He was sullen and disturbed because of what had happened to him when he was in the army in Korea. Smith said, I feel like so many of Elvis fans know exactly what Im talking about. If he had to try to nail it down, he said, I think he put his heart and soul into every song he recorded, good or bad.. Joe could tolerate Colonel better than some of the others. Billy: Uncle Tracy had a fever when he was a child, and it caused him to be slow. He went to great lengths to make sure that it was kept a jet black color at all times, making his blue eyes stand out. A fan asked if they stay in contact with the Presley family, and if not, why. Elvis was well known for his incredible generosity and had other extended family members come and live at Graceland with him. So he decided to have it trimmed down and thats what they didwhich made him lookgod! Billy Smith was an administrative aid to Elvis Presley, as well as Elvis' first cousin and part of the Memphis Mafia. Over the years, there have been many rumors that have circulated about Presley, one in particular that he also had webbed toes. We'd stay there and never sleep, we were all taking pills just so we could keep up with each other. Billy Smith, Elvis's first cousin, confirms that the boy in the photo is indeed his relative. He had his expressions and he even had a bad eye like Elam. Blasting SA, IDI CHE-247.845.224, Via Carlo Frasca, 3 - 6900 Lugano (Switzerland) When The King became famous in 1956, the family had moved to Audubon Drive where they asked Travis to be a guard out front. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. Nor I him. She was always laughing & carrying on. Billy Smith is one of those great sources of Elvis Presley information. Elvis and Billy were both born in Tupelo, Mississippi, before their families moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Here, in Part One, Billy talks about his family, the Memphis Mafia, the Movie Years, meeting The Beatles and much much more. Occasionally, Travis would give fans a ride and even let them inside the gates of Graceland. She was generous like Elvis, but she also had a quick temper. Travis was reportedly Gladys' favorite brother. He was talking about how scattered the family was. Joe Esposito served as Elvis' chief road manager and personal aide for 17 years. Elvis and Gene even worked together at Precision Tool. [9], Rolling Stone journalist William Otterburn-Hall describes the men as close around the star "like a football scrum after a loose ball". Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. He said they were all just alike, basically. (by Alfred Wertheimer). Even though the famous couple broke up 8 months before Elvis Presley passed, Thompson stayed close to his nine-year-old daughter, Lisa Marie. The Memphis Mafia was the nickname given by the media to a group of Elvis Presley's friends, associates, employees and cousins whose main functions were to accompany, protect, and serve Presley from the beginning of his career in 1954 until his death in 1977. Billy: My father Travis was the first Gate Guard that Elvis had. Our grandfather was a handsome man. So when he fell and got concussion, I stayed with him day and night. It comprises live recordings from shows given by Presley in Las Vegas through every decade of his career. But his movies made money, and Colonel didn't want to change the format. There were a lot of lonely days and nights until Jo started to travel with us. Bodyguards, road managers and other employees, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Sonny West of Elvis' Memphis Mafia dies at 79", "Lot Detail - Gold and Diamond TCB and TLC Necklaces", "TCB BAND: ELVIS PRESLEY, JERRY SCHEFF, JAMES BURTON, RONNIE TUTT & GLEN D.HARDIN", "Billy Smith; Part 2 - Interview - Elvis Information Network", The Memphis Mafia: Interviews with just about every member of the Memphis Mafia, Elvis Information: Recent in-depth interviews with the Memphis Mafia including Elvis' cousin, Interviews with the Memphis Mafia by Elvis Australia, From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis, Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee, Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Performances, Command Performances: The Essential 60s Masters II, Suspicious Minds: The Memphis 1969 Anthology, The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters, From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential '60s Masters, Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential '70s Masters, Peace in the Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings, The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Memphis_Mafia&oldid=1133531998, Short description is different from Wikidata, BLP articles lacking sources from October 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2021, Articles needing additional references from December 2021, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 07:41. Can you clarify once & for all whether you saw Elvis being obviously racist in anyway? Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Related articles Elvis. Had Elvis used a trained financial supervisor who knew how to invest then he wouldnt have had to work so hard in his final years. Billy Smith Elvis Cousin is a billionaire and one of the world's wealthiest individuals. This seems more than a coincidence as back in 1957 he was also involved in an incident involving $1000 bills. Seen on safari: Crocodile swings from elephant's tail. When he was sick, I usually stayed with him. Some closer than others, but still we stood up for each other no matter what. When asked about the stories, Smith revealed he was not too sure about that one. There were two teams, and the object of the game was to knock over as many members of the opposing team as possible by any means." But Elvis never confirmed them. Needless to say Elvis knew that cousin Billy Mann was the one who failed the test back in 1957). [citation needed], When Parker informed Elvis that the Wests were writing a "tell-all book" about Elvis, which included the disclosure of Elvis' addiction to prescribed pain medications, he was furious as well as "hurt". He trusted us. At the same time, much of the lore of Presleys life has become family history. However, the distance didnt change what he was seeing. Elvis Presleys Cousin Remembers Shocking Sight From the King in the Recording Studio, more than willing to share a little Elvis knowledge with the public, they have some stories to tell about the legendary rocker, Billy Smith opened up about what it was like. Elvis Presley's Cousin Billy Smith talks about growing up with Elvis 2019 13,614 views Jan 7, 2019 please LIKE "THUMBS UP" and COMMENT on this video. He had a pretty good bump on the back of his head. He decided to prove to me that it would never happen again, and that's how the pledge came about. EIN: Billy, you had a particularly special relationship with Elvis and were closer to him than any of the other members of the Memphis Mafia. He left behind an undying legacy. "[20] Gerald Marzorati says that Elvis "couldn't go anywhere else without a phalanx of boyhood friends. So, he watched from a distance. In 2007, Sonny West released Elvis: Still Takin' Care of Business, which was a softer look at his relationship with Presley. 'It was a very strange telephone conversation. A scene from the very rare documentary "Rare Moments with the King" from the early 80s. He never betrayed me again. During a recent question and answer session, Smith and his wife Jo opened up about their estranged relationship with the Presley family. Billy with Elvis before leaving for Germany & the army in 1958. "[3], Among "the first to live, travel and play with Elvis" were cousins Red West and Sonny West,[4] as well as Billy Smith (who was with Elvis from the start to the end and the only original member still with Elvis after 1976), Charlie Hodge, Mevlana Hezri, and Joe Esposito. Professional handlers and celebrity security experts had not yet evolved. Travis was illiterate and when fans at Gracelands gates asked him for his autograph he would put them off since he couldnt read or write. EIN: Did you always travel with Elvis to film the movies? This page was last edited on 16 March 2015, at 17:35. After all, Smith is the King's cousin. [1], Smith has given numerous interviews for a range of media that have covered Elvis. Kalendar Calendario Calendrier.1, Al View Calendar 2022: Landscape view, USA United States of America Noncontiguous State Nature. I know that Elvis loved Colonel, but he also had resentment toward him for holding him back on certain things that he really wanted to do. TV Shows. Click here for Part Two: Billy talks about Elvis' Girls, Elvis' Final Years, his relationship with EPE, 'Elvis By The Presleys' and more. Isaid, hello and she said, Linda. I said, hey, she said, Its Lisa. I said, I know who this is, you little goobernickel. It was a pet name Elvis and I had for her, Thompson explained, according to aExpress.co.ukreport. Billy Smith was Elvis' first cousin, the son of Gladys Presley's oldest brother. Elvis always liked to be the "Main Event." [10] Besides Ginger Alden, Smith and his wife Jo had been the last people to see Elvis alive. Some Elvis Presley fans may find the animated series an insult to the King of Rock and Roll, while many others could find it very interesting. They roared with laughter. "There wasn't a crowd then, just a few guys," and she emphasizes that she "had nothing to do with being a yes man for him and obviously he trusted me. He was the only member of the Memphis Mafia to last from beginning to end of the group. The series will be an animated (cartoon) titled "Agent King." Recently, Billy Smith opened up about what it was like watching Elvis Presley work in the studio back in 1958. Since the emphasis was on large and potentially lethal fireworks, everyone had to wear air force jump-suits plus gloves, helmets, and goggles. More Viewers Questions! He had a thirst to learn new things. At the very least they have some stories to tell about the legendary rocker. "Billy Smith, Elvis' cousin and Memphis Mafia member talks candidly to EIN", "LAMAR FIKE DIES AGED 75 (Member of Elvis Presley's entourage, the Memphis Mafia)", article "Billy Smith (Memphis Mafia)" is from Wikipedia, https://en.everybodywiki.com/index.php?title=Billy_Smith_(Memphis_Mafia)&oldid=1915493, Pages using citations with accessdate and no URL, Portal templates with all redlinked portals. (EIN Note Billys full story about The Pledge is also featured in the book Elvis & the Memphis Mafia) He also had not only one but two facelifts in his lifetime, one in 1957 and the other in 1975. This article has been curated and verified by, This area provides transparent information about Blasting News, our editorial processes and how we strive for creating trustworthy news. Want to Read. Billy says that the first facelift Elvis got wasnt a facelift to him. He says, Elvis did not like the flare in his nose at that time, how wide it was. After a while, Smith decided to give the superstar some space. He said it gave him a peace within, and, if it did, well, that was good. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Georgia came to the rescue of a dog who fell into a storm drain and ended up stranded about 12 feet underground. He talked about the record to his mother and daddy, and we knew he was going to make one, but when it came out it thrilled all of us. EIN: When you first arrived in Memphis you lived in the same house as The Presleys in Washington Street. He always seemed to want me around him and was very protective of me. She adored him. I guess they dont like us, I dont know, youd have to ask them. Do you still see him or have any contact? She was always close to her family, but Elvis was her heart. After all, Smith is the Kings cousin. "It's just a simple word, you see, A couple of them had been arrested with false prescriptions attempting to collect drugs for Elvis, quite a few had taken physical hits in the service of protecting Elvis and none were paid more than $500 a week. [16] These threats were kept out of the press for fear of triggering even more.[17]. Photo above - Junior Smith in New York with Elvis & his date. I lived on Circle G ranch at that time, when we were not in Los Angeles. Click on the topic that interests you to follow it. Lunar Moon Phases I January 2022 - December 2022 Calendrier12 Months | BONUS 4 Months 2023, Buffalo Thunder: The Athletic Tradition of West Texas A&m University, My Life as I Remember It: Growing Up in Alabama. However, many of the people who were close to him are still here. Billy Smith. Bobby and l were always within a mile or two of Elvis. The Memphis Mafia members themselves say on their website that Elvis liked the name and it stuck. 15 distinct works. Presley's cousin is eight years younger but spent 34 years of his life in the company of the famous singer before he passed away in 1977. As I place my hand upon your heart, Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one. 'It was love at first sight,' she said in an interview. Elvis always looked at the person, not what race he or she was. We had to eat turnip greens for a month. Stephanie-Billy Smith. He also was Memphis Mafia and he and Jo and Danny and Joey lived at Graceland.. Our hearts will intertwine.". They were a big family and Elvis lived in a "milieu of a protective brotherhood. And it was in 1967 that Elvis suggested they make a personal pledge between the two of them. Go to the lounges, see Fats Domino, Della Reese, Jackie Wilson, the Four Aces, the Dominoes all the old acts. All the crew loved him, and they were always so nice to his boys (us). In fact, there are many new Elvis Presley projects in the works in 2020. He did a lot for me and my family in the early years and for my family in the later years. Being both family, and also a member of the Memphis Mafia, Billy Smith was probably the closest friend that Elvis ever had. However, he cant put his finger on what the X factor was, to this day. But those photos of her later on make her look sad because she was sick, as well as being sad about Elvis going to the army. DON'T MISSElvis: Priscilla Presley tribute speech at Graceland Candlelight Vigil[PRISCILLA]Elvis death: Is Gracelands upstairs preserved just as King left it? This entourage included first cousins and several of Presley's friends from his boyhood in a poor Memphis housing project plus junior and senior high school friends and early employees from Memphis such as Alan Fortas, nephew of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas. But if so, he would not have been surprised to hear if Presley had them surgically separated. Is he still alive? EIN: Whats your earliest memory of Elvis? EIN: What are your chief memories of the times working on the movies? How did it come about? Both Elvis and his cousin were born in Tupelo, Mississippi before their families later moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Was he really as lazy as often portrayed - and can you comment on your quote (in the book Elvis & the Memphis Mafia) that "Vernon always wanted more of everything, except responsibility"! 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