Why is
this the
first time
you’ve
spoken
about your
time with
Elvis?
I really
don’t do
any
interviews
because it
makes me
sad
sometimes
when I
think back
to Elvis’
tragic
death, he
should
still be
here with
us and I
just get
upset. So
I’ve
stayed at
home in
Mississippi
with my
husband,
three
children
and six
grandchildren.
Tell me
about your
first date
with
Elvis?
I went on
to do
Dance
Party with
Wink
Martindale
which was
a Saturday
programme
for
teenagers
where
George
Klein
worked. I
really was
not an
Elvis fan
before I
met him
but I was
a disc
jockey and
I did play
his
records.
Well, one
particular
Saturday
Lamar Fike
called me
and said
that Elvis
would like
to meet me
and I told
him that I
was sorry
but I
already
had a date
for that
night. I
explained
that I
couldn’t
let my
date down,
Elvis
wouldn’t
have liked
it if it
were him
and that I
was very
sorry.
A couple
of weeks
later
Lamar
called
again and
said Elvis
would like
a date and
was I free
that
night. At
the time I
was living
with a
lady that
I had met
called
Miss Patty
who became
a real
mother
figure to
me and I
told Lamar
to ask
Elvis to
pick me up
there and
we set a
time. When
he came
buy in his
Cadillac,
Elvis was
driving.
He sent
George
Klein up
to the
door,
which was
a big
mistake,
and Miss
Patty told
him that
she was
sorry but
Elvis
would have
to come
himself if
he wanted
a date.
Anyway,
Elvis came
back with
George,
this was
just after
he had
made
Loving You
and he
wore a red
velvet
shirt and
looked
very, very
handsome.
I must say
that he
was the
best
looking
man that I
have ever
seen.
Anyway,
George
made the
introductions
to me and
to Miss
Patty who
told them
to have me
back at a
sensible
hour or
she
wouldn’t
let me go.
I went out
to the
Cadillac
and there
was Lamar
and a few
other
guys. We
just drove
around
laughing
and
talking,
having a
great
time.
Elvis got
hungry so
he stopped
by the
store for
some
hamburgers.
We drove
up to
Graceland
were I
remember
he had a
whole lot
of teddy
bears in
the
dinning
room. All
of a
sudden
Elvis
said, “I
want to
show you
my
bedroom”
and so we
went
upstairs
and he
started to
kiss me.
Now, this
was the
first date
and his
hands
started to
move were
I thought
they
shouldn’t
so I said,
“I think I
need to go
home now.”
He acted
real nice,
we went
down
stairs and
he took me
home. And
the second
date? The
second
date was a
couple of
nights
later and
we went up
to
Graceland
again.
You know
Elvis
still had
an old
truck and
we’d get
in it and
he would
drive me
down to
Lauderdale
Courts to
show me
where he
used to
live. He’d
show me
around
Memphis
and nobody
would ever
bother us
because
they
really
didn’t
recognize
him in
that
truck. We
just went
back to
his house,
we watched
television,
ate and
had a good
time, then
Elvis took
me home.
How long
were you
with Elvis
before you
both felt
that you
were
really in
love with
each
other?
Well, I’d
never
really had
a serious
boyfriend
because my
parents
were very
strict. I
wasn’t
allowed to
go on
dates and
I was
nineteen
when I met
Elvis so
he was
really my
first one.
I’ve
always
said that
Elvis was
my first
love but
Johnny is
my true
love.
Elvis and
I saw each
other a
lot and
after
about two
months we
were on a
date and
after he
took me
home we
stood on
the porch
and he
said,
“Little, I
think I’m
falling in
love with
you.” He
was
loving,
kind and
he made me
laugh.
What are
you
recollections
of Elvis’
army
induction?
When Elvis
was
inducted
into the
army I had
to go to
New York
for
thirteen
weeks to
work on
the Andy
Williams
talk show.
Before
this
though,
Elvis took
me to
Killeen,
Texas
where he
was
stationed.
His mother
wasn’t
feeling to
good at
this time
and I
thought
the world
of her.
She and I
often
talked
about the
time that
Elvis
would
marry me
and we
would have
a little
boy and
that just
made her
very
happy. But
anyway,
she got
real sick
and Elvis
called me
one
morning
and told
me of her
death. I
drove up
to
Graceland
and there
was Mr.
Presley
and Elvis
sitting on
the front
porch and
they were
so sad. I
couldn’t
really
sympathize
with them
because at
that time
I didn’t
know what
it was
like to
lose a
parent.
When I did
loose my
Dad, I
talked to
Elvis to
let him
know that
I knew how
he had
felt.
After that
I spent
time with
Elvis on
base at
Fort Hood
with his
family.
Elvis
looked
tanned and
wonderful.
He had no
dye on his
hair, it
was not a
crew cut
but it was
cut short,
he looked
great. I
would just
go over
and it was
like a
regular
date but
the guys
had to be
with us
all the
time but I
love them,
really.
We’d go to
Waco to
visit
friends
and have a
really
good time.
How was it
for you
when Elvis
left for
Germany?
It was
not very
nice as
Mrs.
Presley
was not
there and
there were
lots of
women and
girlfriends
around and
I felt
uneasy. Do
you
remember
the last
thing
Elvis said
to you
before he
left? Do I
remember
the last
thing he
said to
me? Yeah,
I
remember,
he said,
"I love
you,
Little...."
I
understand
Elvis
bought you
a 1957
Ford and a
diamond
friendship
ring
before he
left?
He gave me
a lot of
things but
I never
asked for
anything
because I
loved him.
The ring
was the
first
thing he
ever gave
me and now
my
daughter
has it and
she wears
it to this
day. I
gave the
car to my
brother
when I got
married
and I gave
certain
toys and
jewelry
that he
gave me to
my
bridesmaids.
I thought
that my
husband
would not
appreciate
me
bringing
these
things
into our
marriage,
gifts I
received
from
another
man. I
would not
appreciate
him doing
that so I
gave
everything
away
except
that
little
ring.
Do you
have any
photographs
of Elvis
that we
haven’t
seen?
You
know, I do
have one
of Elvis
when he
came by
Miss
Patty’s.
We were
standing
out front
talking
when the
picture
was taken.
I do have
some
pictures
but Elvis
did not
want the
newspapers
to know
anything
about how
serious we
were so
not many
photographs
were
taken.
In all
honesty,
why didn’t
you two
get
married?
Elvis told
me that
Colonel
Tom Parker
had said
no because
if he got
married or
engaged or
anything,
with that
kind of
career, he
didn’t
need that
kind of
publicity.
How did
you
finally
find out
about
Priscilla?
I was with
Elvis when
he was
shooting
movie in
1962 and
one time
when he
went to
the studio
I stayed
at home. I
was up in
Elvis’
room
looking
through
some books
in the
library
and inside
one was a
letter. I
opened the
letter and
it was
from
Priscilla.
Let me
tell you,
I was mad
because he
had not
mentioned
any other
women.
When I
asked him
about it
he got
upset and
told me
that it
was just a
love
letter
from some
fan. We
had a big
fight and
Elvis
grabbed me
and threw
me up
against
the
closet.
Thing’s
obviously
became
difficult
from then
on. How
did it
finally
end?
One
afternoon
Elvis was
sitting in
the
kitchen, I
think he
was with
Alan
Fortas,
and I was
on my way
down the
backstairs.
All of a
sudden I
heard
Elvis say,
“I’m
having a
hard time
making up
my mind
between
them.” I
was hurt
and I
walked in
and simply
said,
“well, I’m
going to
make your
mind up
for you”
and I
left. I
wasn’t
going to
remain
there in
that
situation.
Elvis came
after me
and said,
“I prey to
God you’re
doing the
right
thing” and
I told him
that it
didn’t
matter and
it didn’t
make any
difference.
Elvis
became
upset and
Mr.
Presley
began to
cry too.
Elvis was
trying to
put money
in my
purse and
I just
didn’t
know what
was going
on. It was
very hard
but I
never went
back.
