Family life was not easy for the Presleys. When Elvis was born on January 8, 1935, the family were living in a two-room shack in Tupelo, Mississippi. Despite being surrounded by an extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins there was very little money – a situation made worse when Elvis’ father Vernon was sent to prison for forging a cheque.
With three-year-old Elvis in tow Gladys couldn’t afford the payments on their home and they were forced to move in with relatives. In Vernon’s absence the intense bond between mother and son formed into something that would shape the remainder of their lives.
Elvis always said his beloved mother, Gladys Love Presley, was the most important woman in his life. The unprecedented level of their bond began from the moment he was born. Elvis’ identical twin brother, Jessie, was tragically delivered stillborn. This tragedy made Gladys paranoid and over-protective of her only surviving son.
Left to fend for herself and her son while Vernon was in prison, her connection with Elvis became all-consuming. They often shared a bed and in the morning they would lie there together talking in their own made-up language or read children’s bible stories together.
My word is gospel
Elvis was brought up to be God-fearing; going to church three times on Sundays. And it was in church Gladys’ little boy first showed a talent for singing. She liked to tell him how, when he was under two years old he would crawl off her lap and run down the aisle to sing with the choir.
Gladys mollycoddled her boy and barely let him out of her sight. She forbade him from playing sports in case he got hurt and sent him to school with his own cutlery because she didn’t trust the cafeteria. She walked him to school every day until he was in his teens and would give other kids a beating if she thought they were giving Elvis a hard time.
When Elvis fell ill with tonsillitis his fever was so bad his parents feared they’d lose him. With no money for doctors they fell to their knees and prayed. When the fever broke Gladys was convinced that his survival was a message from God, further proof that her boy was special.
From day one she had instilled in Elvis the belief that he was exceptional. She told him when one twin dies the survivor grows up with all the talents and qualities of their sibling. So Elvis always felt the extra pressure of honouring Jessie’s memory.
Memphis bound
For his 11th birthday Elvis asked for a bike but his mother, afraid he might be hit by a car, bought him a guitar instead. “You could play it when you sing,” she suggested. “You know how people love to hear you sing.”
The church pastor showed Elvis a few basic chords and, as he taught himself to play, music began to take up more and more of Elvis’ time.
In November 1948, 14-year-old Elvis left his childhood behind when the family upped sticks and moved from Tupelo to Memphis.
Being in the city meant Elvis was exposed to rhythm and blues music, not just the gospel music he’d been brought up with, and the sound excited him. By now he knew he wanted to be a singer. Vernon said, “I never knew a guitar player who ever made a dollar,” but Gladys never stopped believing in her boy.
Too good to share
When Elvis rocketed to fame Gladys was conflicted. She was very proud of her son and enjoyed the attention, which to her mind, never having doubted her son’s talent, proved she’d been right about him all along. But at the same time, she was afraid of him going out into the wider world and hated him being away from home.
While he was on tour Elvis dutifully called Gladys every night but she grew to hate his success as it meant sharing her precious boy with countless others. For Gladys everything was happening too quickly and, as his success grew, so did her fears.
She began drinking and taking diet pills to try to quash a growing despondency. Despite living in the Graceland mansion and the lavish gifts Elvis bought for her and Vernon, Gladys missed her boy and reportedly told friends “I wish we was poor again, I really do.”
But Gladys’ severe depression was about to get much worse when, in March 1958, Elvis received his Army draft notice.
It was the day she dreaded. Gladys was terrified of him being in the military. For his first two weeks in service Elvis wasn’t allowed to phone home. As they had spoken every day since he was born the separation was too much for Gladys to bear. Without Elvis she lost her appetite and began drinking even more heavily.
Brokenhearted Gladys died just five months later, in August 1958. Elvis had managed to get leave to see her before she died and Vernon was by her side when she passed. The following day reporters surrounded Graceland where they photographed Elvis and Vernon sitting crying unashamedly on the front steps. “She’s all we lived for,” he said. “She was always my best girl.”
Did you know?
Elvis once said, “Don’t worry none, Mama. When I grow up I’m gonna buy you a fine house and pay everything you owe at the grocery store.”
Elvis sent fresh flowers to Gladys’ grave every week until his own death 19 years later.
Sharon Reidis the Editor of Yours Retro magazine and the Yours Specials. She has over 35-years’ experience in all aspects of publishing. After starting her career as a junior designer on Sharon progressed through different departments before becoming editor of Yours magazine 12 years ago.