Many of us knew and loved Elvis. Not all of us were found spending days at Graceland for many lived a good distance away and were not able to enjoy such pleasures outside of their own home lives. Still, Elvis somehow found kinfolk across the miles and kept in touch on a regular basis, when he could. Others spent alot of time at Graceland, and with Elvis in person, and following are some of those stories we, gladly, share with you.
So far away, so far apart. Two different worlds; two different paths.I lived in New York, and Elvis in Tennessee. Twenty years older than me, it was not long before he became like a big brother. Despite being connected kin through four different lines including direct kinship to the Presley line, Elvis and I grew to acquire a spiritual bond, a trusting friendship, and my life has never been the same since having known Elvis Presley. During my life I have known, and been friends with many politicians and celebrities, and, sadly, all of them are gone now, however, their presence and station in life never stunned me nor held me in awe, for, to me, they were regular, down-to-earth people, children of God, no different than a neighbor next door. It was totally different with Elvis.
When Elvis Presley, the greatest entertainer of past and upcoming generations, first got in touch with me, hearing what sounded like his voice on the other end of the phone...was not only stunning and miraculous, my emotions let go and I started to cry, uncontrollably. Why would I have believed that the King of Rock and Roll was contacting me? A witness to my emotional outburst caught E off guard and he belted out: "If you cry, I'm leaving!" The tears immediately stopped! That was the day I first met Elvis Presley. From then on we spoke about our kinship and the many amazing things we had in common. I made sure to keep alot of notes, and was able to record some of the songs he sang for me, some of our talks, so that my memories of him and our conversations in years to come, especially when I grew old, would never fade. Like so many others before me, I could write a book with such wonderful recollections. However, I have chosen not to reveal those magical memories in book form simply because I refuse to make a dime off of a legend, a man who meant so much to me, and taught me much about life's ups and downs. Those memories will forever remain in my heart out of respect and loyalty to the man I knew as, simply, Evis. Love and respect from Elvis was hard-earned. If you proved trustworthy to him, he considered you loyal. If you proved untrustworthy, watch out! Some family members and friends have proven disloyalty since Elvis left us, and that is such a terrible shame.
Elvis Presley was a simple human being, not a god nor a king. He had his faults and crosses, just like the rest of us. He was a very special soul with great compassion and a unique talent. If you were fortunate to have known Elvis Presley, then, you can understand that in knowing him, your life has never been the same. He was one-of-a-kind, a treasure, with a voice from God that no talented tribute artist could ever emulate, even as close as some have come. Elvis loved God and he loved all his family, and would have wanted to be remembered for his humbleness.
So, where do you begin to tell the story of a man whom had touched your heart right down to the core, a regular fun-loving guy, a simple human being who shook the world? It is difficult to put into words, but, I will do my best in a separate section, to tell some of the more endearing stories and memories of a dear cousin, God rest his precious soul.
Sadly, I will never forget the last time I spoke to Elvis. He wasn't feeling at all well, though he never spoke in detail about his illnesses. He never griped or complained to me that he was sick; I never heard him complain about himself other than being tired or a bit down, and missing his Momma. Before we ended the call that last time, he sang a few lines of the Gospel song that has stayed in my mind most, and I have always wondered if the meaning behind it was a sign that he knew fate was calling him. The song: "I'm Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs." If anyone is blessed enough to sing with Angels, it is Elvis Presley.
Evis, I love you, miss you and forever will cherish the memories: the laughter, the jokes, the awesome imitations of Popeye and others, the treasured singing, the advice, our spiritual discussions, political discussions, and your sharing of intimate details of your amazing life, including the secrets that you took with you when you were called home. The Lord had blessed me with your friendship, your kinship, and I will remain ever grateful to God that you were sent into my life. You took a piece of my heart with you when you walked them golden stairs to meet Jesus. God Bless you, be at peace "cuz," with all my love...until we meet again!
"Sometimes I sleep over at my daddy's house, it's quiet there... black sheets with gold stripes.(he laughed)...Ginger is 'gingerbread' and her sister, Rosemary, is 'poundcake.'... Is Jerry Presley really related? I don't think he is... Are you sincere? (He would laugh)... Didn't like the way Hank (Williams)sang, but I like his songs and I like to sing them. (He would then proceed to sing a few lines, accapella, from a couple of Hank tunes) Can you yodel?... What's the Word..."
