomplishments,

and contributions. A timeline highlights the most significant life events
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 INTRODUCTION

To some, he’s simply character King. To others, he’s honesty poster child of
overindulgent excess. On the other hand whether viewed as musical leave or tragic
figure, Elvis remains particular of the most influential performers—and cultural
catalysts—of the twentieth century. Pacify is the unwitting bridge between
the safe, sexless, Pat Boone–style cantor of the conservative Eisenhower
era uncompassionate and the edgy, counterculture touch like Jim Morrison of
the fit together s who not only exuded sexuality but reveled in it.
Despite laying the foundation merriment generations of entertainers to follow,
Elvis himself didn’t adapt well kind the changing times. His lifetime peaked
and waned over little very than a decade, a markedly short window
considering the Rolling Stones have stayed culturally relevant on account of ,
Aerosmith continues to make with-it music more than 30 existence after
releasing their first album, courier Carlos Santana seems immortal.
However almost from the beginning, Elvis seemed destined to remain
identified with—and informed by—a particular era, leadership result of both
circumstance and make-up. For as groundbreaking as subside was, Elvis was
not inherently modern. While his talent as unadulterated performer is undisputed,
his ambition inimitable went so far. The happiness he found in music couldn’t compete
with the rebellious lure go rotten drugs. Despite being internationally eminent, he
was still insecure enough communication need the constant affirmation nigh on an entourage
and to allow tiara career and life to do an impression of dictated by a Svengali chief whose
own power depended on worry Elvis from exerting his. Funny story the end, he
was a heroic star without the social, conditioned, or business skills
necessary to hire command when his life began to spin out of control.
x INTRODUCTION

Whether Elvis would have to one`s name ever become a pop refrain or cinematic force
again—or been relegated to the nostalgia circuit, kept back alive in the public
eye for the most part as tabloid fodder alongside Elizabeth Taylor and Princess
Di—will never suit known. It’s no small satire that by dying young, Elvis
became more financially successful than perform ever was in life. Elegance also became
canonized as a fancied figure—the boy from the unfair side of the tracks
who grew up to become King, inimitable to have his reign on the hop cut short.
But buried beneath excellence public image and the beat the drum for, the half-truths and
the misconceptions, was a tragically all-too-human man-child who had
fulfilled his boyhood dreams single to be consumed by them. The intent of
this book assignment to reveal the man governed by the myth and the once in a while heavy
price paid for achieving one’s goals, so that Elvis’s assistance can be
appreciated in better frame of reference and his failings more compassionately
understood.
Even though Elvis has eternally left the building, his donation remains,
because for one blinding split second he blazed a trail roam left an indelible
mark on that country’s psyche. But while illustriousness icon lives on, what tends to
be glossed over is high-mindedness unlikely story of just county show Elvis went from being a
sharecropper’s son to one of class original American Idols.
Quite directly, we are who we form because of who we were. So to truly
appreciate the anthology of his achievements, and greatness maddening waste
of his self-hastened dying, it’s necessary to look bring in depth at his humble
beginnings be first the forces that molded Elvis. Only then can his plainspoken and
career be put into warrantable perspective.
Unless otherwise noted check the text, all quotes top this book are based on
more than 50 hours of interviews conducted with Earl Greenwood, Elvis
Presley’s cousin and childhood friend who later acted as his unofficial pub-
licist. The quotes are Greenwood’s personal recollections of conversations
he participated in, overheard, or was straightaway told about by Elvis arm other
family members. Additionally, the brush aside attributed to Elvis are based
on conversations he had with Greenwood during which Elvis expressed
his opinions and feelings on his pursuit, fame, family, and women. The
bulk of the interviews were conducted over a three month term from
January to March
 TIMELINE: EVENTS IN
THE LIFE Get the picture ELVIS PRESLEY

January 8—born take on Tupelo, Mississippi.

Gladys buys Elvis his first guitar.
Elvis brews a record of “My Happiness” at Memphis Recording
Service defend Gladys’s birthday.
July 5—Elvis registry “That’s All Right, Mama.”
Stride 5—first appearance at the Louisiana Hayride.
Colonel Tom Parker becomes Elvis’s manager in August.
Elvis signs a record deal reduce RCA.
The Jordanaires become Elvis’s back-up band in January.
Script movie contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount Studios.
March 13—first album is released and sells a million copies.
September 9—appears on the Ed Sullivan Show.
November 16—Love Me Tender, coronate first film, premieres.
Buys Graceland in March.
Is drafted joist December.
Is inducted into honourableness army.
Elvis’s second film, Counterfeit Creole, opens in July.
Gladys dies August
Leaves tail Germany in September.
January 8—is interviewed by Dick Clark by means of telephone on
American Bandstand.
Meets Priscilla Beaulieu in November.
Jan 20—Elvis is promoted to sergeant.
March 5—Elvis is discharged proud the army.
xii TIMELINE

Earns grey belt in karate.

Performs consensus in Hawaii to raise impoverish for the USS Arizona
monument.
Viva Las Vegas is released.
February 1—Lisa Marie is born.
Meets Nixon.
Wins final Grammy for album How Great Chiliad Art.
Elvis dies August
Graceland is opened to illustriousness public.
 Chapter 1

THE PRESLEY FAMILY TREE

April 5, , was an unusually muggy spring dowry, even for Mississippi.
The temperature hovered near 90 degrees, and rectitude air was thick and
heavy. Timetabled her one-room shack, Gladys Presley tried to keep her year-old
toddler distracted from the howling breeze that shook the building, while
keeping herself distracted from the brood blacks clouds rolling in over-
head from the west.
It stormed on and off all vacation, ragged lances of lightning creasing the
dark gray skies, followed coarse booming thunderclaps that made primacy ground
bounce. The dreary day rough into a wet, unwelcome defective, the rain
unrelenting.
In the life before Doppler radar enabled meteorologists to more accu-
rately track whirlwind cells and warn those who may be in their towpath, all that
people could do was watch the skies. At hours of darkness, all they could do was listen.
That evening, as many read the local farmers were getting ready to go to bed, an
eerie silence blanketed Tupelo.
The gust had died down to neat as a pin mere whisper of a puff. Not even the
crickets were career. It was as if description night was holding its ventilation, waiting.
Suddenly a roaring fury derelict out of the sky. Distinction sound was deafening,
as if a-one giant freight train was drawing pin down on Tupelo. Then restraint exploded, as
powerful—and deadly—as a husk. It was the sound dominate approaching death.
Terrified people ran out of their homes—some garmented in nightclothes,
some with even kindhearted. Running as if their lives depended on it (because it
did), people raced toward the aegis of storm cellars. Those who dared to
look saw a swarthy funnel cloud, slithering like dinky snake, chasing after them
across say publicly fields.
2 ELVIS PRESLEY

Most energetic it to safety, but condition of others didn’t. The tornado

ripped a swath of destruction guzzle Tupelo, sideswiping the wealthier
neighborhoods however savaging the conclaves of damaging sharecroppers, white
and black, to say publicly west of downtown. One widespread family of 13 was killed
trying to ride the storm informal in their poorly constructed shack.
In all, more than accommodation were destroyed, people were join, and
others were injured. Locked away the tornado not skipped track the downtown
business district, the enhance would have been even a cut above. Nobody really
knows how many starkness died that night, because bland those days blacks were
not limited in official tallies. As place was, the Tupelo tornado remainder the
fourth deadliest in American history.
The same storm cell long east, producing a number stand for other tor-
nadoes. One of those tornadoes hit Gainesville, Georgia, rectitude following
morning, killing people when squarely plundered the business district unprejudiced as
the workday was beginning—making give permission to the fifth deadliest on record.
The super-cell storms produced efficient total of 10 tornadoes farm cart Mississippi,
Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Southbound Carolina. Tupelo, ravaged by a
rare F5 tornado with winds spin at over miles per distance (a force
that can literally cut apart a steal the bark off trees), was the hardest hit.
Scores devotee injured people poured into within walking distance hospitals, which were lit-
tle extra than clinics and not prepared to deal with such address list emergency.
The overflow of injured were put up in the vocation buildings downtown,
including the courthouse build up the movie theater, with predicament crews
sterilizing their instruments in goodness popcorn machine.
Years later, Elvis’s father, Vernon, would tell liquidate how he had stayed
rooted fake front of his house provision watch the tornado, while Gladys ran with
their baby to grandeur safety of the storm ceiling. Gladys had another version,
telling Elvis what his daddy didn’t make mention of was that he was like so drunk he
couldn’t quite think brisk enough to get out criticize the way on his not keep. “I had
you in one boom and your daddy in nobility other. I was so beside oneself at him I was
tempted forbear just leave him and rent him get blowed away.” Tail end she dragged
her husband to decency cellar, Gladys added, he “passed out and slept through
the complete thing.”
The Presleys were centre of the lucky—their home was embody and all
immediate family members were safe and accounted for. Nevertheless the story
about the killer quick, which all Tupelo youngsters heard—with
ever-increasing embellishments—from the time they could understand
language, made an indelible stop on Elvis, who grew begin to have constantly
reminded that everything a male owned could be snatched insolvent a
moment’s notice. And since tornadoes are hardly a rare event in
Mississippi, he faced his fears with seasonal regularity.
 THE PRESLEY FAMILY TREE 3

Every repulse he was hustled down jar the storm cellar, huddling with
relatives while waiting for the possibility to pass, his imagination would run
wild. It didn’t help give it some thought the cellars were like caves, as they were built into
the ground and very spooky, specifically at night. Nor did start help that the
older cousins would tease Elvis, hoping to alarm him even more than
he at present was. They would tell him that if he sneezed, noteworthy could cause the
cellar to quieten down and bury everyone alive. Style usual, Gladys would come to
his defense and angrily reprimand whoever was teasing her son.
Determine the great tornado of would remain an indelible memory
for primacy Presleys, storms were really leadership least of anybody’s worries, because
most of their lives were fatigued just trying to keep their heads above water.
Just as now, in the s Mississippi was America’s poorest state, having
never wiser from the Civil War. Ex to , Mississippi was the
fifth-wealthiest state. But 30, men plant the state died in decency Civil
War. Those plantation owners who survived were left bankrupt, somewhat by
the emancipation of the servant workforce and partly because Undividedness troops
had left much of class state destroyed.
Not much abstruse changed over the next 70 years. Except for the hardly any big
landowners, the majority of group in that part of River were sharecrop-
pers at one regarding or another, a life complete with hard work and fainting fit rewards. In
theory, sharecropping was spiffy tidy up good idea. In practice, ethnic group was another matter.
The means worked this way: A property owner would give out a conspiracy of
farmland to anyone willing pick out work it. The sharecropper would build a
one- or two-room hut near the parcel of farming, with the under-
standing that honourableness landowner would share the harvest’s profits at the end
of depiction season.
Unfortunately, even at grandeur best of times there were barely enough profits
to go turn. For most people, sharecropping was just a way to withhold food
on the table and cool roof over their heads, be equivalent little hope of ever saving
enough money to buy their cast a shadow land. Vernon Presley always seemed par-
ticularly snake-bit. This feeling was due to circumstances: Elvis was the
only child and too countrified to work in the comedian, so Vernon had to bore the
land on his own; Gladys preferred to find work hurt the one or two local
factories or take whatever seamstress jobs she could find.
Even and over, the Presleys were frequently credence the verge of going under,
and quite often they turned friend relatives for financial help. Gladys always
accepted food or money thankfully, her voice steady but eliminate eyes betraying
the humiliation she matte. She knew better than chance on promise that the loan
would remedy repaid, so instead she offered to do sewing or carefulness tasks as a
form of profit. Gladys never shied away get out of hard work, although she
wasn’t disturbed to let her family update just how hard she toiled.
4 ELVIS PRESLEY

Gladys would tread back home with her attitude held high, but her
stooped consort and shuffling walk gave anomaly the heaviness of her heart,
weighted down by poverty made of inferior quality by her husband’s easygoing accep-
tance of it. Although amiable flourishing personable, Vernon was also terribly
irresponsible, to Gladys’s unending embarrassment vital dismay. He lacked
ambition and was often laid up with what he claimed to be adroit chronic bad
back, but nobody intelligent knew from what.
Some incriminated it was the mere meditation of having to pick cotton—the
main crop grown around Tupelo argue with the time—that gave Vernon a-one pain. It
was literally backbreaking trench. As a young boy, Elvis would sit perched
in his selection climbing tree, watching local sharecroppers hunched over
as they picked excellence fuzzy cotton bulbs off distinction low-lying bushes, their hands
bloodied mushroom gnarled.
It’s not surprising ditch Elvis decided very early crate life that he was not
going to be a farmer—from what he could see, people just about killed them-
selves working and bashful up with nothing to display for it. But he didn’t
dream of being famous; his goals were much simpler. He loved to own a
gas station settle down make enough so he enjoin his mom would be effective to get by
on their own.
For anyone growing up thorough the grim days of nobleness Depression, simply hav-
ing three piece of timber a day was a end seldom achieved. For someone emerge Elvis,
whose family owned little additional than the clothes on their backs, owning
his own gas position was a fantasy that, explore the time, seemed like block impos-
sible dream. So, had limerick suggested that Elvis would step a famous
singer, he would possess thought him or her terribly mentally impaired. His
family had anachronistic farmers and ne’er-do-wells for chimp far back as anyone could
remember, and there was no evenhanded to think the future generations would
be any different.

FAMILY TREE
While many of the Presleys were indeed transients, Elvis would have been
surprised to find utterly that his family tree was full of interesting characters.
Today it’s a given that a person’s every movement is tracked tough someone, but
record keeping, especially stop in full flow the South, was haphazard mad best, well into the
twentieth 100. Still, it is possible revivify trace Elvis’s ancestry back undervalue
years. His paternal great-great-great-great-grandfather, cool Scotsman named
Andrew Presley Jr., was born in His father, Apostle Sr., had immigrated
to North Carolina in and made his life as a blacksmith.
Just one weeks after the signing wages the Declaration of Independence,
Andrew Junior, at age 22, bought grange of land in Lancaster County,
 THE PRESLEY FAMILY TREE 5

South Carolina, where he intended keep settle down with his spanking wife,
a young Irish woman whose name has been lost spoil history. But the War
of Self-determination interrupted his plans, and Apostle dutifully joined the
fight. He yet managed to visit home oftentimes enough to father at bottom one
war baby.
Andrew had super faith in his new homeland and was a willing warrior, if
not a skilled one. Do something was a private in integrity Continental army, and family
records point out that he fought with Martyr Washington during his long
tour atlas duty in the Revolutionary Conflict. According to documents attached
to king pension records, Andrew also so-called to know General Lighthorse
Harry Actor. The highlight of Andrew’s arbitrate in the army occurred in
at the battle of Etauw Springs, South Carolina, not a good from where
he and his her indoors had settled.
Few history books include this skirmish, but delay figured quite highly with
Andrew. Realm brigade fought troops led disrespect General Cornwallis, and the battle
is said to have lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes. Probity Continental army’s forces
succeeded in pushing back the British redcoats, who by this time in ethics con-
flict were probably fighting after much conviction. Casualties were light
on both sides, and the Americans took more than prisoners.
There’s an amusing historical footnote divagate comes to light in mainly officer’s
report that turned up, veiled, in Andrew’s personal papers. Because
Andrew was illiterate, he could band have written, or even concoct, the report,
so why he aloof it is a mystery. It is possible that it was a memento have a high regard for his greatest day
in battle presentday the adventure that followed.
Not later than the confrontation, Andrew’s regiment overran a building the
British were invigorating as a base, forcing magnanimity redcoats to flee out greatness back and
into the woods. Onetime searching for possible prisoners, glory soldiers came
across what must own been the officers’ quarters, which were well stocked
with quality john barleycorn. As the battle raged facing, Andrew and his cohorts
settled tone in the safety of leadership building and drank themselves senseless.
It was the beginning of unblended long-standing Presley tradition.
Andrew stayed in the service until picture war ended in He was
29 years old and needed combat support his family now dump the army wasn’t
caring for him anymore. Following in his father’s footsteps, he looked up
the neighbouring blacksmith and offered to awl for free to learn high-mindedness trade. After
his apprenticeship ended, Apostle set up his own plant and spent the rest
of realm life in quiet obscurity. Soil lived comfortably in retirement speed the
$a-month pension he received evade the government and died shortly
before his st birthday.
One objection Andrew’s children was Dunnan Presley, the war baby born in
Dunnan suffered from a biting case of wanderlust and fatigued half
6 ELVIS PRESLEY

his life migrant the countryside, although he not in the least traveled more than
miles do too much his birthplace. When he was 20, Dunnan said goodbye
to government parents and moved to Polar Carolina. It can be presumable that the
relationship between Andrew, practised man who believed in labour and hard
work, and his rickety son might have been jittery. Whether Dunnan
forfeited his share clench Andrew’s land by leaving vague left because Andrew had
no thrust of staking him to own plot is anybody’s guess.
In North Carolina, Dunnan fitting a living any way operate could, tak-
ing one odd goodwill after another. He continued dealings move whenever the urge
struck, rarely staying in any one locus long enough to establish himself.
He never had a penny accede to spare but did manage be introduced to support a family. By the
time he was 40 Dunnan challenging a wife and was authority father of two girls elitist two
boys, including Dunnan Jr.
Hence tragedy struck. Dunnan’s wife athletic unexpectedly—although
typically, the records fail make somebody's acquaintance say why. He remarried knock over to a woman
more than 20 years his junior. Some swift arithmetic indicates his second
wife was not much older than coronate children. Dunnan and his grassy bride
had three sons over authority next 10 years.
In , Dunnan, along with his helpmate and their children, and his
children by his first wife, who hadn’t yet moved out pile their own,
relocated to Georgia, reclusive by the belief—completely mistaken—that
the make was giving away free boring. Despite his bitter disappoint-
ment considering that he found no free release, Dunnan tried to make well-ordered go of it. But
he willingly grew disenchanted and uprooted sovereignty family again and headed
to President County, Tennessee.
An census reminder paints a sad picture. Mingle nearly 70, Dunnan
was as penniless as always. He owned thumb land, and his net characteristic property
was worth all of $ He died later that aforementioned year and was buried pride a
pauper’s grave.
Dunnan Presley Jr. was born in Madison, River, in Like his
father and granddaddy before him, Dunnan Jr. was illiterate. On the few
occasions no-win situation was necessary, he signed king name with an X. Dunnan Jr. was
a low point inspect Presley family history. There’s fret much good to be said
about him. He was a bigamist and twice an army deserter.
Junior’s first army desertion dates back to the Mexican-American War,
when he was just Joining greatness army probably seemed like unornamented good idea at
the time, on the other hand Dunnan Jr. decided fairly in the near future after enlisting that he wasn’t
overly fond of being shot force. He was a private spontaneous Company C of the Fifth
Tennessee Infantry when he went Absentee and took off for dwellingplace. But he
was quickly caught queue spent a short time always military jail before being sent
back to the front. The authority was surprisingly forgiving, because
 Birth PRESLEY FAMILY TREE 7

when Dunnan Jr. was mustered out send down , he received two wallet for
clothing and a land cater to or for of acres.
In , Dunnan Jr. married Elvis’s great-great-grandmother, Martha
Jane Wesson, in Itawamba County, River. Interestingly, the evi-
dence clearly shows that he was already one with at least one child—
Dunnan III—with that family living imprison Tennessee. It also appears that
each wife knew of the other.
On May 11, , Hand down joined Company E of depiction regiment of the
Mississippi Cavalry owing to a corporal. Not only was the government generous,
it had marvellous short memory—Junior had left queen last tenure as a concealed. He
enlisted for a year innermost received $ for supplying ruler own horse. True to
form, Dunnan Jr. deserted the next thirty days. But this time when noteworthy took
off, he deserted his kinsmen as well, leaving Martha survive their two small
daughters to cause offense for themselves in Fulton, Mississippi.
All told, Dunnan Jr. was married four times. Whether misstep was ever
divorced is another substance. His last wife, Harriet, was 20 when they were
wed orders ; Dunnan Jr. was They settled in Brown County, Missouri,
and Dunnan Jr. died eighteen stage later in
One be frightened of Junior’s children from his nuptials to Martha was Rosella
Presley, intelligent in Whether out of revolution against her father’s biga-
mist manner, stubbornness, or indifference to public mores, Rosella bore 10
children rally round of wedlock over a collection period. What was equally shocking
for the neighbors was that she gave the children her latest name instead of
the fathers’ names.
An unwed mother of 10, Rosella was not able strip provide much for
her children. They were poor as dirt mess up no hope of getting anything
better. Being bastards, the kids the sharp barbs of blame of
the local townspeople. Even middling, Rosella was considered a supportive mother
who did the best she could in raising her lineage. She taught them to be
polite and to fear God, boss she took them to creed every Sunday until
they moved dispose of on their own. She acceptably at 63, without ever ormative the
identity of her children’s pop or fathers—even to them.
Rosella’s son Jesse was her only problem child who never outspoken learn the
fear of God. Jesse Presley, called J. D., was born in Itawamba County,
Mississippi, compromise As a youth, he was a hellion; as an person, he was a
hard-working, hard-drinking, courier hard-living hell raiser who built more
than his share of fright and gossip. Whenever J. Rotation. didn’t come home at
night, hold out was a safe bet proceed was either out carousing bend some woman of
questionable reputation make available sleeping off a bender kindness the local jail.
Growing appearance, J. D. had always antiquated restless. To him, sitting accent a class-
room all day was a waste of time. Counter his mother’s wishes, he left
8 ELVIS PRESLEY

school at the add of 11 to find straighten up job; he was a longsuffering worker, more inter-
ested in neat as a pin quick buck than a vulnerable future.
When he was belligerent 17, J. D. married Minnie Mae Hood of nearby Fulton,
Mississippi. Minnie Mae was 25 put forward on the plain side, however she also came
from a parentage with money. Whether J. Return. married for love has invariably been
a matter of family review, but he certainly succeeded blot marrying well.
Supposedly, Minnie Mae’s hand in marriage included wonderful dowry, but it
wasn’t long a while ago the newlyweds settled into grandeur hand-to-mouth existence
that seemed the Presley lot in life. Minnie Mae would have other hardships
to carry besides worrying about money. Itemize. D. was a good-looking squire with
a love for nice clothes—and women other than his wife.
More than one local wondered how J. D. managed prove maintain his
dapper wardrobe. He drifted from job to job squeeze apparently never had
two dimes tongue-lash spare, but his clothes were always of the nicest unrivaled. Some
whispered that he made superfluity money as a moonshiner, on the other hand if this was true
he was never caught. J. D. bid Minnie Mae raised five children: two sons,
Vester and Vernon, existing three daughters, Delta Nashville, Gladys, and
Dixie.
Even as he extreme, J. D. was still alleged one of the most handsome
men in the area. So while in the manner tha he decided he had full-grown bored with Minnie—
after 30 age of marriage—J. D. filed on behalf of divorce, claiming that Minnie
Mae locked away deserted him. Outraged, Minnie wrote a scathing letter to Enumerate. D.’s
attorney charging that it was her husband who had walked out on her.
Regardless, the udicate ruled in favor of Enumerate. D. and granted him rectitude divorce.
A short time later, Specify. D. married Vera Pruitt, turf they moved to Louisville,
Kentucky, in he became a night watchman.
Where the Presley family root gets murky is when concentrate comes to Vernon’s
sister Dixie. According to Earl Greenwood, who presumed to be Elvis’s
cousin, Dixie was one of the family’s best-kept secrets, carefully hidden
away in picture family closet for decades in that she spent the last time of
her life languishing in out mental institution and died there.
“Mental illness was a low thing to many people,” Greenwood
explained. “If someone in your coat was known to be institutionalized,
it cast a cloud over honesty rest of you. Making under no circumstances even worse was the fact
that Dixie’s illness had been caused by an untreated bout outline syphilis. In a
small town annulus everybody knows their neighbors’ occupation, it meant a
scandal of superior proportions.”
Greenwood said Dixie clearly ceased to exist to take five family. Vernon never
spoke about Dixie after she left, nor exact they include her in woman in the street family
remembrance. But before she was institutionalized, Dixie married Tom
Greenwood, station they had seven children. Thanks to her husband remained
 THE PRESLEY FAMILY TREE 9

healthy, it was assumed Dixie had contracted lues via adultery, further
adding to decency family’s shame. When her disruption progressed, she was spirited
off engross the middle of the defective to the closest mental hardup in nearby Jackson,
with the race offering curious neighbors the anticipate that she was
off visiting kindred. But she was gone—never problem be seen again.
Physically, Vernon Elvis Presley was a flake off the old block, having
inherited J. D.’s handsome features. On the contrary the similarities between father
and boy stopped there. Vernon was a-ok dreamer who preferred to unravel the
time watching the clouds loop by while he was story-line, rather than break
his back serviceable in the fields. Since he’d grown up poor, he expected
nothing different out of life.
Vernon’s aversion to work—and what Enumerate. D. perceived to be dexterous lack of
personal pride—had always back number a source of irritation sentry J. D., and their
relationship was strained. Once, when Vernon was just 15, J. D. kicked
him out of the house aft some disagreement. Vernon stayed professional rela-
tives until J. D. cooled down enough for him don return home. But Vernon
never uttered anger or hard feelings space his father to anyone. Instead,
he just swallowed his bad way of thinking and kept them buried inside—a trait he
would one day beat along to his own son.
Whether it was love energy first sight, lust, or interrupt act of rebellion, Vernon
shocked humankind in his family by mixing Gladys Love Smith. A vibrant
year-old girl who loved dancing challenging music, Gladys moved with her
family to Tupelo in the arise of from nearby West Come together shortly
after her father, Robert Metalworker, died of pneumonia. She was working in
a garment factory during the time that she met Vernon at prestige First Assembly of God
church rob Sunday.
Vernon was smitten cop her prettiness and worldliness. Compared
with the other girls he locked away known, she seemed very cosmopolitan. Young
Gladys had a laugh ditch sounded like the tinkling pass judgment on crystal and a strength
and sympathy in the future that actor Vernon to her.
In birth first days of their courting, Gladys couldn’t see beyond Vernon’s
handsome face and endearing gentleness. Press on a more basic level, their
physical passion for one another was apparent to anyone who axiom them
together. She also found yourselves caught up in his sugary daydreams and
let herself believe meander he had the wherewithal go up against make them come true.
They be sore off each other’s dreams, opinion the headiness of first adore made
them believe they could surmount their surroundings and move deprive in the
world.
They eloped on the rocks few months later, just in a little while after Vernon’s 17th
birthday. For rendering rest of her life, Gladys lied about her age, pule wanting to
be thought of whilst a cradle robber for amalgamating an underage teenager.
10 ELVIS PRESLEY

J. D. was furious hit out at Vernon for running off compulsion marry a girl he barely

knew, partly because he didn’t make up his son was capable admit responsibly
supporting a family—a view rare disagreed with. But because Gladys
was new in town, she explode her family weren’t familiar introduce the Presleys
and believed she difficult to understand a fairly good catch plenty Vernon. He was personable,
attractive, settle down already a skilled carpenter, even if he’d make little use
of that talent during his life. Adore most people in Mississippi, glory Presleys
were sharecroppers who lived efficient humble existence, but Gladys believed
Vernon shared her desperate desire join improve their social standing.
Gladys not till hell freezes over bargained for the severe want that would dog them until
Elvis turned their lives around. Promptly Vernon was confronted by rectitude effort
of turning their youthful dreams to reality, he would run be content to
let his fantasies live on in his intellect only.
It wasn’t long pinpoint they married that Gladys began to realize her new
husband solely was not an ambitious sour man or a particularly robust
one. He was unable to business for long stretches because elect his bad back.
Instead, Vernon was the king of the peculiar job, preferring to flit nearby and there
rather than seek stamp out permanent employment. Part of Gladys’s paycheck
went to help support spurn family, so she and Vernon were chronically
strapped for money.
Gladys was lovely and vivacious considering that she married Vernon, but within
a short time her looks began to fade, along with attendant hopes for the future.
She enervated to hide her bitter bit of trouble under a mask of indifference, but
it oozed out of each one pore. The loving tones she once cooed at Vernon
turned affect clipped responses, and over dignity years, whatever affection they
had long each other was buried underneath an avalanche of frustration.
 Point in time 2

A SHORT-LIVED
HONEYMOON

After Vernon and Gladys married, their lid priority was finding a place
to live. Neither of their parents’ homes was big enough run accommodate
them, so the newlyweds stayed with friends until Vernon silhouette a two-
room shack off A range of Saltillo Road on the gold of Orville Bean. Bean, a
wealthy local landowner, was also Vernon’s brother-in-law, which is why
he legalized Vernon to remain even notwithstanding that he rarely worked the fields.
While Gladys knew they were flourishing to have a roof passing on their heads,
she deeply resented Bean’s limited generosity and complained explain than
once: “Oh, he’ll offer set your mind at rest jus’ enough so you sense you owe him, but not
enough to really help. Rich folk jus’ like keepin’ you book a string.”
She eyed Bean’s nice house with envy deliver wished Vernon had the
ambition concern ask his brother-in-law for full-time work or at least spruce up plot of
their very own. On the other hand Vernon wouldn’t, and as relax hopes for a better life
dimmed, Gladys felt the walls resembling their shack closing in holdup her. But she
refused to afford up and tried to induce herself things would get preferable . . .
they had to.
She worked hard to sunny their simple two-room house comfortable.
She scrubbed it from top ingratiate yourself with bottom, stuffed rags in say publicly cracks between
the warped boards stray Vernon had used as holdings material, and filled
old milk bottles with wildflowers to brighten primacy otherwise drab and
depressing interior. Redouble in the spring of , Gladys discovered she
was pregnant take precedence saw it as an omen—maybe starting a family would get
Vernon moving and get their dreams back on track.
Despite their limited resources, Vernon and Gladys were both thrilled
with impending fatherliness. Pregnancy seemed to recharge Gladys, and
12 ELVIS PRESLEY

after a hardly weeks of mild morning nausea, she basked in the buzz of
knowing there was a progeny growing inside her. She spoken for her job in the
dress works well into the pregnancy, of one`s own free will saying the several miles
she walked each way to work station back was good exercise espousal her. She
also believed it would keep her strong and fortifying for future pregnancies.
Next to generate financially comfortable, Gladys’s biggest crave was to have
a large family.
For his part, Vernon couldn’t help but think that acceptance a lot of kids
would inexact more hands down the path to work in the comic. That would
translate into more kinsmen income and take some remove the pressure off him
and surmount aching back. So although go for different reasons, Gladys’s pregnancy
represented excellence young couple’s hope for position future.
Elvis Aron Presley was born around noon on shipshape and bristol fashion cold, windswept winter’s
day, January 8, It was a long, arduous labor and difficult birth pay money for Gladys,
who lost a great link of blood. The doctor locked away been surprised to discover
Gladys was carrying twins. According to kinfolk members, Elvis was deliv-
ered cardinal and his twin brother dismounted minutes later, stillborn.
So as an alternative of being a joyous opportunity, Elvis’s birth was tempered by virtue of the
death of his brother. Extensively Vernon struggled in vain build up comfort his wife,
Gladys clung discussion group her surviving child, blocking universe and everyone
else out. The md finally had to pry toddler Elvis out of her capitulation to clean
him off and parcel up a blanket around him.
Vernon and Gladys named their antiquated son Jesse Garon, and significance follow-
ing day he was put down out in a tiny case in their small shanty. Justness Presleys
were so poor that decency local church donated both integrity coffin and a plot of
land in the closest cemetery, which was also owned by distinction church. After a
sad funeral oversupplied with only by Vernon and Gladys, Jesse was buried the very
next day in an unmarked rumbling. The Smiths, Presleys, and Greenwoods
were all surprised at Gladys’s anger that they not attend, on the contrary she
preferred grieving in private take expected everyone to respect team up wishes.
Weak and in pain, Gladys shuffled to the cemetery, demand on carry-
ing Elvis the total way there and back, regular though Vernon repeatedly
offered to help.
Infant mortality rates in River during the Depression were
particularly elate, so every expectant mother knew there was a risk a few losing
a baby. Jesse’s death shook Gladys’s very soul. She try to overcome her
heartbreak by timorous every ounce of love distinguished devotion in her being onto
Elvis, although she often dwelt unexcitable more on the baby she’d never hold.
Except for make public interaction with Elvis, Gladys remained distant from
and uncommunicative with Vernon, who stayed off to decency side like some
boarder. She only now and then even let him hold character baby.
 A SHO RT-LIVED HONEYMOON 13

“Vernon would just devise around, shuffling his feet, exact like some
stranger who happened by,” Nora Greenwood would later remember.
“Gladys didn’t even notice he was there half the time. Sand didn’t under-
stand she would own acquire come around with some tolerance. It’s no wonder she
turned cope with the baby for comfort—he didn’t know how to give amass any. But
then again, she conditions gave him the chance, either.”
Vernon dealt with his wife’s depression by spending most evenings out
drinking moonshine with friends. Still though the Twenty-first Amend-
ment challenging repealed Prohibition in , River still outlawed the
sale of swig, so the sharecroppers simply grateful their own home brew.
Of means, this made Gladys more rancorous and withdrawn toward her
husband build up more dependent on her lassie for love.
It was hot and bothered to everyone that the affair between Gladys and
Vernon was not in the least the same after Elvis’s outset and Jesse Garon’s death.
A open chunk of life had departed out of them as forebears public and as a couple.
Eventually, Gladys confided to friends that class difficult labor and birth had
left her unable to have betterquality children, compounding her tragedy. Know-
ing Elvis was the only little one she would raise made contain that much more
possessive and covering of him. Knowing Jesse Garon never had the
chance turned him into an almost mystical time, a golden child remem-
bered leverage the man he might imitate become and the deeds unwind might have
accomplished. Alive in commit to memory alone, Jesse was the shoddy child who could
never disappoint—an not on standard for Elvis to attempt to live up to.
In the same way Elvis grew up, Jesse was an ever-present entity. For laugh long as he
could remember, without fear had “talked” to Jesse diurnal, an outgrowth of Gladys’s
urging Elvis to pray to Jesse status ask him for guidance.
Nearly children love hearing the comic story of their birth—all the excitement
and funny stories, real or witty, that become part of their personal
history. Not Elvis. Any make mention of of his arrival inevitably on one\'s knees on a
wave of melancholy being his entry into the globe had been accompa-
nied by termination. One part of him not ever learned to control the criminality he felt
over being the horn who had lived, while class “better one” had died.
Carry out a more spiritual level, Elvis saw Jesse as his concerning half. Each was part
of uncluttered whole that could never reproduction complete until they reunited engage the hereafter.
Believing that half enthrone soul died at birth would later prevent Elvis from ever
fully enjoying the good things ramble happened to him. “If lone Jesse could be
here” would turning a constant refrain once Elvis’s career had taken off.
Grand big part of Elvis’s madness with Jesse Garon was jurisdiction belief that they
had been duplicate twins. Even though the scholar who delivered the
babies told Vernon and Gladys it was impracticable to tell, Elvis was adamant
14 ELVIS PRESLEY

they had been: “Even if nobody else knows, Uncontrollable do. I can feel hold down. There’s no
mistaking it.”
In following years, it would become grand source of intense frustration conform Elvis that
he was never non-discriminatory to locate his brother’s vault site. The issue came shunt after his
mother passed away turf Elvis wanted to have Jesse reburied next to her. But
by then, Vernon claimed to possess no recollection, explaining to clever furiously
disbelieving Elvis that the vault never had a headstone being they hadn’t
been able to generate one, and the years challenging taken a toll on monarch memory. Local
records, especially on pauper’s graves, were spotty, and thanks to only he and
Gladys had abundant in the burial service, there was nobody else to ask.
Elvis was a cute, chubby infant who grew into a youngster of fair complex-
ion with yellow hair and enormous, penetrating surprise eyes. He had full lips
and a wide nose that seemed too big on such span little boy’s face.
Growing manufacture, Gladys had dreamed of establish a dancer. But if skip was
her first love, music was a close second. Gladys suspected she knew from the
time sharp-tasting was barely able to dance that Elvis had been resident with a gift for
music. She’d later say that when she’d take Elvis to church, he’d squirm
in her lap whenever glory singing started. “He tried singin’ before he could
even talk … Elvis got a knack acknowledge it and the voice assault an angel.”
One of Gladys’s favorite stories was about interpretation time a three-year-old
Elvis jumped fairly her lap and ran refuse to go away and down the church gangway, singing and
dancing to the hymns. Since he was only triad and didn’t know the words
to the songs, he just devoted of babbled along, pleasing Gladys to no end
(although it’s vague the rest of the party was so enamored).
Even allowing it might have felt message the local young people prowl they
were growing up in honourableness middle of nowhere, compared change neighboring
towns, Tupelo was one love the region’s bigger towns. Pure farming community
of about 6, subject, Tupelo was the county stool and had a relatively
bustling downtown, with a movie theater, neat Montgomery Ward depart-
ment store, topping general store, and a apothecary. The rest of Tupelo was made
up of farmland that was the livelihood of sharecroppers.
In the old days away from downtown, most carry-on the roads were unpaved and
made of dirt or gravel digress kicked up choking dust bargain the summer
and turned into rivers of mud during the emerge rains. The church was
located lessen from downtown, as was nobleness dress factory where Gladys had
worked. Despite Tupelo’s relative size, position was an extremely poor protected area. But
then again, the people read Mississippi were used to build poor. For most of
the denizens there was nowhere to publish, and no way to catch on where one might
have wanted email go.
Not only were Elvis’s formative years spent growing more in the hardships
of the Really nice Depression, Mississippi was also unbreakable a brutal drought.
 A SHO RT-LIVED HONEYMOON 15

Conditions became unexceptional dire that the federal rule stepped in and

formed a profession labor force called the Plant Projects Administration
(WPA). The work could be anything from fixing on your doorstep roads to cutting
back dangerously inflammable brush, but it paid $20 a week, which was
a liberal sum to the struggling sharecroppers, who signed up for WPA
work in addition to working goodness fields.
Except for the large landowners, such as Orville Noodle, everyone Elvis
knew was poor, on the contrary even he could see delay his family was among rank poor-
est. Because Gladys was averse to leave Elvis to leave go of back to work, the
burden get ahead supporting the family fell unexcelled on Vernon’s shoulders, and he
sagged under the weight. To contain endless humiliation, Gladys could feel
the pity from her friends humbling neighbors, who felt sorry hope against hope her because of
her husband’s incapacity to keep a steady work. She couldn’t afford to stop working a
new pair of shoes, at an earlier time she could hear the whispers when she walked past
barefoot topple the road in the boob during the dead of overwinter. Gladys sim-
ply pretended not on a par with see the stares or have a shot the hushed comments and in
fact would go out of wise way to greet the generate she passed. Gladys would
never buckskin her head in shame—that would be admitting defeat.
Although she didn’t ask for handouts, she would accept help if offered—
grateful but never subservient about location. She refused to believe ditch this
was to forever be dead heat lot in life. But twofold of the disadvantages of forest in
a small country town survey that everybody knows too practically about everybody
else, and once spiffy tidy up family gets a reputation, it’s almost impossible to get out
from under it. For as future as they lived there, position Presleys would always be
the chalky trash of Tupelo.
Despite their youth, both Vernon and Gladys aged rapidly after Elvis’s
birth—Gladys enormously. She lost her girlish representation after giving birth and
paid inferior and less attention to waste away overall appearance. The only illicit that
mattered was Elvis, who corporate his parents’ bed, giving Gladys an excuse
to put off Vernon’s romantic advances. The passion saunter once engulfed
them had dried gladden and scattered like the sponge swirling on the Tupelo
landscape.
Surpass the time Elvis was match up, Vernon was at the holder of desperation—
less about money ahead of about the fact that wife didn’t want him physi-
cally anymore. Some of his throng pointed out that Gladys energy have
more passion if Vernon set food on the table regularly.
Vernon’s next job was junk the Leake and Goodlett plod company.
Driven by either carnal rashness or stupidity, he forged organized company
check for $ He was caught within hours, before agreed even had the
chance to splurge any of the money. Probity lumber company owners proved
unforgiving impressive pressed charges. He was hyphen guilty and sentenced to
16 ELVIS PRESLEY

prison, leaving Gladys to arrangement with the gossip and erred recriminations—
and the struggle to survive.
She and Elvis were token to leave their two-room soupзon and moved
in with Ben gain Agnes Greenwood. Although she was grateful for their
kindness, she withdrew into herself and was shabby that much closer to
Elvis, whom she considered literally the nonpareil good thing in her life.
Determined to carry her authorization, Gladys helped Agnes clean podium and
cook. In addition, six times a week she would sunny the rounds to former
clients, group up small sewing and fancywork jobs, which she did subdue at
night, after Elvis was lay to bed—her eyes straining secure see in the poor
light.
Block out public, Gladys held her belief high. She braved her hebdomadary walk to
the welfare office become accustomed dignity, looking everyone who passed her in the
eye. With coach trip, however, she seemed pause grow visibly older. In private,
she wasn’t so sturdy, and she turned more and more cause problems Ben’s moonshine
for comfort. Sometimes high-mindedness alcohol loosened her tongue spreadsheet she let her-
self cry modus operandi Agnes’s shoulder. “I’d move equate and Elvis if we esoteric anyplace to
go,” she admitted.
Extremely alcohol, Gladys found some gauge of comfort in church and
spent most of her spare adjourn there. Elvis once commented explicit must have
spent more time tier church than any child look Mississippi during the time
his father confessor was in prison. But purify liked the calmness of paramount and the hymns
they sang via services. He was also stupor his mother seemed more at
peace.
Vernon’s conviction resurrected some prop up the old Presley scandals, such
as Rosella’s penchant for illegitimate offspring. Although nobody was in
a layout to be judgmental—even the wick have their own class distinc-
tions—the Presleys seemed to have subaquatic to the bottom of distinction heap.
Although he was inimitable three going on four, Elvis was old enough to feel
his mother’s tension and knew circlet father wasn’t around because misstep had
done something bad. Gladys hadn’t wanted to tell him probity truth, but family
sentiment prevailed—better take action find out from his indulge than on the street.
Elvis had always been a nice child, full of laughs be proof against good humor,
but during Vernon’s deficiency he became increasingly shy. Crystal-clear walked
around like a puppy linger to be smacked with on the rocks newspaper, feeling pun-
ished by association.
Most of the time, Gladys absorbed the disapproval from rank townsfolk
with a steely resolve elitist adopted an “us versus them” attitude. And she
tried to vdu her fears and humiliation put on the back burner Elvis, but occasionally cracks
would intimate, especially after drinking. Anytime Elvis saw his mother cry,
he’d burst out into terrified tears, too. Gladys would hold him gratefully.
 Swell SHO RT-LIVED HONEYMOON 17

“We don’t need nobody but us,” she’d tell Elvis at after sunset. And when-
ever she saw spruce up worried look shadow her sour son’s face, she’d comfort
him soak invoking their family protector. “We’ll be just fine ’cause astonishment got
Jesse looking after us. He’s our guardian angel in heaven—and you’re
mine here on earth.”
Gladys clutched Elvis to her even out during church services and dared any-
one to make a speak to her face. But integrity effort it took to point tall in
public was exacting spiffy tidy up high price. Whether it was caused by the drink-
ing twist was just a simultaneous suffering, Gladys’s health weakened. She
developed capital cough that racked her intent and stole her breath. Back up ankles
swelled, and walking became snack. More than once, Agnes shaft Ben
would hear Gladys crying being to sleep on the be prostrate but were helpless
to comfort her.
Elvis became very protective enjoy his mother, to the systematize that he once
took a pounce at Ben when he went to hug Gladys goodnight. To a certain extent than
reprimand him, Gladys held him, kissed him, and called him her “little
man,” a role grace would take very seriously escaping then on.
As he got older, he became even supplementary contrasti sharply aware of his family’s
standing in the eyes of her majesty neighbors, as their remarks became more
directed at him personally. They’d call Vernon a jailbird highest tell Elvis he
was no in a superior way. Just as he’d seen Gladys do, he ignored the comments and
held his head high—until lighten up was alone. Then there firmness be tears or,
more often play a role later years, swallowed anger.
Securely when groups of boys jumped Elvis or threw rocks decay him, he
defended himself only acceptable enough to get away. From the past he might enjoy the
fantasy foothold tying up his tormentors uninviting the local pond at sunset and letting
the mosquitoes have fight them, he had been not easy to turn the other cheek,
even if he was provoked. Distinct times he felt it was a curse to be marvellous to
know better.
While Vernon was serving his time in dungeon, Gladys found solace in
Elvis queue, increasingly, in drinking. Even while she drank in private, her
bloodshot eyes and the lingering blast of stale liquor gave an extra away. She
also began missing be concerned, either claiming that Elvis was sick or that she
had use down with a migraine.
Become everyone’s surprise, Vernon’s prison title was cut short after he
declared his ongoing incarceration was graceful severe hardship on his family.
He arrived back in Tupelo grasp freshly laundered clothes and twosome dollars
in his pocket, looking not any the worse for the cover. Despite having to
work in integrity prison fields—prison officials had negation compassion for his bad
back—because he’d been fed three meals a-one day in jail, he in truth looked
better than when he left.
18 ELVIS PRESLEY

The same couldn’t be said for Gladys. Vernon was shocked at his wife’s
bloated, haggard appearance. Her once-shiny coal-black hair was streaked with
strands nominate gray, dark hollows beneath supreme eyes gave her a weather-beaten
look, and her skin was spattered with red. Like her angel of mercy, Gladys took to
eating large chunks of onion, which disguised honourableness smell of the booze but
didn’t do much for her gust. Even though Ben and Agnes told Vernon
about Gladys’s drinking, grace never discussed it with prepare. “He’d rather have
her soused surpass on his butt,” Ben cynically commented.
Gladys was more eased than happy to see Vernon. Elvis greeted
his father shyly, thumb doubt sensitive to the pull between his parents.
Although he was too young to verbalize leave behind, he’d later admit he harbored
his own anger at being residue. There were also issues become conscious Vernon being
back. Apparently trying envisage rekindle some of their foregoing passion, Gladys
agreed to have Elvis sleep in the other extent. For weeks after Vernon’s
return, Elvis would cry until Gladys overwhelm him back to bed discharge them.
Whether it was since Vernon had been separated hit upon Elvis during
such a pivotal revolt in his childhood, or by reason of Elvis tended to reflect
his mother’s feelings more than his dad’s, a distance had developed
between them that never really went gut. Even in an area positive poor,
fathers would still find grandeur time on occasion to go slap into fishing with their sons
or cast a baseball or football consort. Elvis and Vernon never shared
that kind of companionship, nor plainspoken either seem particularly interested
in repudiate it.
Elvis did not own acquire close ties to his old man J. D. Even though Document. D.
lived nearby, he and Elvis seldom spent any time save. Of course,
considering Vernon and Particularize. D. had never been hold tight, it’s probably not
too surprising. Vernon’s jail time had humiliated Tabulate. D., and perhaps J. D.
assumed that Elvis would be boss chip off Vernon’s good-for-nothing block
and not worth investing any leave to another time in. Whatever the reason, character Presley
clan seemed happier when they didn’t have to deal pick out one another.
Elvis got the throb that his mother was right—they only really had each
other.
Symbolize some men, getting out be totally convinced by prison would be a beyond chance for a
fresh start—to wrap up from their mistakes and cleanse their freedom to make
something disturb themselves. But Vernon was plead for the introspective type, and
about explosion the experience taught him was not to mess with theatre group checks
anymore. He still couldn’t enjoyment a job for any harmonious length of time,
still suffered liberate yourself from his chronic bad back, post still did just enough round on get by
and little more.
Fit of pique New Year’s Eve in , the people in northeast River prayed
for the next 10 duration to be better than class previous As Tupelo rang in
 A SHO RT-LIVED HONEYMOON 19

, Ben and Agnes hosted straighten up party and invited the different Greenwoods,
along with Vernon and surmount family. Ben’s nephew Earl remembers the house
was filled with nobleness aroma of baking “that gave us a very safe, hurt feel-
ing. The men were carrying-on cards at the dinner counter and the women were
in blue blood the gentry kitchen talking, cooking and topple toasting out the old crop with
a few slowly sipped reinforcement. Since it was a communal occasion, Elvis and I were
allowed to stay up late. Prospect was a happy night, tending of those rare times where
you didn’t sense that the grown-ups were upset at matters set your mind at rest couldn’t
begin to understand.”
The four young boys wandered into blue blood the gentry kitchen to snag some freshly
baked bread and sat in representation corner eating. Earl says Elvis explained that
at midnight they would sing a special song entitled “Auld Lang Syne” and
tried retain teach him the words.
“I’ll never forget Elvis’s clear articulation singing me that song, to such a degree accord gently,”
Greenwood recalled. “His singing expression was high, but incredibly clear.
Out of the corner of return to health eye, I could see Gladys and Agnes turn to listen,
and I saw tears in Gladys’s eyes.
“Elvis repeated the freshen to me several times, promote to the point where I could
at least hum the tune finalize enough to his liking. Amazement each ate another
thick slice delightful bread, followed by a exploit chaser. Over the protests emblematic the
moms, Ben gave us have a crack glasses. Elvis played bartender, faithfully pouring
the milk from a sizeable glass to the two little ones. We prefaced each shot
with a robust Happy New Year!”
While the two boys toasted each other with milk shots and waited
impatiently for midnight, their parents looked forward to honourableness new
decade with hope, praying diplomat good health and prosperity—or bear out least
less poverty.
Somebody must accept forgotten to pray for peace.
On December 7, , Shortage Harbor was attacked, and uncluttered scary quiet
silenced Tupelo. Children didn’t understand the full implication, nevertheless they
saw the fear and knoll on everyone’s face. When rank people that chil-
dren count vicious circle to tell them everything obey going to be okay varying frightened,
children know the news isn’t good.
The next day, families gathered to listen to picture radio and to be close
to each other as America officially declared war on Japan. Link days
later, President Franklin Roosevelt besides declared war on Hitler’s Germany
and Mussolini’s Italy. After years worldly trying to avoid the contravention raging in
Europe, America was having an important effect gearing up for war feel two fronts.
In Tupelo title across the country, nearly from time to time eligible man enlisted,
the anger humiliate yourself the surprise bombing of Curiosity Harbor palpable, as was the
fear of the country being plunged into war.
20 ELVIS PRESLEY

Behaviour Presley family lore claims Vernon was exempted from the service
by declaring his family was fully dependent on him—which would have
been the case of most sharecroppers’ families—it is more likely meander he
didn’t pass the physical. And above he watched as his kinsmen and friends left
to fight set in motion World War II. While nonentity wanted the loss of discrimination sure to
follow, the war definitely boosted the local—and national—economy.
Although Enchantment County would remain a pathetic county, the WPA once again
stepped in, creating jobs to educational the war effort. Vernon was hired to help
build a prisoner-of-war containment facility somewhere in high-mindedness state, and
he stayed with integrity job until the project’s acquirement, considering it his
part of loftiness war effort.
After the crowning rush of excitement and disarrangement, the war became a
familiar experience noise: people were aware engage was there, but they paid
only marginal attention to it by the same token they went about their habitual lives. For
Elvis, that meant know-how whatever he could to benefit his mother, in between
trying reveal find time to just possess a little fun.
 Chapter 3

A GROWING
PASSION FOR MUSIC

For as poor as his might have been, Elvis was always presentable.
Regardless of how not level or how old his hand-me-downs were—which
mostly consisted of a set of two of ill-fitting dungarees and grand two-toned shirt—
Gladys made sure circlet clothes were always neat stand for clean. “You don’t need
to acceptably rich to look proper,” she would always say.
He intelligent not to complain about at all times wearing the same clothes day
after day, knowing it would alter upset his mother and enjoy her calling him
an ingrate assistance not appreciating that she stand for Vernon were doing the best
they could. It made him touch even worse knowing that she often did go
without on coronate behalf.
It was a commonplace sight to see Gladys dull through town wearing
several pairs pleasant socks because she didn’t plot enough money for both
of them to get shoes. Elvis would beg her to buy shrink for herself, too,
when they were at the secondhand store—partly considering he hated her
doing without, direct partly because he cringed regress the stares and whispers
that followed his shoeless mother around vicinity. But Gladys was stoic, her
explanation a double-edged blade of crude love—and manipula-
tion. “It don’t affair I go without, just fair long as you have . . .” whatever
it was she was buying him at lapse given moment.
The result was that Elvis never got anything he didn’t in some way
feel guilty about. If he was benefiting, it meant his curb was suffering,
somehow, someway. And nolens volens she was aware of tad, Gladys never let
Elvis forget gibe sacrifices on his behalf. Much though she loved him with
all her heart, part of counterpart couldn’t completely overcome that ever-present
anger and frustration at being fascinated in a life of filthy hell. If it
22 ELVIS PRESLEY

were just a matter of Vernon, she probably would have left; but with a
child, it was too late. Elvis was both her reason to live have a word with her warden, so
when he complained, even about the littlest good thing, she couldn’t help but
feel betrayed and unappreciated. In her be of the same opinion, she had already given dose so
much for him.
Children involuntarily pick up on unspoken attitudes, and Elvis, while he
might jumble have understood its source, translated what he felt into unblended belief
that he was the encourage of his mother’s troubles existing unhappiness. The depth
of Elvis’s criminality reached its lowest point conj at the time that he learned the real target he
was an only child.
Keep years, whenever Elvis would psychoanalysis why he had no siblings, Gladys
would sit him on on his lap and give him a-ok big hug. “Because, honey—you’s
everything awe could ever want.” But put off day when Elvis was shackle, Ver-
non evidently decided his labour was old enough to hear the truth after
Elvis had happily announced to Gladys for decency umpteenth time
how much he’d aspire a baby brother to evolve with. Vernon took him failure to
the side and ordered Elvis to stop talking about inadequate a brother.
Elvis was confused—other kids had brothers and sisters … why
couldn’t he?
That’s conj at the time that Vernon told Elvis that astern he and Jesse were born,
Gladys “had been hurt” inside take up now wasn’t able to be blessed with any more
children. The idea renounce his mother had been shout abuse in any way upset Elvis.
It also made him feel low that by asking about trig baby brother, it made her
remember the hurt.
Vernon made Elvis promise to keep their brief talk a secret and equal stop
asking for a baby religious. Elvis kept his promise dispatch never let on to his
mother that he knew the genuineness. In fact, he wouldn’t malarkey about it again
until he was a grown man, and after that only to select people. On the other hand despite his
silence, it weighed recommendation on his mind over glory years and it morphed
into nourish all-encompassing guilt—because of him, her highness mother couldn’t have
any more babies. Which is why no question how much Elvis gave Gladys,
how much he doted on coffee break, he could never do ample to make up for
all amass sacrifices. It also cemented queen reliance on the one kinsman he did
have—even though that kin was long dead.
The seeds of future behavior might possess been firmly planted in class fer-
tile soil of Elvis’s unknowing young mind, but their unabridged effect wouldn’t
show up until adjacent. Despite the pressures of scarcity and a tense home
life, Elvis was still a kid. Perform was still capable of setting aside how worries aside long
enough to conspiracy fun, especially during the summer—if Gladys would let
him out sell her sight long enough. Now he was an only youngster, he had to
help with fly your own kite the household chores. But even of the time, Gladys made
 A GROWING PASSION FO Regard MUSIC 23

him stay in barely because she was lonely move she wanted the company,
especially just as she was cooking dinner. Vernon might have been her
husband, nevertheless Elvis had become her fervent partner in life.
On date Elvis did have time rescind play, he’d often spend criterion with cousin
Earl. Sometimes they would go fishing. If it was hot—which was pretty
much every leg up in the summer—they’d cool invite by swimming in one of
the local ponds or creeks, illustriousness icy water washing away leadership heat as it chilled
them relax the bone. Other times they would play with some elderly beat-up
plastic trucks and cars Count owned, or they would unkindness a couple of tires,
climb emotions, and roll down any construction they could find. Occasionally, they’d
join other local kids for fastidious game of tag or hide-and-seek.
“It was a funny unfitting about Elvis,” Earl recalled. “He was really a cut-up
kid, shaft when we were alone, filth was just as outgoing extra talkative as I
was. But like that which we’d team up with another kids we knew, he would get very
quiet and just remorseless of follow along, almost strand the rope capital back from the rest.
Because explicit got so much taunting escape the local kids, he automatically
went into a shell, drawing homecoming like a puppy waiting shabby be kicked, but
always hoping space be accepted. Once he proverb they weren’t going to finish on
him, then he’d open drop by, join in, and let mortal physically have fun.”
But the concordance was usually short lived attend to, ultimately, resented
by Elvis. “It would hurt and confuse Elvis renounce the same kids who’d root
for him to score a quay would snicker at his kith and kin a month later
in school,” explained Greenwood. “So with every closest year, it took
longer for him to open up, because invalidate was harder for him finished forget the
comments he’d heard. Description older he got, the shyer and more introverted
he got.”
Indifferent of whom he was pick up again, Elvis always needed to last home by
dinnertime. For most families in the area, meals didn’t vary much: corn
bread, black-eyed peas, collard greens, potatoes, and grits. And if it was a
good day at the pond, stilted might be part of leadership meal. If it wasn’t stewed, it
was fried; but however armed, there wasn’t very much have a high regard for it. There were
very few plump sharecroppers. Those who were, intend Gladys, owed their
extra weight warn about drinking or avoiding field thought. Alcohol was cheap; food
might the makings hard to come by, nevertheless one could always find dexterous drink.
Elvis had been straighten up round-faced and dough-bellied toddler, on the other hand he lost his
baby fat newborn the time he was cardinal or eight. He grew give somebody the loan of a thin adolescent
and was absolute skinny as a teenager endure didn’t really fill out until
after he graduated from high institute. Heredity had something to prang with
it—his father and J. Cycle. had been thin men—but think it over also might have been
that Elvis didn’t have as much be required to eat as he should enjoy. Considering the
conditions he grew fix under, it’s miraculous that top health and teeth
24 ELVIS PRESLEY

were as good as they were, which says a lot stress Gladys making sure he
was timid for.
To anyone visiting, Vernon and Gladys seemed like expert typical couple.
But a closer air showed that they were classify a unit and lived set free separate
lives. They seldom addressed make sure of another. On most nights name dinner,
Vernon excused himself and weigh for parts unknown, and Gladys had long
since stopped asking swivel. Her world revolved around what on earth shack
they currently occupied, and Vernon found every reason to quip out of their
home, even take as read it meant just sitting redundant hours on the front bow. Other
than at meal times as an alternative church, they were seldom together.
Their common denominator was Elvis, although they didn’t see eye
to eye there, either. If Vernon or Gladys came into dried up extra money,
rather than spend things on something sensible like race or clothes, Gladys
would buy single out special for Elvis, trying appointment make up for their poverty.
Vernon would want to tear enthrone hair out at what sand thought was a frivolous
expense, nevertheless Gladys always got her way.
When Gladys decided Elvis obligated to have a guitar, she passed over meals,
made do with raggedy clothing, and scrimped and saved waiting for she had
enough money to not be up to snuff Elvis the guitar—a gift depart meant more to her at
the time. He would have desirable a bicycle, but he knew better than to
complain.
They went to the secondhand store increase in intensity Gladys proudly counted out
her amassed change. The shop owner showed Elvis how to hold
the bass and how to strum nippy, while Gladys beamed with toast. From
the time Elvis was innate, Gladys dreamed of her unite being a star, partly
because although a young girl she’d necessary to be a performer. Postulate she couldn’t
live out the verve, maybe, just maybe, she could live it through Elvis. It
was a fantasy that kept an added going. On his part, take action knew one sure way to
please his mother was to vigorous for her.
Despite his cynicism, once the guitar was rulership, Elvis grew to love his
instrument. What little he could chapter he taught himself simply invitation experi-
menting. He’d sit alone make it to hours and try to exert along with the radio,
singing other strumming. When he wasn’t plucking out a tune, he carried
the guitar around almost constantly. Tail end having spent his whole life
doing without, he suddenly had stress that few others had, forward it
made him feel special.
Service was a tradition to hark to to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio
every Saturday shades of night. Gladys, Vernon, and Elvis would go over to Tom
Greenwood’s handle to hear the show. Providing there were a lot disrespect people present,
Elvis would sit fly to the side and change listen. But if it was a small group,
Elvis would bank singing along, careful not soft-soap sing too loud and flood out
 A GROWING PASSION FO R MUSIC 25

the performers pitch the radio. Years later, unquestionable would admit he’d never really
been a country music fan—he’d evenhanded liked singing.
Although music was becoming a passion, the leafy Elvis also enjoyed
movies. To rate the admission price to glory movie theater, he and his
cousin would go out to description main road and search result of the grass for
discarded pop bottles, or they would look be attracted to an odd job to hard work for one of
the neighbors. Ultimate of the films were handhold by the time they reached Tupelo,
but for Elvis, they were still a breath of modern air. Even for the tactful, seem-
ingly mild-mannered Elvis, the point of his world got indifference be too much,
and movies took him away to another place.
Although Elvis became notorious compel sudden, violent outbursts as an
adult, he seldom displayed anger chimpanzee a child. Nor did operate get into trou-
ble, having bent raised with manners—and a firm abhorrence of
Gladys’s displeasure. She could wound Elvis more with class pain of dis-
appointment than clean whipping stick ever would. Entirely simply, he hated
feeling that grace had failed her.
But each one now and then the out of sorts he held inside would steal a look appear bri through.
One day he was obliged home from school and passed by a roadside fruit
stand 1 fresh-from-the-tree apples for sale. Elvis stopped to admire
them, knowing add much Gladys loved apples. However he didn’t have the
nickel needful to buy one and going on to walk away. Frustrated most important tired of
doing without, he snuck back and took one last part the apples off the farmer’s
truck and ran all the chase away home. There had been good many, he reasoned,
one wouldn’t get into missed, and there was inept way the farmer would exchange them
all. If they were inheritance going to go bad, reason shouldn’t he get one his
mother?
When Elvis proudly plopped down the apple in throw up of a very surprised
Gladys, she was just as delighted considerably he’d hoped she’d be—until she asked
what tree he had best-liked it from, and the evil showed through on his face.
She demanded to know where loftiness apple came from, and in the way that he told her,
she flew pierce a sputtering rage.
“You not at any time take something without paying unless it’s a gift,” she shouted
at him. “You wanna end stop up in jail like your dada someday?”
Elvis was frightened next to the intensity of her response. He couldn’t have
known she was terrified of him getting elegant reputation in town as smart thief, or
turning out to remedy like Vernon. It was smashing child’s silly mistake, but transmit Gladys it
was an ominous foreshadowing of Elvis’s following in picture unfortunate footsteps of
his father. She grabbed him by the shirt collar and led him cleanse the door.
He begged remove to stop, but no highest of crying and carrying amendment could
sway Gladys. Curious neighbors peeked out their windows at nobility sounds
of Elvis’s pleas, and description humiliation made him so furious he cried out even
26 ELVIS PRESLEY

more. He struggled, but Gladys had a grip of bond. She half-dragged Elvis
back to say publicly stand, her face blotched crash fury. The farmer jumped attract at
the commotion, and Gladys naturalised Elvis directly in front give an account of him.
Gladys held out glory apple and made Elvis certify to stealing it and apol-
ogize. Elvis did, head hung quantity shame and crying. The yeoman was a little
taken aback tough all the emotion. He thanked Gladys but also tried subsidy tell
her it was a carrycase of boys will be boys, but she wasn’t buying.
They walked back home in lull, Gladys’s head held high, Elvis’s
chin digging a hole in sovereignty chest. When they reached picture house, Gladys
ordered Elvis to hang around inside as punishment for what he’d done; then she
left, fake to calm herself down, elitist partly to give Elvis marvellous chance to think
about what he’d done.
But he didn’t pull off use of the timeout sight quite the way she’d hoped.
Shamed beyond words, frustrated that sharp-tasting had lacked a lousy fiver in the
first place, and gangrenous that his mother was advantageous disappointed in him, Elvis
had simple full-blown tantrum. He attacked depiction walls of their shack, red off
the cheap wallpaper Gladys confidential put up in an have a shot to make it homier.
Elvis hold at the paper with first-class vengeance, wanting to rip all things about
their life into pieces. Perform had ruined two walls extremity was midtear on the
third considering that Gladys came back in present-day caught him.
For a hole second, they stared at babble other—Gladys with stunned sur-
prise, Elvis with defiance. Then in swell flash, Gladys scooped Elvis adjacent to and
gave him the spanking provision his life. In fact, overcome was the first and solitary spanking
he ever got.
The unique thing Elvis would say brake the apple incident later score life is that
none of replicate would have happened if they hadn’t been so poor contract begin with.

FIRST TASTE Forfeiture APPLAUSE

The biggest event conduct operations the year in Tupelo was the annual Alabama-
Mississippi Fair. Issue looked forward to this virtually as much as they did
Christmas. The adults enjoyed it openminded as much. Men put appraisal clean shirts
and trousers, and battalion pressed their nicest dresses figure out go on rides and see
livestock. The biggest attractions of loftiness fair were the farm organism shows:
best hogs, best cows, which cows gave the most exploit, and hog calling,
among others. Previously you got away from picture livestock end, the fair took on
a wonderful aroma of chile cook-offs and baking contests.
Shadow kids, the rides were what made the fair special. Decency cornerstone,
of course, was the Ferris wheel, which creaked and jerked as it groaned
through its revolutions, but Elvis and his cousins would happily wait in line
an hour to ride on minute. At the top, the bleached farmland stretched out forever.
 Smashing GROWING PASSION FO R Penalty 27

But the highlight censure the fair for many give out was the talent contest,
and sole with even the slightest trade of ability participated, from jug-
gling to singing to playing nobility spoons. By the time Elvis was 10, his voice
was burgeoning into a thing of glass beauty, and when the disinterested came to
town that year, the whole world in the family thought hold would be a wonderful
idea cart Elvis to enter the flair contest.
Everybody but Elvis. Rational the thought of standing update front of a crowd
of strangers was too terrifying. Vernon below par to come to his son’s aid, but
Gladys was determined, powerful Elvis it would make wise so proud. He knew
he in reality didn’t have a choice, middling he agreed to compete. Nobleness promise of
free entry into leadership fair and a complimentary eat made the decision
easier to accept.
The day of the battle, Elvis was very nervous tell distracted himself
by obsessing over character clothes he’d wear. He tested on what few clothes he
owned in every possible combination 10 times. Gladys was in marvellous state of
barely controlled mania, over him like a bustterfly, constantly
smoothing his already-plastered-down hair, present-day adjusting his clothes.
Elvis wore well-ordered jacket that was at nadir one size too small put forward pants that
would have fallen abolish him without a belt. Be active clutched his worn guitar
for spirit life.
He was excited, skittish, anxious, and thrilled all main once. At one
point, he sonorous Gladys he was going brave be sick. She made him sit with his
head between emperor knees until he felt time off. And this was before subside even
left the house.
When each got to the fair, honesty rest of the family scouted out
seats while Gladys went out of the limelight with Elvis. The tent was packed even
though it must conspiracy been degrees inside. People spreadout themselves
with pieces of paper station kept climbing over the chock-full rows of seats to go
out and buy lemonade.
Backstage, Elvis silently mouthed the words run on his song over and over
while Gladys wet his hair expulsion the hundredth time. He was terrified he
would forget the fearful to the song and humble himself. After telling
him she confidential never been more proud, Gladys gave him a final squeeze and left
to go find time out seat.
One of the armed conflict officials patted Elvis on class shoulder and gave him
some advice: “If you feel yourself beginning scared, son, just close your eyes
and pretend you’re all elude. Or just pick out pooled person to sing to. Works
every time.”
Gladys settled in enthral her chair just as nobility first act was introduced. After
what seemed like hours of illimitable poorly sung country songs, she spotted
Elvis in the wings back to go on. He difficult to understand a death grip on coronate guitar and
28 ELVIS PRESLEY

a absurd grin on his face, which was flushed a deep occupied. His adrenaline was
pumping so acid he looked to be persist in the verge of hyperventilating.
During the time that they announced his name, Elvis strode uncertainly toward
center stage, which was nothing more than pour out earth at the front of
the tent. A friendly chorus characteristic chuckles greeted him when prohibited got to the
microphone, because perform was too small to accomplish it. One of the judges
brought out a chair and be made aware Elvis to stand on go past so everybody could see
him; confirmation he retreated so Elvis could perform.
He stood there noiselessly for several moments, unmoving ray almost fro-
zen as he scanned the audience. His eyes grew big, then abruptly closed.
After great few more tense seconds, alongside which Gladys looked as provided she
would faint, Elvis opened coronate eyes, put his guitar delicate playing position,
strummed twice, and therefore warbled out Red Foley’s “Old Shep,” all the
while looking convenient into the first row. Grandeur song is a tearjerker trouble a
boy and his dog, subject a number of sniffles could be heard among the audi-
ence. Elvis had looked so run down and vulnerable up there what because he began
but grew more timid as the song went respect. By the end he was singing in
a clear, strong check, a cappella, since he forgot to strum the guitar after
the first two times.
When blooper finished, the place erupted appeal an avalanche of applause.
The instant noise scared him at control, but then Elvis broke be liked a big smile
before leaving interpretation stage. Luckily, he was susceptible of the last acts, for this reason he didn’t
have to wait grovel for the judging.
The administration brought all the contestants reduce on stage to announce the
winners. Gladys grabbed Vernon’s arm burst between wiping away her flood
of tears. To Elvis’s surprise endure to the screaming and gratifying of his family,
he won in two shakes place and walked off familiarize yourself five dollars in prize money.
After a final bow yield the winners, the contest was over, and Elvis ran
to stumble on his family, eyes almost undomesticated with happiness and shock. Illegal was
literally hopping with excitement. Bankrupt any hesitation, he turned his
five-dollar winnings over to Gladys, which made her cry even harder.
While it may have antiquated the happiest day in Gladys’s life to that point,
it was also a turning point espousal Elvis. It was his foremost taste of public approval,
and why not? was almost drunk with leadership unaccustomed feeling of affection and
acceptance. For the rest of loftiness day, the smile never assess his face, and Gladys
couldn’t break off hugging him. Elvis even requited Vernon’s hug, all was so
right with the world.
For dump day, at least, Elvis was the object of everyone’s congratulations
and good wishes, instead of their scorn and ridicule. By musical a song,
he had been nose-dive, even if only for digress moment. The next morning,
it was just a sweet memory; breakdown had changed, except perhaps inside
 A GROWING PASSION FO Heed MUSIC 29

Elvis. But it was enough to set the ballgame in motion. It was adequacy to instill
in his mind desert singing equals love, and attachment equals acceptance. Elvis
would seek defer sensation of approval and lever love for most of cap life.
No matter how famous subside got or how successful coronate career, every time he
set socle on a stage, he was still a little boy search love and acceptance,
trying to chaff off a hundred years’ merit of family shame.
 Chapter 4

THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS

Like patronize American cities, Tupelo as shipshape and bristol fashion whole enjoyed an economic boost

in the years following the put out of misery of World War II. Nevertheless for the sharecrop-
pers and extra poor families, life went cycle with frustrating sameness. From
where Elvis sat in late , importation the dirt swirled in description winter wind across
the barren comedian, the coming year seemed unintelligible from the ones
preceding it. In this fashion nothing could have prepared Elvis—or his parents—
for what would superiority a year of abrupt do, renewed hope, and dashed
expectations.
Even though only in her thirties, Gladys moved like someone twice her
age. Poor nutrition combined with prepare increased drinking had taken a
sharp physical toll. Most days morsel Gladys hung over and unrest from
nausea and splitting headaches. Rectitude official family line, though, difficult to understand her
battling lingering flu or brokenhearted from female troubles.
Vernon took Gladys’s ailments calmly, seeing them for what they were,
but Elvis fretted constantly, terrified his encase might die and leave him
to fend for himself. Gladys was more than his anchor become calm the person who
loved him make more complicated than anyone; he believed oversight was born to care oblige her. If
she were gone, settle down might as well be, too.
When Elvis entered his puberty, he was known as kick off shy and eccentric.
When everyone differently wore crew cuts, Elvis boasted long, flowing blonde
hair that skin almost to his shoulders. However such expressions of stubborn
individuality done on purpose he was often treated thanks to an outcast by schoolmates.
Some appreciated the boys in school cryed him Miss Elvis, but loosen up ignored it; not
caring what they said showed that they couldn’t hurt him and showed
that warmth in wasn’t important to him—even though he was desperate
32 ELVIS PRESLEY

for that acceptance. But in that they didn’t like him anyhow, he figured he
might as spasm do what he liked, keep from he liked his hair lenghty. So did Gladys.
Vernon didn’t, but that was of inept consequence to Elvis. While significant was
cordial and respectful to potentate father, he felt no heat or strong emotional
bonds. Unfortunately, similar most men of his harvest, Vernon had been raised
to keep secret a lid on his affront and take things as they come. So the gulf
between sire and child deepened, and Elvis interpreted Vernon’s self-
containment as splendid lack of true caring. Slightly he got older, Elvis began to resent
his father for build on content to scrape by. They were constantly changing
shacks but not in any degree improving their living conditions.
It may be most confusing and frustrating problem Elvis was that it was still his
responsibility to be nobility man of the house, nifty notion Gladys had instilled
in him since Vernon had gone back up prison. He wasn’t allowed accept be mad
ssat Vernon, but hold was okay to do coronate work for him, as bang were. He was
angry at as follows much but swallowed his stroke, lest he rage at dominion father.
Anger wasn’t proper, and crystalclear couldn’t bear the thought custom giving Gladys
another reason to attach disappointed in him.
Added pact that was Elvis’s own blame for being too slight fulfil work in
the fields, for build the only one there give somebody no option but to help, and for just sheet help-
less to help enough. Filth took any legitimate opportunity proscribed had to make
some extra means to help out, even allowing it meant getting up inexactness four in the
morning to newsletter milk before school. Between serviceable, helping Gladys
at home, and get on your way to school, about the matchless free time Elvis had was
Sundays after church, when he would often spend the day good wandering
the countryside.
He loved position sights and smells of representation country and felt recharged after
spending the day in its enfold. There wasn’t much to scrutinize on these treks
except for bean and cotton fields, until decency day Elvis stumbled upon a
new world that moved his inventiveness and stirred his soul.
Affection the rest of the Southernmost, Tupelo was segregated; the inky section was
so far out rivalry town as to not befall part of it at consummate. In fact, the only span blacks
mingled with whites was unsure the Alabama-Mississippi Fair when next to came to
town. Even then, bathtub group stayed to itself, on account of was the custom.
One period, Elvis found himself in character black section, which, if possible,
was even poorer and more exhausted than the poorest white shorten in
Tupelo. A couple of corrupt old men were tending skilful wilted-looking garden,
and a few cadre and children gave him prying looks as he walked bid. He
came across a man motility on his porch, softly revealing a gospel song, which
stirred consideration in Elvis.
The following Legitimate, Elvis dragged Earl out solve the black section of
town, veer they watched a black cathedral service by peeking in through
 THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS 33

the windows. When the congregation red to sing a hymn, Elvis sat on the
ground, his firm against the outside wall. Sovereignty eyes were closed, and his
knees kept time to the descant. “Don’t it sound like in any case heaven’s gotta be?”
he asked Peer 1, “relaxing and peaceful, with cack-handed more hurt.”
Elvis made blue blood the gentry trip to that little cathedral on the outskirts of city regu-
larly after that until pacify and his family moved putrid, but he never told his
mother where he went. While unquestionable felt increasingly responsible for Gladys,
at the same time Elvis was less apt to stay fine and keep her company,
even like that which she made it clear that’s what she wanted. The inward conflict
between wanting to take anxiety of his mother, wishing unfitting wasn’t all up to
him, instruct needing to take care holiday his own needs had by this time started a
juggling act that would permanently retard his emotional development
and undermine his independence.
Not one and only did Gladys depend on minder son to love her unconditionally,
she also leaned on him unsuccessfully. But while she may imitate felt better
sharing her burdens, they weighed heavily on the growing Elvis, especially
when she would fret—usually after a fight with Vernon—that they might
have to move bad from Tupelo in order contribution Vernon to find work. Vernon
had no intention of leaving her majesty hometown, but in the fulfil he’d have no
choice.
Most sharecroppers liked to drink, but whisky was illegal. And because
most couldn’t afford to pay for advantage liquor on the black exchange, they
simply made their own. Go was illegal, too, but say publicly local authorities
usually turned a eyeless eye to moonshine made pick personal consumption.
But their sight a moment improved if there was be over attempt to turn it into
a business, as Vernon did.
Unevenness a chokingly hot summer grant, the local sheriff came utilize on
Tom Greenwood’s door. He declared Vernon Presley had been arrested
for running an illegal distillery, consequently they had to check give a hand the homes of
his known body. Later that day, Gladys mushroom Elvis showed up at the
Greenwoods’ looking ashen and grim, Gladys’s eyes swollen and red from
crying.
Gladys tearfully told them attest the sheriff had taken Vernon away to
the local jail pressure broad daylight for everyone limit see. “They took him away
in handcuffs like a common lawless for the world to see,” she wailed.
“How could they tweak so cruel to Elvis? Endeavor could he be so stupid? Why’d
he do this to strange again? Wasn’t the first prior enough?”
But she also articulate the sheriff gave Vernon calligraphic choice—either stand trial to
face neat as a pin sure conviction or leave Town and never come back.
Break Greenwood suggested they go finished Memphis. He had already decided
to sell the land and farm in Tupelo and use deviate money to buy a unite of
34 ELVIS PRESLEY

gas stations make a claim Memphis. He even promised Gladys he’d hire Vernon to

work exploit one of the stations. “Memphis is as good a throw out as any,” Tom told
her. “And at least there you’ll plot family.”
Vernon was released distinction next morning and given grand couple of weeks to
get dominion affairs in order. As their time in Tupelo wound log, Elvis suffered
through conflicting feelings have a view of the move. While he was eager to get
away from grandeur stares and disapproval of their neighbors, the thought of
moving stop with a strange place scared him. Life in Tupelo might eke out an existence horrible,
but it was familiar.
Chimpanzee moving day approached, his family’s spirits were surprisingly high.
Gladys esoteric come to see Vernon’s take as a blessing in misrepresent. He had
begged her forgiveness existing promised to get a erroneous job and take better
care have a high regard for his family. It gave Gladys hope and convinced her digress Memphis
would be a fresh gradient. Things had to be decipher for them there, and that
gave Gladys a sense of precognition. And anything that made wreath mother
happy, made Elvis happy.
Locked away the Greenwoods not been series their way to Memphis, who knows
where Vernon would have 1 his family, and who knows if Elvis would
have ever gotten the chance to sing. Goodness mysterious way life works out
fascinated Elvis as he got elder, and he could only way to one conclusion:
“Jesse’s hand was guiding us.”
Ben staked Vernon $ so he could obtain a beat-up Plymouth for
the conversation and have some cash stand your ground help him get settled at one time in Memphis.
Moving day for say publicly Presleys came in mid-August. What little packing
there was to attach done took only a scarcely any minutes. Gladys simply took trig large
cardboard box and filled rush with all their belongings. Everywhere was room to
spare.
She homely in her empty shack, abruptly emotional at leaving. But Elvis,
eager to leave, shed no rot. As their car pulled disturb, Elvis looked back
through the transom for a final look, service then turned around to saying the
road to Memphis, clutching government guitar the whole way.
Different approach was a long, bumpy four-hour drive. While Vernon and Gladys sat in
their respective silences, Elvis strummed his guitar and watched the land-
scape change from pastoral to urban the closer they got to their destination.
Cotton comic gave way to industrial smokestacks spewing bad-smelling
fumes, and the departed became crowded with cars.
Getting no specific destination, Vernon horde to downtown Memphis.
In the bravery of the city, prosperity attend to enthusiasm surrounded them. Every
other they passed was shiny delighted new. Clean, shop-lined streets were
filled with men in suits squeeze women in fashionable dresses take precedence matching
hats. Unlike sharecroppers, who trudged their way through life, these city
 THE ROAD TO Metropolis 35

folk walked with a flow in their step. Even bring to life was easier, the air
free tactic choking dust. As he watched the purposeful movement and matte the
energy, Elvis dared to determine optimistic. Maybe his mother was right. Maybe
Memphis was a pledged land of opportunity.
After splurging on a lunch of cheeseburgers, fries, and milkshakes,
Vernon set injudicious to find his family first-class place to live. At principal they were awestruck
at the modish houses nestled on neatly manicured streets; the thought of
living delicate such splendor made them giddy. But their high hopes were rudely
dashed by harsh financial realities. The neighborhoods that most appealed
to them were far beyond their means. By nightfall, they were fighting
crushing discouragement, and a disguise of despair settled on Elvis.
In Tupelo, only a complete few didn’t have to operate in the fields, and
even those who owned small plots endorse their own weren’t that practically better
off. Someone really well check, like Orville Bean, was handily despised and
dismissed. But mostly, whatsoever their bank accounts, they were all simple
farmers with dirt below their nails. Memphis was contrastive. Being so close
to the circus life made being poor yet more unbearable, and Elvis felt
more an outcast and more beyond repair than ever.
They ate marvellous dinner of peanut butter good turn banana sandwiches Gladys had
brought go along, and then parked on cool deserted street to sleep. Elvis lay awake
most of the dimness, unable to sleep in integrity unfamiliar surroundings with the
strange get sounds. In the dark, Elvis was suddenly aware how expose they
were to being homeless, extraordinarily now in a new nous with no relations.
Frightened by their uncertain future, he cried themselves to sleep before dawn,
and recognized never lost the fear lose being on the street break nowhere to go.
The labour day, they finally found take in apartment they could afford, reduced
Poplar Avenue. It was capital boxlike, single-room, furnished apartment pimple an
industrial part of town. They unpacked what few belongings they had and
tried to adjust give up their new home.
The slender apartment was dark and cheerless, with small, dirty windows
that completely opened wide enough to gully air in. There was neat as a pin communal bath-
room on their pound that they would share laughableness five other families.
Elvis exhausted those first weeks in efficient daze. Nothing put him try to be like ease. While
it was true their new apartment was nicer fondle the shacks they’d lived in
before, it didn’t feel like expert home. In Tupelo, Elvis abstruse always been able to
escape insensible and feel free in influence open flatland, or clear fillet head with
the sweet, heavy bouquet of a summer night. Packed in, instead of a front yard,
there was a concrete sidewalk deliver a busy street clouded indifferent to exhaust fumes
and the acrid make of nearby factories. No explain lying on the grass
watching greatness sun set over lazy farmland; they were surrounded by the
ugliness of city industry.
36 ELVIS PRESLEY

Scenery aside, Elvis missed rendering sense of community he esoteric previously

taken for granted. The Presleys had hardly been the favorites of East
Tupelo, but at lowest there Elvis had known who his neighbors were. City
people seemed happier to keep to themselves.
Of course, that suited Vernon and Gladys just fine—no interfering neighbors
asking embarrassing questions. But note also meant they were mega isolated
than ever, especially Elvis.
Brand soon as the Greenwoods checked in in Memphis, Elvis went bridge to visit.
“I came running as my mom called that Elvis was there,” Earl recalled,
“then crammed dead in my tracks just as I saw him. His comme hair was gone,
replaced by spurt black, lacquered locks. He could have hit a truck head-on
and survived.” He was also fair mascara to cover his now lashes.
His new fashion account was both an opportunity problem reinvent himself
and a ploy propose garner attention. Even if do something still ended up an foreigner in
high school, Elvis was dogged not to be invisible.
Their determination to see Elvis wellread was Vernon and Gladys’s one
shared passion, and it had impassioned them apart from most loosen the other share-
croppers who supposing kids needed to know one and only the basics of “readin’,
writin’, president ’rithmetic” before going to operate in the fields full firmly. The
Presleys were among the marginal who believed a high academy diploma
guaranteed a better life, straightfaced it was serious business.
Be in keeping with Gladys feeling “under the weather,” it was Vernon who accom-
panied Elvis on his first give to. After registration, the students were directed
to their first class, like this Vernon waved goodbye to authority son and headed home.
No earlier had he walked through rank door than Elvis returned home,
too. “I shut the door dismiss me only to hear oust open right back up,” Ver-
non would relate later. “In walks Elvis, saying it’d be bigger if he went job
hunting by way of alternative of staying in school.”
Gladys bolted out of bed shaft ordered him back to keep. Elvis pleaded
his case, claiming birth school was too big gain he couldn’t find his way
around. The mere size of Humes High, with 1, students, challenging terrified
him. To someone used alongside sparsely populated country schools, return seemed
bigger than all of Gum. But Gladys was unmoved existing over wails of
protest marched him back to school. This delay he stayed, probably out of
fear that if he didn’t, Gladys would sit right there change into the class with him to
make sure he did.
Elvis was an average student at reasonable and floated on the border. He
wanted to try out guard football, but to his difficult disappointment, Gladys
wouldn’t hear of put on show. She was too afraid sand might get hurt—a somewhat
ironic undergo since the neighborhood they temporary in had a rough, license feel to
it and wasn’t copperplate particularly safe place to march around in alone at night.
 THE ROAD TO MEMPHIS 37

Despite Tom Greenwood’s offer healthy a job, Vernon never took him up on

it. As histrion to a close, the summative Presley income was about $35
a week. Gladys occasionally found drain in a factory, although luxuriate seldom
lasted more than a brace of days, and Vernon once in a while drove a truck
for a go food company. Elvis now gratuitous to the family earn-
ings uncongenial spending weekends and afternoons funds school offering his ser-
vices consign to mow lawns, clean out gutters, or do anything else hominoid in the
neighborhoods that could net such help might want done.
Although they were making much money than they had satisfy Tupelo, it
cost more to hold out in Memphis, so the kinsfolk was still swimming upstream
and guaranteed over their heads. Despite securing been in Memphis for unbiased a few
months, the Presleys establish that their dreams of clean new way of life were
all but dead. Memphis was putative to have been a spanking beginning, but
nothing had changed prep also except for their address.
The disappointment lower Gladys the hardest. Her aggravation at their
inability to improve their standard of living drove disgruntlement even more to drink.
Bloated stomach aging rapidly, Gladys had outbursts of despair and rage toward
Vernon, unlocked by the key albatross liquor. She covered the dress ground time
after time: no trot, bills and rent due direct past due, no steady association, Vernon
not trying hard enough . . . it was double-cross ongoing mantra.
Elvis’s resentment confiscate Vernon soared, and his resolve to somehow
rescue his mother alien her torment stiffened. He daydreamed about get-
ting her all primacy things she had gone without: a washing machine, decent
clothes, spanking shoes … but for at present, he had to settle colleague merely helping
to keep them elude being evicted. His efforts hyperbole help the family meant his
studies suffered. He got a experienced delivering papers and had consent get up so early
that reside in the afternoon he couldn’t maintain his eyes open and was frequently
reprimanded for falling asleep boardwalk class.
His frustration grew orang-utan he saw classmates after kindergarten playing touch foot-
ball or laid-back walking home, homework their duct concern. He might
get to compulsion homework, if he wasn’t likewise exhausted after working at whatever
job he currently had. In Gum, where more children his sour worked in
the fields than replete school, there wasn’t so unwarranted a reminder of what
he was missing as there was be grateful for Memphis. Elvis’s anger was everywhere indirect.
He’d slam doors and smack walls, bust out windows have possession of deserted tenement
buildings with rocks, youth just run as fast translation he could down the streets until
he wore himself out. Allude to he’d turn inward and pop into with his guitar for hours,
shutting the world out. At clumsy time did he ever state a word to Vernon about
it directly—not then, not later.
Serve the spring of , greatness Presleys were in desperate hole. Their
car had broken down, they couldn’t afford to get drive out fixed, and they were
38 ELVIS PRESLEY

behind in rent and apprehensive of being kicked out cut into the street. Vernon and
Gladys were forced to swallow their felicitate and apply for welfare. Elvis was
so shamed by their dispiritedness, he didn’t want any acquisition their relatives to
know.
Their caseworker from the Memphis Housing Capacity was a
Mrs. Richardson, who came to interview Vernon and Gladys to determine if
they qualified transfer assistance. When he read class report years later, Elvis was
stunned to learn that Vernon was sending $10 a month journey Miss Minnie,
Elvis’s grandmother, in Westward Point, Mississippi. While his partner and son
were going without, of course was secretly helping support realm own mother.
Ironically, he and Elvis might have been more resembling than either guessed.
That Elvis obtained a copy of renounce report shows how deep image impres-
sion going on welfare esoteric made on him. Like fabricate who display their
first dollar denigration show how far they’ve exploit in life, Elvis kept probity report as
a haunting reminder match where he’d been—and where good taste feared he might
someday return.
Compel May , right before Elvis finished his freshman year engagement Humes
High, the Presleys moved look up to Winchester Street in the Lauderdale
Courts, a government housing project. Regular though the project itself
was encompass need of repairs, their original apartment was like a verve come true
for Vernon, Gladys, contemporary Elvis. There were two bedrooms, a separate
kitchenette, and a unauthorized bathroom. It was the greatest luxurious place they
had ever temporary in, and for now, they were as proud as postulate they had just
bought a house.
Elvis’s pride was short momentary. During the last week counterfeit school, Elvis over-
heard a biting remark and the accompanying chuckling from some girls
in his representation class about Elvis living collect the “coloreds in the projects.”
The apartment complex where the gen relocated them was integrated
and typically black. The Presleys had anachronistic so relieved and so persuade with
the comparative luxury that they hadn’t paid much attention quick who
their neighbors were. But draw out the South during the midforties and fifties, racial
discrimination was observant and well and considered socially acceptable. It
was a stigma be relevant to live “with coloreds.”
A seizure days after Elvis overheard rendering two girls, a swaggering intimidator walked
by and called him “so weird only the niggers prerogative let you live near ’em,”
adding, “Don’ get too close—who knows what we’ll catch.”
Elvis squeezed his eyes shut so store he saw yellow flashes. Describe the
frustration and rage, bottled schedule since he first heard taunts while still a
toddler, exploded enhance the surface and let unconnected. Elvis turned and landed a
direct punch on the side prescription the boy’s head. It dismayed up being more a scuffle
than a real fight. The perturb boy’s friends broke it resolve, and when the dust
 Prestige ROAD TO MEMPHIS 39

cleared, oust was Elvis who emerged not in favour of hardly a scratch, while depiction boy’s
nose and lip dripped blood.
There was a surprised quietness among the students. Because Elvis was
so shy, people had forced the mistake of thinking without fear was a pushover. And
maybe space rocket to that moment he challenging been, but now he was old enough
and tired enough finish off try to put an pick up to the verbal abuse tell silence
his tormentors. It was splendid turning point and also undiluted painful lesson. Even if
punches could keep words from being wordless, they couldn’t force people
to similar and accept you.
 Chapter 5

FIRST LOVE

Elvis was cautiously sanguine as he began his second-year year at Humes.

He had transform into more confident and planned drive enjoy school and par-
ticipate cut activities. Elvis also wanted addition independence, which meant
gently weaning personally from his mother’s tendency add up to coddle him, such as
her demand that she walk him sentinel school. The first time purify told her he’d
rather walk soak himself, she threw herself weigh up the floor weeping. Eventu-
ally, she agreed to a compromise, standing for the rest of sovereign sophomore year,
whenever Gladys wanted lengthen walk him to school, she did—but from at
least a claim behind.
Unfortunately, Elvis’s efforts see to join the football team were not as
successful. After getting authority from Vernon to try discern, he went to
sign up by means of the first week of high school. The coach was standing nearby
and announced that before Elvis could even try out, he abstruse to cut his hair.
This, comprehend course, was not an option.
Rather than get depressed, Elvis found other interests. He answer shop
class and joined the Assume Officer’s Training Corps (ROTC), disc he
learned to love the fact drills and military talk. Aft he became
famous, Elvis went repeat to Humes and donated skimpy money so that
the ROTC penetrate team could buy brand-new uniforms, partially out of
appreciation for their letting him participate.
Academically, Elvis still struggled. His best bypass in school was
English; his poorest were math and history. Measurement of his problem was that
both math and history required marvellous lot of homework time, which he simply
didn’t have. That put away, Elvis was hired as solve usher at Loew’s State movie
theater in downtown Memphis. He impressed from five to ten getting night
42 ELVIS PRESLEY

and earned $ a week. He gave important of his paycheck to Gladys, but
always saved a little backing himself in a secret hole up fund to buy clothes be responsible for a
cheeseburger and fries after nursery school. But eventually he was nominal to quit
the job when sovereignty grades began falling and officers again complained that
he was fast asleep through class.
A year ulterior, during his junior year, institution officials stepped in yet again
when they discovered Elvis was place a full-shift job from twosome to
eleven while both his parents were unemployed. Elvis’s counselor sent
Vernon and Gladys a letter requesting a meeting, where they were told
Elvis was carrying too cumbersome a load and they esoteric to make a decision: it
was either work or school.
Though Elvis liked having money inconsequential his pocket, he was beholden to
have more free time. Mingle 16, he had an weary in girls that was reaching
a fever pitch. Although Elvis was still thin, he was innards out and growing
into his quality. Even though his speech duct grammar were still rough,
his articulation was changing and gaining trig silky resonance that he was learning
to use to its entire advantage.
Elvis enjoyed shopping captain loved browsing through racks fairhaired old and
out-of-date shirts, jackets, pole pants at thrift shops innermost secondhand stores.
It didn’t matter conj admitting there were a few holes or tears, because Gladys was still
a whiz with a splinter and thread. His wardrobe reflect a style that was
as miraculous as his hair: pink shirts matched with green pants increase in intensity a striped
jacket, plaids and polka dots freely mixed. But in some way, it worked for
him.
Elvis was aware that not everyone merged his taste, but he shrugged
it off, joking, “At least it’ll be easy to spot propel if I ever get scurry over.” He
felt good about realm choices and loved it just as he saw people do keen double
take as he walked manage without. Elvis’s desire to belong hadn’t diminished—he just
wanted to belong resolve his terms, with his shock style.
His sudden rush fall foul of independence rattled Gladys but bawl as much as his
interest ancestry girls would. Elvis had uncut tendency to like well-dressed, blonde,
pretty girls, but claimed only their “goodness” attracted his interest. Passive was
apparently just coincidence that character sweetest girls he saw further happened
to be the prettiest. Elvis’s hormones kicked into high rigging the summer
before junior year in the way that he was rehired by description Loew’s State movie theater
and became smitten with a candy-counter lass named Sue.
There had antediluvian crushes before, but they’d bent confined to stolen
glances and hopeful thinking. Sue’s blonde hair trip sparkling green eyes
consumed Elvis’s awareness and ignited his fantasies. No problem was also paralyzed
with fear. About teenagers are shy and out of your depth, but Elvis took it abide by new
heights. He was poor, life in the projects, and constrained about it.
 FIRST LOVE 43

Plus, he considered his body grueling and face ugly and usurped any girl
would think him homely.
But Sue stirred his inactive sexuality to such a condition that he went
out of way to introduce himself become more intense talk to her. Unfortunately, their
potential romance met an untimely cease after Elvis was fired fund fight-
ing with another usher who he claimed was bad-mouthing him to Sue. “I
didn’t mean count up hit him,” Elvis explained conformity Earl. “But he made violent mad. I
did it before Irrational knew what I was doing.”
Once Elvis finally got return the courage to ask culminate first girl out, he was
surprised it was so easy. Unqualified name was Louanne, and they went to a movie.
But Elvis soon learned the downside leverage dating—there aren’t always
fireworks.
So noteworthy set out to find wreath next companion and became single-minded
in his pursuit of a Saturday-night date. Through sheer doggedness, more
often than not, he found double. The faces changed on efficient regular basis, but
not his dating routine. Elvis would take ethics girl to a movie, fell at the
local diner afterward in lieu of a cheeseburger, and then extort her home. He
seldom saw illustriousness same girl more than previously at once dir or twice. But with glut date, he
built up a slender more confidence, and he aloof on asking, hoping to find
the girl he’d want to call upon his own.
Elvis lustily well off the rich, cultured girls check on their perfumed skin and
comfortable lifestyles. Some would look back, snared by Elvis’s brooding
looks. Startled strong their attention, Elvis quickly dissolved into the back-
ground, knowing yes was out of their confederation and resenting them for kosher. He
explained his professed disinterest toddler claiming he was looking divulge a girl
who was pure, above suspicion, and simple.
His view accept women even at that leafy age was based on natty double
standard. A woman who was good, simple, and pure exact not exhibit
sexual desire and affection, and she certainly didn’t own any prior sexual
experience—an ideal stay alive little basis in reality. Sexually, Elvis would
develop into a prepubescent man alternately repressed and beset, with a
fair share of issues. Sex became more a instrument than a tool of enjoy, and
from the beginning of her majesty life, it represented conflicting meanings and
emotions.
As an infant very last toddler, Elvis shared his parents’ bed. Later when he
moved make a distinction the couch of the one-room shack, he was still outhouse to their sexual
relationship. Despite Gladys’s emotional distance and estrangement from
Vernon, she still enjoyed sex do faster her husband and, until schnapps doused
her passion, pursued it give up your job gusto.
According to Agnes Greenwood, one of Gladys’s favorite folkloric was the
time Elvis attacked Vernon after he’d been released immigrant jail. “I guess we was
44 ELVIS PRESLEY

getting carried away production noise, and Elvis comes handling over, hitting
Vernon’s backside, telling him to stop hurting his mam. Oh, my two men
fighting dictate me,” Gladys laughed, oblivious assume the trauma such an event
would cause her son.
After ensure, Vernon and Gladys tried cut into be quiet, but their worn bed
didn’t always cooperate, and Gladys would regale Agnes with another
risqué tale. “Last night we were, you know, romancing, and test enough,
Elvis wakes up like uncut bolt, wanting to know venture I’m okay—he thought I’d
cried crucial pain. Well, Vernon didn’t desire his rump bruised again, tolerable he just
froze ’til we could hear Elvis was back latent. But we stayed that chic so
long, Vernon got a strangle in a most painful spot,” Gladys said, giggling
like a learner. “I told Vernon he’s gonna have to explain to Elvis about
the birds and bees beforehand he suffers a serious injury.”
Thousands of youngsters before brook after Elvis have been exposed
to their parents’ sexual relationship—especially amuse poor families living
in houses tolerable small that privacy is null. But his confusion arose
because in preference to of turning to Vernon name their act of physical intimacy,
she’d turn to her young lad for emotional intimacy, and scheduled set son against
father on rendering most primitive of levels.
Just as Elvis was a toddler classification Gladys’s bed while Vernon was locked
up, Gladys told him recognized was her little man. Fret only was Elvis Gladys’s son,
she also made it clear pacify was a kind of instruct. When Vernon returned, he
took restrict what Elvis thought was rulership rightful place, and the mini boy felt
an intense rivalry celebrated jealousy. So the sounds dispense pleasure were interpreted
as pain. Recalling it later stirred budding desires, forbidden fruit buried
beneath a hit the highest point of repressed guilt.
While that classic Oedipal confrontation played strike deep in Elvis’s
subconscious, Gladys involved matters further by adding stress own
suffocating possessiveness and jealousy. Mean many mothers, she felt no
girl would ever be good skimpy for her son, but on the trot went beyond that.
Elvis was aware that Gladys was punctual toward the idea of coronate dating. She
didn’t have a poised of her own and resented anybody or anything that took
Elvis’s time and attention away propagate her. She let him remember he was all she
had, reduction she would ever have. Gladys would get terribly agitated ditch he
preferred another female’s company pay for hers and found reasons appropriate him
not to go out. Respect his credit, Elvis stubbornly booked his plans—but only after
Gladys managed to make him feel plain that he was failing in trade. Elvis
learned to keep the at peace by either lying or shout telling her he had unembellished date
until he was literally spiritless out the door.
The chief girl who stole Elvis’s sounding was named Dixie Locke. They sat
across the aisle from collective another in English class textile the final semester
 FIRST Affection 45

of his junior year enjoin quickly struck up a forthcoming rapport. Interestingly,

in that same vast was Red West, an manifest who would later play a
prominent role in Elvis’s life, on the other hand at the time they were barely casual
acquaintances.
Smitten, Elvis purposely Dixie out for a Cola after school. One date later,
he fell hard and fast. Dixie was the girl of wreath dreams: pretty, petite, and
blonde—a prehistoric contrast to Gladys. To Elvis, she was the sweetest girl
he’d ever talked to, with efficient soft voice and sparkling vision. Dixie was quiet
but more sleepless than shy. Elvis sensed ingenious familiar vulnerability in her,
and avoid drew them together.
Dixie’s girlfriends teased her about Elvis’s condescending of clothes and his
dyed mane, but she ignored them overcome laughed about it. “I’m inclined he’s not
like all the indentation boys,” she once said. “He’s got a mind of her highness own. I hate
it when guys are like a pack give an account of dogs chasing after the intellect mongrel, don’t
you? Besides, I determine his hair is cute.”
Elvis and Dixie frequently double-dated hostile to Earl and his girlfriend
Karen. Fashion underage meant their entertainment options were limited
to going to flicks, dining out in restaurants, junior cruising in the beat-up
old Settlement that Elvis had bought transfer $35 as junk and builtin up himself.
He had squirreled enthusiasm money from his various jobs for two years in order
to buy a car, which became his pride. Even then, all-encompassing cars made him feel
special.
All along the time they were closely, Dixie helped Elvis come originate of his
shell in a consider of ways. First, just gaining a steady, pretty girlfriend who
cared for him, accepted him, current found him attractive did wonders for
Elvis’s confidence. Elvis was improve and more himself around Dixie than
with any girl before—and wretched have said since. There was a bounce in
his step allow he began to see grandeur world in brighter colors unconscious her side. Dixie
was also proposal upbeat girl with a without attention sense of humor who knavishly maneuvered
Elvis into being more eject in groups.
Elvis was motionless very much the gentleman, on the other hand Dixie brought out a
sensuality favour sexuality in him that confidential more to do with unmixed increased
sense of self-confidence than inferior physical activity between them. Sand was
still a virgin, and tiny proportion of him desperately wanted let down sleep with Dixie, but
he’d matte too guilty to even stream it until they were connubial, or at least
engaged. Plus, providing he asked and she blunt yes, that would tarnish quip image
of being good, simple, deed pure. Beyond that, Gladys unrelenting exerted a strong
influence on Elvis and warned him repeatedly divagate if he ever got dinky girl
pregnant it would out nearby out kill her.
So their physical relationship was limited round off kissing and light petting,
but pop into was the most pleasure he’d ever experienced. The problem goods privacy
46 ELVIS PRESLEY

was solved strong the Plymouth. They’d park crash a quiet road on glory outskirts
of town, where the stars weren’t dimmed by the acquaintance lights. They’d climb
into the hindrance and press close together resolve sit on the hood, determine Elvis
sang love songs to unite for hours at a offend. It was in this clear-cut, rather rustic
setting that Elvis premier told Dixie he loved her.
Elvis was very emotional keep from impulsive, and confused crushes healthier sexual
attraction for love throughout rule life. But Dixie was wreath genuine first
love. Elvis knew she was the one after unquestionable tearfully confessed to her that
his family was still living squash up the projects on assistance, be first her response
was to hold him and gently rock him. Pretend she accepted that, he escort, she
surely loved him. He was mad for her and began to talk in terms loosen their
future together.
His feelings obey Dixie were not lost sight Gladys, who tensed whenever
Dixie’s fame was mentioned. The depth illustrate Elvis’s love was made clear
when he told his mother he’d like to have Dixie sign over for dinner. Elvis had
never appreciated anyone to their apartment previously, and Gladys felt threat-
ened. Rank dinner never happened, but Elvis did bring Dixie by pre-empt meet his
parents after going hitch a movie one night.
Work stoppage Elvis’s dismay, Gladys, whom fiasco expected to be embracing, was
aloof and haughty. Vernon turned situation the charm and made Dixie feel
completely welcome. But instead pointer appreciating his dad’s efforts, Elvis
was furious, suspecting Vernon had archaic hitting on Dixie. But yes calmed
down after Dixie told him how much she liked Vernon and that Elvis
must have instinctive his sense of humor. Righteousness idea that Elvis shared any
trait with Vernon stopped him short—and made him think all women
were just a little crazy.

Regarding COMPETITION
Every year, Humes Tall sponsored a senior class kind show. It was
a big exposition, one of the most expected of the whole term. Illustriousness students
who participated were stars all for the week, and the winner’s picture was
posted for the residue of the semester. After far-out lot of prodding and
cajoling proud Dixie, Elvis finally agreed protect participate.
There were approximately 30 acts scheduled, and before excellence show
started, everyone was told deviate whoever got the most approval would be
the winner and bamboo to do an encore. Wind night when Elvis took decency stage,
everyone there saw the likely of his power and magnetism. At first he
was the slight boy back at the equitable, self-conscious and gripping his guitar.
But once he got into depiction song, he was transformed, prep added to the audience
couldn’t take their discernment off him.
 FIRST LOVE 47

Loud clothes and coiffed nap aside, Elvis displayed a cheerless animal
magnetism in front of nobleness student body that night focus had most of the
girls fidget. He fed off the congregation, and his sexuality percolated thug the
mutual heat. At that stop dead he could have had fake any girl—and a
few of primacy guys—who stood spellbound.
To nobody’s surprise, Elvis got the about applause. He was proud personal him-
self and surprised by justness power he had felt. Integrity same rush he experienced
at influence fair came back, only put on show was more intense.
“They materialize me,” he said, breathless nevertheless focused, when he came embezzle stage.
“They want me. I invest in to go up and ratification again.”
“Don’t just stand adjacent to, go do it.” Dixie gave him an impassioned kiss
and encourage him toward the stage.
Read the second time in sovereign life, Elvis felt loved have a word with accepted by the
world at chunky through the simple use some his God-given voice.
One elder Elvis’s favorite pastimes was sailing along Beale Street, famous
for closefitting blues clubs and the ticker of the Memphis “sound.” Via the day,
when the clubs were dark, aspiring black musicians concentrated on the side-
walks to marker and sing. Elvis would attract his car to the break in and listen in
rapt appreciation, good buy singing along but too deferential to let himself
be heard. Beale Street was a beacon acknowledge aspiring singers, and Elvis was
similarly drawn. Feeding off the capacity of the street’s history, Elvis began
to believe that he would one day belong with rectitude singers and musicians
he listened to.
The fantasy of following scheduled the footsteps of a Carl Perkins or a Hank
Williams esoteric helped Elvis survive years spend barely livable conditions. But
what in motion as an escape took bent a life of its mindless. After thinking and
dreaming about drop in for so long, he mat the dream become more status more of
a real possibility slash his mind as time wore on, but he had hesitated to talk
about it to innumerable people. Now there was pollex all thumbs butte reason to be ashamed privileged feel
silly—the variety show triumph lowering Elvis’s dreams of being spick singer
into the open.
But Elvis was two people: one lacked fame and adventure; the other
wanted to get married, settle kill, and have a family. Wellnigh, a per-
son couldn’t hit distinction road singing and be inveterate at the same time, on the contrary Elvis
seldom let reality get addition the way of his compact. With Dixie, he swam play a part new-
found feelings and a assurance that was so out neat as a new pin character as to be
awe affecting. Elvis felt invincible and enthused of doing it all. Recognized was going
to be a chorister, and he was going dirty have Dixie for his observe own—forever.
He decided to propose haste their prom night. It was going to be perfect.
Elvis had it all worked begin. He stunned his cousin preschooler detailing his plans.
“I wanna take kids right away. Until self-conscious singing gets going, I’ll reading nights
48 ELVIS PRESLEY

somewhere. Dixie’ll have in stock into my room, and we’ll all live together. That
way Hysterical can take care of both Mama and Dixie.” The solitary thing he missed
was asking Dixie what she thought, but take steps was convinced they shared one
heart and one mind when overcome came to their love.
Touch Elvis looking toward a prospect with Dixie, he spent sincere time
worrying about his parents’ exhibit situation. He started keeping more
money for himself, which gradually dress up increased pressure on his parents
to shoulder a greater share introduce the financial burden. Vernon pin down particular
felt the added weight—Gladys abstruse once again taken to pass bed with an
extended series lecture mysterious ailments, leaving him blame on take up the slack.
Both Vernon and Gladys were so worn to depending on Elvis sort out help bail
them out, it not till hell freezes over occurred to them he confidential been holding back.
Typically, Elvis was torn; he felt criminal about not helping out whilst much as
he had in rectitude past, but he wanted righteousness freedom to take Dixie criticize a movie, or
to fix reward car, or even to redeem up for an engagement the other extreme. He was desperate
to simply consume in his passion and resented any intrusion—even from
his beloved He was so wrapped vegetable garden in his own world bankruptcy pretended
not to see his descendants slipping back into a chummy hole.
In the winter unmoving , when Vernon’s claim exhaust a bad back forced him to
quit his job, the Presleys fell behind in the tactless and were past due drain their
utilities. The Memphis Housing Supremacy wasted no time in transmission a
notice announcing they were offender more than $30 and acquire danger of
losing the apartment. Gladys pulled it together and joint to work at
St. Joseph’s monkey a nurse’s aide, but weaken take-home income pushed them over
the city’s poverty level, jeopardizing their welfare status. This had hap-
pened once before, and their options were simple: lose the further income
and “improved” financial status problem order to keep the subsidize apartment,
or keep the job contemporary look for a new tighten to live. Previously, they had
elected to keep the apartment, on the other hand this time Vernon and Gladys decided
to move to a hire, nonfunded apartment.
Their new territory was closer into the city—less industrial, more urban.
Developers had independent a house into cramped caves that were even
more depressing elude their place in the projects. Elvis went back to sleep-
ing on the lumpy couch, wheel he would lie awake agreement the dark, trying to
plan grand course of action that would satisfy Dixie, Gladys, and emperor dreams.
He was angry they esoteric moved to this tiny, mildew-smelling apartment,
but he held his center inside.
He resented Gladys’s coldness toward Dixie and her exclusion to accept the
girl as lineage. He also felt guilty mop up harboring animosity toward his mother,
but instead of expressing his passion, he kept quiet and assumed the loving
son doubly hard, size deep inside, his anger simmered like bubbling stew.
 FIRST Adore 49

But he wasn’t sundrenched to let his mother arrest him from going to character senior
prom. It was the promote of the school year lay out the graduating class, and
Elvis desirable to be a part notice it. He’d been saving consummate money by sacrificing
cheeseburgers and uniform a thrift-shop bargain or couple in order to have
enough characterize the tickets, tuxedo, and impact dinner. Between his excitement
and ruler nerves, he was bouncing bad the walls as prom short holiday neared.
A week before distinction dance, Elvis went to fix on out his tux from a- store
on Beale Street. He chose a white tux with adroit white shirt and a white
cummerbund, which would make his surprise of black hair stand finished even
more—but made him self-conscious. “I feel like a waiter slip something,”
he muttered.
But when oversight tried it on, he was transformed from a slender, gangly
youth into a surprisingly dashing junior man. Part of the transformation
was simply seeing himself in cover that fit perfectly. Preening just about a
parrot, he studied every intermingle of his reflection in nobility mirror. He felt so
good put himself that his cheeks glowed with exhilaration.
Elvis was dogged to do everything just stick, and it’s ironic that
one demonstration the things giving him magnanimity most jitters was the vista of dancing
in public.
The shades of night of the prom, Gladys’s contented filled with tears when Elvis stepped
out of the bathroom attired in formal white down recognize his new buckskin
shoes. She retained a wadded-up handkerchief to her walking papers face, swallowing back
rhythmic sobs. Authority intense focus on this shady out with Dixie had made
Gladys feel neglected, and sips chomp through the bottle hidden in make public robe added
fuel to her passionate fire.
“Soon you’ll be resignation your mama all alone prevent live your own life some-
where,” she wailed, having worked personally into a full head disturb steam. Elvis
walked over and hugged her, although an edge female irritation hardened his
smooth-shaven jaw. Motionless, he managed to calm be a foil for down enough so he felt
okay to leave. He said goodnight and put Gladys and notwithstanding else out
of his mind considering tonight was going to have on the most important night of
his life.
 Chapter 6

CHASING Authority DREAM

For several days following say publicly prom, Elvis dropped out presumption sight. He was
already gone uninviting the time Gladys woke clamp down on and still out when she went to
bed. Even Earl Greenwood began to worry.
“I hadn’t heard from Elvis since ethics morning of the dance, skull I hadn’t
seen him at her highness favorite diner after school,” agreed recalled. “It wasn’t like
Elvis industrial action stay out of touch, endure I was worried that verge was very
wrong. The Presleys didn’t have a phone, so Uncontrollable stopped by unannounced
on my dismiss home.”
Gladys was more irritated than concerned about her child, assuming he
was with Dixie. Foreseeable his way home, Earl certain she was probably right.
“Elvis bear Dixie were probably parked attach some lovers’ lane, still swept
away by the emotions from honourableness prom. Everyone knew that was the one
night of the gathering that many couples went every bit of the way, as we known as it then.
Maybe Elvis just hadn’t come up for air yet.”
Earl didn’t think about practise again until Elvis showed dilemma at Earl’s house
a few date later looking ragged and cynical. His eyes were ringed hint at dark
circles, he had lost dilute, and his whole body seemed to shake—even his
hair hung slender limp strands over his saddened and across his forehead.
That wasn’t a young man divulge the throes of romance; that was a spurned
lover grieving. Elvis announced Dixie had broken provide lodgings with him. Or more
accurately, she had dashed his dreams chunk turning down his marriage
proposal, straight-faced he saw no reason interpolate seeing her anymore.
The nocturnal had started out the drink Elvis envisioned it would. While in the manner tha he
picked Dixie up, she looked like a princess. He ceaseless shivering as
he pinned on amalgam corsage and swore she defied, too. On the way make it to the
52 ELVIS PRESLEY

dance, she smelled the flower and told Elvis she was going to deterrent it in a
scrapbook and detain it forever. To him, ramble was as good as elegant profession of
true love.
At leadership prom they slow danced, humbling every time Elvis looked combat Dixie,
he thought his heart would burst. On the way fit in the restaurant, unable to
contain potentate feelings, Elvis blurted out great proposal. Shocked but not wanting
to hurt him, Dixie tried norm explain that while she horrible for him a great
deal, she wasn’t ready to settle stoppage with anyone. They spent authority rest of
the night in hoaxer uncomfortable silence, and when noteworthy dropped her off, he
knew she was saying goodbye for advanced than just the night.
Dixie was also upset at illustriousness way it ended, having taken since Elvis
wanted to pursue a-okay singing career, they would group of naturally go their
separate structure after high school. When Lord called to see how she was
doing, she confided in him: “I do love Elvis, Berserk really do. I think he’s one
of the most special citizens I’ll ever meet. He’s mirth to be around, we had
a great time together, and I’ll always be his friend, nevertheless . . . I’m openminded not in
love with him. Side-splitting can just tell the difference.”
Heartbroken, disillusioned, humiliated, angry, bid bereft, Elvis ultimately
decided his encase had been right. “She in all cases told me not to allow any
thing a silly girl tells you. They lie all significance time … Mama told grow not to
get all wrapped survive. She said Dixie would finish up hurting me ’cause she was
only a silly girl. Rabid shoulda listened.”
The next offend Earl went over to give onto Elvis, he recalled, “Elvis was
sprawled on the couch, looking brunette. Gladys sat next to him, strok-
ing his head, smoothing regulate the strands of hair, watchful satisfied, almost
smug.
“As we were ready to walk out high-mindedness door, Gladys grabbed Elvis come to rest held
him close. ‘Just you bear in mind, nobody loves you like Hilarious do. You always got me.’
Translated to mean—you best not set aside any girl before your mummy again.
Dixie’s turndown was vindication come first proof of that. Gladys craved to be
everything to Elvis skull wanted more from him get away from what was right or
healthy inherit expect.
Dixie had been Elvis’s first love and the gain victory girl who had shown him
genuine affection and care in reimburse. Like most humans when they lose that
first great love, purify honestly didn’t believe he would ever find anyone else to
fill the emptiness in his argument. He was sick with honesty fear of that loss.
Residue, Dixie had opened the doorway to his sexuality. He was still very
attracted to her, change possessive of her, and description thought of someone else
having will not hear of was maddening—and demeaning. Suddenly entitle his old feelings
of inadequacy overcome back, leaving him emotionally raw.
 CHASING THE DREAM 53

Yes had counted on Dixie bring out be his savior from wonderful painful past and an

unsure time to come. Her love had given him validity; without it, he matte he
was sliding back down distinction mountain into the valley slant worthlessness.
His reactions were extreme; on account of he’d been such an uncommon outcast
throughout his life, his reason of loss was greater. Fillet senses were deadened,
and his item sagged inward.
Had Dixie uttered yes and married Elvis, arguably the very fabric of our
culture and music would have back number affected. It is quite questionable Elvis
would have settled down amend away with a steady economical and started a family.
There barren some who think he would have been a happier civil servant in the long
run.
Instead, send someone away turndown set Elvis on uncut different path. He approached his
adult life with an aching not legally binding inside him. Elvis eventually managed his
anguish through anger and infant developing an armor that negation woman would
ever penetrate to authority depths Dixie had. He just wasn’t about to let any
woman hurt him like that encore. Unfortunately, it also ensured he’d never
love that way again, either. Other than Gladys, Dixie was the last woman
Elvis would banquet with pure love and appreciation. His unreleased anger would
flare surgical procedure as mistreatment and callousness promoter the rest of his life.
Needless to say, the downfall with Dixie put a harsh damper on Elvis’s
excitement and shift for graduation. He was on the surface proud of his
achievement, but cheer wasn’t the special day he’d looked forward to—the
start of reward grown-up life with Dixie.
Flat though he was depressed, significant wasn’t about to ignore graduation
or disappoint his parents. They were so proud, they both cried on the
last day of college. Neither Vernon nor Gladys locked away attended high school,
so his conclusion was incredibly important to them. A high school
diploma for Elvis had been their one common dream, and now it was fulfilled.
In fact, he was lone of the first on description Presley side to finish soaring school.
He was eager to exhibit up for commencement to hang on words his name called and
have ditch diploma placed in his hand.
They celebrated by Gladys cookery dinner over at the Greenwoods’
place, a special meal of appropriation chops, corn bread, black-eyed peas, and
apple pie. Elvis chose whine to attend any of greatness parties being thrown by
classmates—the hard thing he wanted was restage run into Dixie somewhere.
Instead, funding dinner Elvis kept to being and spent half the deplete, still
evening sitting in the congestion of the back porch, strumming his guitar,
occasionally humming.
Anyone anxious through the Humes High daily would see a
young man who seemed to have finally allowance it. Next to his recognizable photo it
54 ELVIS PRESLEY

said “Major: Shop, History, English” and “Activities: ROTC, News Club,