1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World. Ever since he hit 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,680 Speaker 1: the world stage in nineteen fifty six, Elvis Presley has 3 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: been a global icon of rock and roll. His enduring 4 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: fame was just reinforced by Baz Luhrmann's recent film Elvis, 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:24,439 Speaker 1: a musical biographical film about Presley's life, which Killiston I 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: enjoyed very much, So I'm thrilled to welcome Billy Stanley, 7 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: Elvis Presley's stepbrother. He's joined me to discuss his new book, 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: The Faith of Elvis, a story only a brother can tell. 9 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: He talks about his life growing up with Elvis and 10 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: Presley's Christian faith, its deep influence on his music, films, relationships, 11 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: commitment to his family and fans, and his love for 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: the gospel. The Faith of Elvis follows his number one 13 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: New York Times bestseller Elvis My Brother, which was published 14 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty nine. Billy, welcome and thank you for 15 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: joining me on News World. Yes, sir, thank you for 16 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,759 Speaker 1: having me. That's an honor to be here. Sir, Billy, 17 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,679 Speaker 1: if you would help us better understand how everything evolved 18 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: when Elvis's mother, Gladys died in nineteen fifty eight, and 19 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: then your mother brought you and your brothers to live 20 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 1: at Greece. Then how did that all come together? Well, 21 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: Private Presley just happened to be stationed on the same 22 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 1: base as my dad. My dad was a sergeant in 23 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: the Third Army, and my dad was constantly on maneuvers. 24 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: And they met at an NCO club and Vernon met 25 00:01:41,840 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: my dad and my mom. And since my dad was 26 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 1: constantly on maneuvers, my dad, Bill Stanley, would say, would 27 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: you please take her out? I'm constantly on maneuvers. My 28 00:01:52,480 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 1: dad was career military's twenty one years in the Army. 29 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: He served under patent and that was his true love. 30 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: So one thing led to another. Vernon taking my mom 31 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: out with my real dad's encouragement, and they fell in love. 32 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: In fact, my mother flew back with us and put 33 00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: us in a boarding school in New bert News, Virginia 34 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty nine, and we stayed there for four 35 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:20,520 Speaker 1: or five months until the divorce was finally and we 36 00:02:20,600 --> 00:02:23,520 Speaker 1: moved to Gracelo. I know that Elvis had been assigned 37 00:02:23,520 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: by the Army to the base in Germany. Why do 38 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 1: you think his father, Vernon had joined him in Germany. Well, 39 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,160 Speaker 1: he was going to be there for maybe a year 40 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: or so. And Elvis loved to have his family around. 41 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: So not only did he have his father, but he 42 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: had his grandmother. And he even had a couple of 43 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: guys that worked for him. You know, they're in Germany 44 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: with it. So he had a lot more folks hanging 45 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 1: out with him than the average private. Oh yeah, well, 46 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:49,240 Speaker 1: he didn't live on Burris. He had his own house. 47 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 1: The house was better than any of the generals. Well, 48 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: that sort of explains part of it. That's great. So 49 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:01,399 Speaker 1: what was he like when you first met him? When 50 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: we first arrived at Graceland, it was at night, and 51 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,160 Speaker 1: this was in March of nineteen sixty and so we 52 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: pulled up to the house and they woke us up, 53 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,400 Speaker 1: my brothers and I had two younger brothers, Rick and David, 54 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: and they were showing us the house and said, this 55 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: is where you're going to live. And to me, it 56 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:18,840 Speaker 1: looked like a castle, because I've never seen anything like that. 57 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,240 Speaker 1: I've seen a lot of army barracks and stuff like that. 58 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 1: So we go in and Elvis the shooting pool. So 59 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: we go to the basement and there was this large 60 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: group of people around the pool table and all I 61 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: heard was the voice say eight ball in the corner pocket. 62 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: So he must have made the shot because everybody started 63 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: applaud and go yeah, Elvis Hey. And then all of 64 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: a sudden the crowd parted and there he was standing 65 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 1: at the end of the pool table, and I just 66 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 1: kind of looked at him, and he's kind of neat, 67 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: and he walks over and says, what have we got here, daddy? 68 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 1: And he reached down and pick all three of us 69 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: up at the same time and said, these year new 70 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: little brothers. And he looked at his father and said, 71 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: Daddy always want a little brother. Now I have three. 72 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: So you were sort of welcome from the very first moment. 73 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: Oh yes, sir, Well what we did that night? We 74 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: talked for about another hour or two, and then he 75 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: tucked us in the bed. And before we went to bed, 76 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: my brothers and I were jumping up on the bed 77 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: after we brushed our teeth and had a pajamazone, he said, 78 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 1: haven't you forgotten something? We went kind of looked at 79 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,279 Speaker 1: each other, like what, and he said, how about your prayers? 80 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 1: So he led us in a prayer. I've never forgotten 81 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: his prayer. Dear hendling father, We thank you for this 82 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: day and for all your many blessings. Thank you for 83 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: bringing these three little boys into my life. I promised 84 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 1: to love and protect him the rest of my life. 85 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,239 Speaker 1: And I just kind of looked up at him, like, wow, 86 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 1: you know that's neat. And then I didn't know it 87 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: at the time, but he wasn't an early morning person. 88 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: But the next day he comes running into our bedroom 89 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: and it was like a fire drip. Come on, you 90 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: gotta get up, gotta get up. We didn't know what 91 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: was going on. We started looking for our clothes. He said, 92 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 1: you don't have time for that. Just leave you for 93 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: jama Zone. So he puts my youngest brother, David on 94 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: his shoulders and takes me and Rick by the hand. 95 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 1: It takes us to the backyard and when we get there, 96 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: there was three of every toy you could think of. 97 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: He had gone to the store after he had a 98 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: store opened, and after he tucked us in and then 99 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: bought three. Instead of us fighting over one toy, he 100 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:15,840 Speaker 1: bought three of every toy you can think of, and 101 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: they was all sitting in the backyard. I thought he 102 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: was standing clause right then. What a great way to 103 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: be welcome to the family. I was gonna say, that's 104 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: a pretty amazing opening to a relationship. And your first 105 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: twenty four hours with Elvis was remarkable. Yes, there it was. 106 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: I'll never forget it. So you then went to your 107 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: very first concert on February twenty fifth, nineteen sixty one. 108 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 1: As I understand it, you'd never been to a concert before. 109 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,719 Speaker 1: What was that like? I thought it was nice at 110 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: first because we were up in a balcony seat and 111 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: looking down at all the people that I was going, oh, 112 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: this is nice. And then when Elvis came out, it 113 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,680 Speaker 1: was a madhouse. I mean everybody started screaming and yelling 114 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: and running towards the stage, and I thought they was 115 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 1: trying to hurt him. I didn't know that that's what fans. 116 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: Because I'd never been to a concert, I didn't know 117 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 1: what to expect, so I thought they was trying to 118 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: injure him. And then after he spoke with everybody at 119 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,719 Speaker 1: Graceland after the show, we talked to him for a 120 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: few moments and I just asked him. I said, why 121 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:18,839 Speaker 1: was everybody screaming and shouting? He said, well, some people 122 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: do that when they get excited. If they liked the music, 123 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:23,679 Speaker 1: I said, they really must love you and your music, 124 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 1: because they were running after you and you know, screaming 125 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 1: and yelling, and he laughed. He said, this is just 126 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 1: the beginning, Billy, this is just the beginning. So I mean, 127 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: here you are now with a pretty big guy. It's 128 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:40,960 Speaker 1: pretty obvious after that concert that Elvis is something different. Yes, sir, well, 129 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: it really didn't dawn on me that he was famous. 130 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: Even at that point. I was in the first grade 131 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,960 Speaker 1: and he picked me up at school in a pink Cadillac. 132 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: And when I came outside, I noticed there was teachers 133 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: and the principle and parents and students all around his 134 00:06:56,920 --> 00:07:00,360 Speaker 1: pink Cadillac. What is this? And so I walk up 135 00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: to the car and he opens the door and lets 136 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: me in. He said, asked me how school. I said 137 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,479 Speaker 1: it was great. I said, what are you doing? He said, 138 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 1: I'm signing autographs. I didn't know what autograph was. I said, 139 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: what's that? He said, you just put your name on 140 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: a piece of paper. Oh. And then Elvis looked at 141 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: some of the people in the students he said, would 142 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: you like anybody like to have my little brothers autograph? 143 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: And then all the little girls squealed yeah, yeah, And 144 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 1: so he hands me a piece of paper, and I 145 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,080 Speaker 1: reached my book bag and I pull out a red 146 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: crawn and I'm just learning to how right. So I 147 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: put Billy on it and that was it. And so 148 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,560 Speaker 1: this goes on for about ten or fifteen minutes, and 149 00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: then he excuses us. He says, you know, Billy just 150 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: got out of school. I need to take him home 151 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,200 Speaker 1: so he can eat and do his homework. So as 152 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: we're driving away, I'm trying to process this in my 153 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: little seven year old brain. I'm going, are you famous 154 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: or something? He kind of laughs. He said, well, some 155 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: people think I am. I said, So I'm trying to 156 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: think it's somebody famous, and I go, are you more 157 00:07:55,600 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: famous than Mickey Mouse? And he laughs, He said, some 158 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: people think I am. He said, I tell you what, 159 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: I'll get Daddy to play some of my movies for 160 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: you and play some of my records so you have 161 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: a better understanding of what I do. I said need. 162 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: But the great thing about it growing up with him, 163 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 1: as I got older and in my teens and stuff, 164 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: you know, we talk about, you know, Elvis, you're the king. 165 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,360 Speaker 1: You'd always say, no, there's only one true king, and 166 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: that's Jesus. But he said, Billy, what I do is 167 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: not important. What my fans do for a living is 168 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: more important than what I do. He said, I'm just 169 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,440 Speaker 1: an entertainer. That's it. He said. There are people just 170 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: like everybody else. From that moment on, I just woh, okay, 171 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 1: what was Christmas like at Graceland. Well, I like to 172 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,119 Speaker 1: kid around with people that the only difference between Christmas 173 00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: and everyday life with Elvis is that Christmas we had 174 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: a tree because he tried to make every day like Christmas. 175 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: Christmas was fun. It was always funny, especially when we 176 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 1: was decorating a tree, because it was kind of like 177 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 1: a family affair. When I say family, I'm talking about 178 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: all the people that work for Elvis too. So everybody 179 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,240 Speaker 1: would be together and then start decorating a tree. And 180 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: when Priscilla was there, she had this thing where he 181 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: take the silver tenseil and put one strand on at 182 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: a time. Well, he liked taking it by the handful 183 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: and just throwing it up in the air and let 184 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: it fall on the trees. So what would happened is 185 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: there would be a discussion about how to put tenseil 186 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: in the tree. And it was always funny. The next 187 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: day we would come in and then most of the 188 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,080 Speaker 1: tencil would be removed from the tree. So Elvis would 189 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,240 Speaker 1: just say, well, I guess the tensil fairy came and 190 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:32,960 Speaker 1: got something. So I got the impression that he really 191 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: saw the faith part of Christmas was really important. Yeah, 192 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 1: well that's where we learned it from my brothers. And 193 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: it wasn't about presents. It's about Jesus's birthday. It's what 194 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,840 Speaker 1: it really is. And so I mean, that was the 195 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,320 Speaker 1: most important part right there. To him, Like I said, 196 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 1: giving to him was just second nature. I mean he 197 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: said many times, what's the use in having it if 198 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 1: you can't share it with your fellow man, And that's 199 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: what he did. I mean, I've seen him give money 200 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 1: to people that he didn't know. So the Olvis that 201 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:07,800 Speaker 1: you knew was vividly aware of his faith. Oh yes, Yes, 202 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: he constantly had the Bible with him. It was always 203 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: sitting on his night standing next to his bed. And 204 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,280 Speaker 1: I can't count how many times he would call me 205 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,400 Speaker 1: to his room, or call me Rick and David to 206 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,600 Speaker 1: his room and he'd be sitting on the edge of 207 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 1: the bed reading his Bible. It's almost like a daily 208 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: read for him. From that standpoint, he was also really 209 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:32,319 Speaker 1: influenced by gospel music. The whole church experience had a 210 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: significant part of creating what became the Elvis effect. Right. 211 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 1: He told me, he said, when I first came out, Billy, 212 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: they thought I was the Antichrist? And I said, what 213 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,120 Speaker 1: do you mean? Because he said, you know, I was 214 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: a little bit different than everybody else, you know, And 215 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: I went, okay. But the way he moved and stuff 216 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 1: on stage, if you really look, you see the gospel singers, 217 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: you know they move when the Holy Spirit touches you. 218 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: So you know, that's all it was, is the music 219 00:10:57,640 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 1: touched him. And it wasn't anything to be food or 220 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: anything like that. The furthest thing from his mind. It 221 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: was just a natural response. I mean, who do you 222 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: think taught Elvis about God? Where did he learn this? Well, 223 00:11:10,559 --> 00:11:13,079 Speaker 1: he was raised in the church. His father was a 224 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 1: Sunday school teacher and his mom, you know, they attended 225 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: church pretty much every Sunday back when they was living 226 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: in Tupelo, Mississippi. That's what Vernon Presley, Elvis's dad, told me. 227 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:26,199 Speaker 1: And that's where he fell in love with the music, 228 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:30,040 Speaker 1: because he would hear the gospel songs the choir, and 229 00:11:30,559 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: he even tried out for the choir and they said 230 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 1: he wasn't good enough. He even tried out for the 231 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,600 Speaker 1: glee club in high school and they said he wasn't 232 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,720 Speaker 1: good enough. So I wonder what they're thinking now. Yeah, 233 00:11:40,920 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: that's pretty funny actually, And I didn't realize this until 234 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: it looked at your work that well, Elvis had released 235 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: two dozen albums in different styles, he only won Grammy 236 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: Awards for his gospel music. And that you could feel 237 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 1: something deeper and more special when he sang those songs. 238 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: Was that you're feeling, yes, sir. The challenge I give 239 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:26,560 Speaker 1: everybody today is always you pick out any one of 240 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 1: your favorite Elvis songs, I don't care which one it is, 241 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 1: then play a gospel song right afterwards. You'll hear the difference. 242 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: He sang every song with all of his heart and soul, 243 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: but there was just more conviction in the gospel music. 244 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 1: It really was inside him. Oh yes, sir. He had 245 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 1: the faith of a child. And what I mean by 246 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:50,560 Speaker 1: that is he read the Bible almost every day, like 247 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 1: I said, but he took it literally, and I mean 248 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: he took the teachings you know, it says the Lord 249 00:12:57,080 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: loves a generous gier. Elvis's generosity is famous for giving 250 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: cars to people he didn't know money. I mean, there 251 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 1: was one instance where Elvis and I was just riding 252 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: around Memphis one day because that was one of the 253 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: things he loved to do, is just getting the car 254 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: and ride around. And so when he asked me to go, 255 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,320 Speaker 1: I said, okay. He said, we'll get my wallet. So 256 00:13:15,360 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: I had to run upstairs to his room and grab 257 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: his wallet and put up my briefcase. And we're just 258 00:13:19,559 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: riding around looking and we see a homeless man walking 259 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 1: down the street. Elvis makes a U turn and as 260 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 1: he's making U turn, he says, hand me the money 261 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: and the wallet. Billy. I said, okay, how much? Now, 262 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:33,439 Speaker 1: when I talk about Elvis's wallet, he had so much 263 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,160 Speaker 1: money and you couldn't bend it. He said, all of it. 264 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 1: I said, okay, So I handed him money. He kind 265 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: of took it between his leg and we pulled up 266 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: to the gentleman. Elvis rolls his wind down. The guy 267 00:13:44,080 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 1: was to say the least was shocked when Elvis rolled 268 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: that winter down, mister Presley, and his eyes got real bad. 269 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: He said, yes, sir. He started going off on telling 270 00:13:51,360 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 1: Elvis you know how much you know he loved him, 271 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: and he at one point he had all of his records, 272 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,920 Speaker 1: He's seen all of his movies. And Elvis after that said, okay, 273 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:02,920 Speaker 1: that's enough about me, sir. He said, let's talk about 274 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: you now, and the guy just kind of surprisingly said okay, 275 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:09,439 Speaker 1: So what's going on? He said, Well, I'm down on 276 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 1: my luck right now, he said, but things are going 277 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:12,599 Speaker 1: to change. He said, I'm walking down here to the 278 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: unemployment office. I'll be getting a job here soon. And 279 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: so Elvis reached out to shake his hand, and when 280 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: he did, he had the money and the guy just 281 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: kind of looked at it and said no, no, no, 282 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 1: I can't take this. He said, yes, or you can. 283 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: He said, this is my way. We were paying you 284 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: for watching all those silly movies and you know, buying 285 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,840 Speaker 1: all my records. He said, today your luck has changed, sir, 286 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: And the gentleman looked at Elvis and said, God bless you, 287 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 1: mister Presley, and Elvis looked at him said, sir, he 288 00:14:39,640 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: already has. And when I was sitting in the car 289 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 1: just looking at him, I mean tears were coming to 290 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: my eyes. I was going, if people could see the 291 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: generosity this guy has for a complete stranger. I mean 292 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: he didn't know this guy at all, and I mean 293 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,160 Speaker 1: he just do something changes man's wife right now. And 294 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: he did it, and he as we was pulling away, 295 00:14:57,280 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 1: that's when he said, Billy, what's the use of having 296 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: and if you can't share with other people his generosity 297 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 1: in his depth of religious belief and in some ways 298 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:13,040 Speaker 1: it's almost like he was more naturally a gospel singer 299 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 1: who happened to sing rock and roll and start of movies. 300 00:15:16,640 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 1: But he really was happy in the church. Oh yes, sir, 301 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: I asked him. When I was little, I was probably 302 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,440 Speaker 1: about fourteen, in church pretty much every time the doors 303 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: were open, three days a week. And so I asked him, 304 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,280 Speaker 1: how come you don't go to church? He said, well, 305 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: he said, Billy, if I go, people will pay more 306 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: attention to me than they will the pastor. He said, 307 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: that's not right. So he watched gospel singers on Sunday mornings, 308 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: and he would watched Billy Graham revivals and stuff like 309 00:15:43,520 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: that on TV all the time. Like I said, he 310 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 1: was buried in the Bible almost every day anyway, So 311 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:51,360 Speaker 1: every day. It was like a Sunday school lesson with him. 312 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: Part of what was so impressive was it his generosity 313 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: was so real. I noticed that at one point he 314 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 1: had contributed over fifty from charities in the Memphis area. 315 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: I mean, that's really a remarkable commitment to giving back 316 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: that which you have earned. Yes, sir, there was one 317 00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: photo taking of him where it showed him signing checks. 318 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 1: His instructions after that was, never do this again. I 319 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 1: don't want you taking a picture of me doing something 320 00:16:18,680 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: that everybody should be doing, contributing, helping others. He didn't 321 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,800 Speaker 1: want the notoriety for that. He continued to do that 322 00:16:24,840 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 1: each year, but there was no pictures taken. He would 323 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:30,520 Speaker 1: just sign the checks and say, okay, Dave, let's give 324 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: him to the charities. I mean, the way it was 325 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 1: did his income taxes, he would just go how much 326 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 1: should I make and then he said, okay, well take 327 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,440 Speaker 1: fifty percent give it to the government. He didn't bother 328 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: to give an accountant or anything like that. It was 329 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:47,560 Speaker 1: he was proud to be able to do that, to 330 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: say I gave fifty percent to my government. Is it 331 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: really true that at one point you were on a 332 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: first date and he gave your data car. Yeah. It 333 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: was just a girl that I'd seen and asked her 334 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:03,360 Speaker 1: to go on a date with me. And you know 335 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: when she said yeah, I didn't tell her where we 336 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 1: were going, and I said, she's kind of what's this 337 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: When we pulled up to Graceland, I said, yeah, I'm 338 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 1: that was the stepbrothers Oh okay, And so it was 339 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: just that day I was decided to go buy some 340 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: cars for some people. We went with him, and then 341 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: at the end of the day his cousin Patsy, he'd 342 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: just given her a car, and Patsy had a pretty 343 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: new car, and said he looked at the girl I 344 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 1: was with. He said, what are you driving, Swedey And 345 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: she said, I don't have a car, and Elvis said, okay, here, 346 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: you take Patsy's car. So he gave her Patsy's old car. 347 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,200 Speaker 1: That was a pretty memorable first day. I mean, even 348 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't serious. Did that girl go out with you again? 349 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,040 Speaker 1: Now we stayed friends, but that was it, you know, 350 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: I mean, it wasn't serious. That's pretty wild, Yes, it is. 351 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,879 Speaker 1: I think of the stories she has to tell. A 352 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: lot of the cars that Elvis had, he would let 353 00:17:57,960 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: me drive anytime I wanted to, and he would encourage me. Sometimes. 354 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: He had a car that was called a Stuts Blackhawk, 355 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:06,119 Speaker 1: and he just said, Billy, you're gonna go pick this 356 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:08,240 Speaker 1: girl up. He said, go pick her up in this Stuts. 357 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: I said, oh, was that your car? I got a car, 358 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,120 Speaker 1: you know, he said, But Billy, trust me, go pick 359 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: her up in this car. And said all right. And 360 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: the parents you wouldn't believe when they see me getting 361 00:18:18,400 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: out of here. I am, I got long hair, And 362 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: I get out of this car wearing some kind of 363 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: led Zeppelin or a who T shirt and bell bottom 364 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: jeans and walk up to the door. And the parents 365 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 1: usually just kind of go, well, it's here. But when 366 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: I pull up in that car or something, they go, 367 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:34,520 Speaker 1: who is that? Whose car is that? That's my brother 368 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: Elvis's car. Oh, well, come on in have see you 369 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: know you my dad dinner? You want to join us? 370 00:18:42,560 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: It changed real quick when they found out who I was. 371 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:51,720 Speaker 1: You had a pretty powerful final conversation with Elvis. I 372 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: don't know if you thought it was going to be 373 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: your final conversation, but it has sort of a haunting 374 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,399 Speaker 1: quality to it. Can you describe that? Yeah, that was 375 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 1: August fourteenth, nineteen seventy seven. I went up to visit 376 00:19:04,880 --> 00:19:07,679 Speaker 1: with him before the tour, just to say hello and stuff. 377 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 1: And we're standing in Lisa Marie's nursery. She wasn't in there. 378 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: It's just Elvis and a bunch of guys. And he 379 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:16,719 Speaker 1: wanted to give me a demonstration with these new karate 380 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: knives that he just got. So he did. He said, okay, 381 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:22,040 Speaker 1: throw it right now. I threw it right, and he said, okay, 382 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 1: throw the left, So I threw the left. And then 383 00:19:24,359 --> 00:19:26,360 Speaker 1: I thought, well, he knows I'm doing this, and I said, 384 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 1: well what if I do? And I threw a real 385 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: quick punch and he hit me on the finger, thankfully 386 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:33,960 Speaker 1: with a dullion and so it brought up a big 387 00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: blood blister. He just dropped those knives and grabbed my 388 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:40,439 Speaker 1: finger and he took me into his bathroom, and you 389 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 1: would think it was major surgery here, and I was 390 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 1: just going, it's just a blood blister. I was, it's 391 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: not a big deal. But he was making this big 392 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: deal out of it. And I'm standing there looking at 393 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: him in the mirror, just going if the people could 394 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 1: see him now, just you know, it's nothing major here, 395 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,760 Speaker 1: but you know he's that concerned over my injury. After 396 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: he popped the blisters, the first thing he said was 397 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:05,840 Speaker 1: do you believe the Lord forgives us for our sins? 398 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,919 Speaker 1: And I looked at him kind of strange, I said, 399 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: I mean, I was still looking at him in the mirror, 400 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,439 Speaker 1: and I go, yes, Elvis. I said, we'd discussed this 401 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: for almost seventeen years. You know he does forgive us 402 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,199 Speaker 1: if we asked for it. He said, good, that's what 403 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: I wanted to hear. Did you have any sense of 404 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: that that was ominous at that moment, or that he 405 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: was contemplating duy No, Sir, I didn't. If I had 406 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: trust me, I would have talked to him a lot 407 00:20:29,800 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 1: more than what I did because I was kind of 408 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: in a hurry. I wanted to get back home because 409 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: I had to get up and go to work the 410 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: next day. But as I was leaving, I already said 411 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: I loved him once. And I was walking down the 412 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 1: stairs and he said, I love you, Billy. I just 413 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: kind of looked up at him and waved. And I 414 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:49,639 Speaker 1: was thinking about this conversation on the way home, because 415 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,920 Speaker 1: I mean, we were talking about my future, about love 416 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 1: all kinds of serious things. And then it dawned on me. 417 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 1: I slamed on the brakes and I just kind of 418 00:20:58,840 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: slid to the south of the road at that we'll 419 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: go back and tell him, you know that you love him. 420 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,120 Speaker 1: And then the thought came to me, you'll see him 421 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: in the sixteenth, so don't worry about it. You know, 422 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: I wish I had gone back now listen to my 423 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 1: gut feeling. But sadly I never saw him on the sixteenth. 424 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: Colos and I watched the new movie about Elvis, and 425 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 1: I was really surprised that Tom Hanks played Colonel Tom Parker. 426 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 1: And you don't think of Hanks as being a mean, nasty, 427 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: dishonest guy, and he did a very convincing job that, 428 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: in fact, Colonel Parker was not a very nice man. 429 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,600 Speaker 1: Would Elvis have had a different career track had he 430 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: had somebody else managing him other than Parker. I think 431 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,480 Speaker 1: Ellis's career would have gone a lot further if it 432 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 1: had him in for Parker. The movie didn't really show 433 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: how bad Colonel Parker really was, you know, I mean, 434 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: now you're talking to somebody. It was actually there for 435 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 1: seventeen years. So after the Army days when he came 436 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: out from the nineteen sixty all the way up to 437 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy seven. I mean, one of my memories of 438 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,920 Speaker 1: Parker was I was working for Ovis in nineteen seventy 439 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: two and I was walking through the casino and Colonel 440 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 1: Parker saw me. He said, Delly came here. So I 441 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: walked over and he started talking to me, and I 442 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: saw he was playing Roulette and he had the biggest 443 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:44,439 Speaker 1: stack of chips I'd ever seen, just sitting there in 444 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,479 Speaker 1: front of him. He wasn't winning. He was just pushing 445 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,280 Speaker 1: stacks out there on black or red or even or 446 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,080 Speaker 1: odd or something, picking numbers and stuff like that. He 447 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 1: even asked me for a number. I gave him a number. 448 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:01,040 Speaker 1: I don't remember which one. But the conversation went on 449 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: for about fifteen or twenty minutes, and I finally stopped. 450 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: I said, how much did you just lose? Because he 451 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: didn't win anything while I was standing there. He said 452 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,520 Speaker 1: probably about forty thousand dollars. He said, but don't worry 453 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: about it, my boy will take care of it. And 454 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: when he said that, I knew who he's talking about. 455 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: I just turned around. I walked away from him and 456 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: right then. You know this guy now, I mean, you 457 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 1: get the sense that he really manipulated Elvis and exploited 458 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: him in a way that made his health much worse. 459 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: But Elvis was also I gotta say this, Elvis wanted 460 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: to be in front of the people. Once he got 461 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:42,120 Speaker 1: finished with the movie contract, which was for seven years, 462 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: he wanted to get back and doing the live performances 463 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:47,800 Speaker 1: because that's what he lived for, is being in front 464 00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: of those fans. And he missed it because in movies 465 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:52,119 Speaker 1: you don't get to do that, and he didn't do 466 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: any concerts. So once that was over, he started back 467 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: doing it. You know. Of course, he did the experiment 468 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 1: with the sixty eight special you know, which over very well, 469 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: and then he performed for the first time live in 470 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:11,120 Speaker 1: Vegas in nineteen sixty nine. I remember that like it 471 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: was just yesterday. Because I was sixteen. I wanted to 472 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 1: go to Woodstock, but the family said, no, you're going 473 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: on to the family vacation and that's gonna be Vegas. 474 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,919 Speaker 1: I thought, okay, And I hadn't seen Elvas since nineteen 475 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,640 Speaker 1: sixty one, and I thought, well, all that's gonna be there. 476 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: It's just a bunch of old people, and you know, 477 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:32,560 Speaker 1: not much really. So I'm sitting there, I'm sixteen years 478 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: old in the Vegas showroom, and I'm looking around. I 479 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 1: see all these celebrities, you know, and I'm going, wow, 480 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: this might be pretty cool. Elvis comes out and he 481 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,520 Speaker 1: starts his show, and I sit there. I think I 482 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 1: took one breath there in the whole show. My draw 483 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:50,800 Speaker 1: hit the table. I just sit there and I kept 484 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: looking back and forth at my brothers and looking at Elbas, 485 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 1: going who is this guy? We've never met him before. 486 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 1: It was a completely different guy. I mean I'd seen 487 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: the movies and that, but I never saw him live. 488 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:04,199 Speaker 1: And I realized then that is why they called him 489 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:05,960 Speaker 1: the King of rock and roll, because I mean I 490 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,160 Speaker 1: was a bit of a rock and roller myself at 491 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 1: that age. And I mean I've seen a bunch of 492 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 1: concerts before and sense some big bands too. I mean, 493 00:25:14,280 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: you know, like the Who and you name it. You know, 494 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,159 Speaker 1: anybody's famous back in the seventy but nobody put on 495 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,880 Speaker 1: a show like that. That's when I went, wow, Now 496 00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: I know why they called him the king. He was 497 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,160 Speaker 1: really there at the beginning, and he created the whole 498 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 1: framework that popular music has followed ever since. I think 499 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: he was probably the most popular single performer in the world. 500 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 1: He would always kind of joke around and he said, well, 501 00:25:40,840 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 1: what you see in the music world today, Billy I created, 502 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 1: he said, and I hope God forgives me for it. 503 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 1: When you learned of his death, was it a shock? Yes, 504 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: pretty much. Everybody that was with Elvis it was a shock, 505 00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 1: you know. I mean, I know everything's been said since 506 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 1: he passed away Hindsights twenty twenty, you know, and everybody 507 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,080 Speaker 1: that's where they get this stuff. It was a shock 508 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:07,199 Speaker 1: to everybody. Everybody in the family and everybody, well, you 509 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: saw he had problems and this and that. You know, 510 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 1: why didn't you say something? You know? Trust me, people 511 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: did say something to him. But I approached him one time. 512 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: I was like twenty two, twenty three years old. I said, 513 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 1: do you think maybe some of this medication might be 514 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 1: causing some of the problems? And he looked at me like, 515 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:26,399 Speaker 1: who are you to talk to me like this? You know, 516 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: he said, Billy, you think I got to where I'm 517 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 1: at today by listening to what people say? And I mean, 518 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: this is my big brother talking to me. So I'm 519 00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: taking it okay. And he'd never lied to me before, 520 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 1: so I believed him. I had no cause not to 521 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,920 Speaker 1: doubt him. He could handle this. I didn't know it 522 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:45,840 Speaker 1: till later on. And I had like those demons myself 523 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 1: when I had addiction, you know, and I put myself 524 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: through a treatment center. In this book, I choose not 525 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,320 Speaker 1: to talk about that because to me, that's a dead 526 00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 1: horse that's been kicked so many times. The reason I 527 00:26:57,080 --> 00:26:59,199 Speaker 1: wanted to do this is show another side of Elvis 528 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: that people ever really got to see. What addition to Elvis, 529 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: what was Vernon like as a stepfather? Well, he wasn't 530 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: like the character they made him out to be in 531 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: the movie. Vernon was a very strong individual. He knew 532 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,320 Speaker 1: the value of a dollar, and I mean he was 533 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:16,520 Speaker 1: real tight with money. The only time they would ever 534 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: get into a discussion is when Elvis would go out 535 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 1: and buy like sixteen Cadillacs at one time, and Vernon 536 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 1: would come in and and going, you're gonna drive us to 537 00:27:24,520 --> 00:27:26,280 Speaker 1: the poorhouse, and Elvis would just go, well, at least 538 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: we'll be going in a new car, Daddy. Don't worry 539 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: about it, you know, he said, I'll go do another tour, 540 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 1: or you know, do something you know, don't worry about it. 541 00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: Money was not Elvis's god, And what I mean by 542 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: that is he didn't worship money at all. It was 543 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 1: just a means to make other people happy, and that's 544 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,159 Speaker 1: all it was to him. That's amazing. But have you 545 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 1: had a chance to see the film, Elvis? Yes, I have. 546 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:51,639 Speaker 1: What did you think? Well? I went into it with 547 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:53,720 Speaker 1: an open mind because I knew it wasn't going to 548 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,240 Speaker 1: be accurate. First off, I knew it was gonna be Hollywood. 549 00:27:57,880 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 1: I wasn't wrong. They didn't show a lot of the 550 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:02,880 Speaker 1: Elvis that I knew. They didn't show him happy, they 551 00:28:02,880 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 1: didn't show his generosity, they didn't touch on his faith. 552 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 1: And everybody loves to defend the movie by saying, well, 553 00:28:09,320 --> 00:28:12,200 Speaker 1: that was colonel Parker's perspective. Well, where did they get 554 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 1: Colonel Parker's perspective from? Is what I want to know. 555 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,520 Speaker 1: Because Colonel Parker's no longer here. He never wrote a book. 556 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:20,919 Speaker 1: I look at it as a nice little fantasy. But 557 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 1: it's entertaining for the fans, say, and that's all that 558 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: really matters. If the fans enjoy it, that's all it 559 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,800 Speaker 1: really matters. The thing that surprised me. I'm old enough 560 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: that I remember the emergence of Elvis, and I had 561 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,800 Speaker 1: never quite put together how much Memphis and the whole 562 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: combination of Field Street and the music in the black community, 563 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: and then the music in the church, how all those 564 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: things came weaving together at the very beginning of Elvis's 565 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:53,720 Speaker 1: musical career, and he somehow blended it into something brand 566 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 1: new and something dramatically different exactly well, as he often said, 567 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 1: rock and roll is mixture of all types of music, 568 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: you know, in gospel included. When you include all that 569 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 1: put it all together, and then the music is supposed 570 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 1: to move you in some way. I mean, how many 571 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 1: times if you sit there and heard a song and 572 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,560 Speaker 1: you start tapping your foot or you know, patting your 573 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:15,560 Speaker 1: lead with your hand or something, or moving just a 574 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,440 Speaker 1: little bit. That's the same thing Elvis did, except his 575 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:20,960 Speaker 1: movements with a little bit more exaggerated than hours. So 576 00:29:21,640 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: that's all it was. It had an enormous effect, not 577 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 1: just an American culture, but around the world. And you know, 578 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:32,320 Speaker 1: you've done us a real service. I think by recentering 579 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: a lot of our understanding of Elvis around his faith 580 00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: and the importance of the kind of generous person and 581 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: the kind of very human person that he was. And 582 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,240 Speaker 1: thank you for joining me. Your new book, The Faith 583 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,920 Speaker 1: of Elvis, a Story only a Brother can tell. I 584 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: think reveals the side of Elvis Presley's deep faith and 585 00:29:51,160 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: helps us better understand his music. And we're gonna have 586 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: a link so people can go and buy it. And 587 00:29:56,120 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: I want to thank you for joining me in newch 588 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: World and sharing with us. Thank you, sir, It's been 589 00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: a pleasure and an honor, a big honor, I'll tell 590 00:30:05,400 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 1: you right now. El was smiling down at me today. Yes, 591 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: I'll here, doctor. Thank you to my guests, Billy Stanley. 592 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 1: You can get a link to buy his new book, 593 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 1: The Faith of Elvis, a Story only a Brother can 594 00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:25,080 Speaker 1: Tell on our show page at newtsworld dot com. News 595 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:29,080 Speaker 1: World is produced by Gingwich three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our 596 00:30:29,160 --> 00:30:33,600 Speaker 1: executive producer is Gornsey Sloan, our producer is Rebecca Howe, 597 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 1: and our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the 598 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: show was created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the 599 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:45,000 Speaker 1: team at Gingwich three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, 600 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:48,200 Speaker 1: I hope you'll go to Apple podcast and both rate 601 00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 1: us with five stars and give us a review so 602 00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 1: others can learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners 603 00:30:55,000 --> 00:30:57,760 Speaker 1: of news World can sign up from my three free 604 00:30:57,800 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 1: weekly columns at Gingwich three six dot com slash newsletter. 605 00:31:02,760 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: I'm new Gingrich. This is news World