How Lisa Marie Presley And The Rest Of Elvis' Family Grew Up Under The Glare Of The Spotlight

Elvis Presley was one of those artists who defined a generation. His brand of rock 'n' roll music changed the industry forever in the 1950s and '60s — and he was a massive star right up until the moment he died. But that meant that his family members also had to grow up and live in the spotlight. And some of them — including his daughter, the late Lisa Marie Presley — have dealt with it better than others.

Elvis' mom and pop

Things probably changed the most for Elvis' parents. His mom and dad were Gladys and Vernon Presley, and Elvis was close with his parents as a youngster. Growing up, his family rarely stayed in one place for too long, with his mom and dad trying to make ends meet. But despite not being awash with money, Gladys was the one who treated her son to a guitar when he turned 11 in 1946.

Parental love

Of course, Gladys and Vernon Presley were intensely proud of their son. After Elvis tragically passed, his father gave a touching interview to Good Housekeeping. Vernon revealed, “My love for my son began even before he was born on January 8, 1935. At that time, there was almost nobody poorer than my wife, Gladys, and me.” But they knew good times were coming.

A very special child

“We were thrilled and excited when we learned we were going to be parents,” Vernon continued. He explained that during Elvis’ early years, he became convinced his son was meant for great things. Vernon explained, “Certain things happened [that] convinced me... God had given my wife and me a very special child — for whom He had some very special plans.” But Elvis’ bond with his mother was particularly strong.

A strong bond

“Elvis grew up very close to his mother. He used to call her by a pet name, ‘Baby,’” Vernon revealed. And when Gladys died tragically young in 1958, Elvis had an ornate grave marker created. The design pointed to the roots of her side of the family — revealing something many fans may not know about the King’s heritage.

“The roughest town in northern Mississippi”

But when you delve into Elvis’ life, there may be clues. The man who would become the King was born in East Tupelo — at that time, reportedly, “the roughest town in northern Mississippi.” And his family lived in a two-room house — commonly known as a “shotgun house” — that was built by Vernon. But they wouldn't stay there for long.

Growing up in poverty

The U.S. was in the midst of the Great Depression when Elvis was born, and Vernon and Gladys were like many other Americans in poverty. But while lots of fans believe that Elvis lived in the shotgun house his whole childhood, that wasn’t actually the case. Apparently, the Presleys had to abandon that home in 1938 — when Elvis was still only a toddler.

Vernon goes to jail

Elvis and Gladys were forced to bunk with family members in Tupelo after Vernon went to jail for adjusting a check. He spent eight months inside, and, as revealed by one of Elvis’ cousins, the young boy often cried for his father on the porch. Then, upon Vernon’s release, the family moved around a lot. They simply couldn’t afford to buy another house.

Elvis and Vernon work closely together

But as he evolved into an American icon, Elvis remained close to his parents. They even lived with him in Graceland. Vernon took an active part in his son’s career, looking after his finances and even tagging along on tour. Elvis’ dad was also given work in the King’s movie Live A Little, Love A Little.

A mama’s boy

But even though Vernon was active in the business side of Elvis’ life, the King was supposedly closer to Gladys. In fact, from his childhood, Elvis had been teased by others in school for being a “mama’s boy.” Elvis once told an interviewer, “My mama never let me out of her sight. I couldn’t go down to the creek with the other kids.”

Starting out

But then Elvis’ mom did change his life when she bought him that first guitar. After that, the future King of rock and roll went on to win a talent competition at Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee, before graduating in 1953. From there, the aspiring musician looked to make his dreams a reality — and we all know how that turned out, don't we?

Priscilla

Over the next few years, Elvis established himself as one of the biggest stars in the world, both in music and film. But everything changed in the King's personal life during his military service in the late 1950s. While stationed in Germany, he met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu from Brooklyn, New York. And it wouldn't be that much longer until Elvis started a family of his own.

On again, off again

Elvis and Priscilla began an on-off relationship for the next several years until they finally got married in May 1967. She was 21 years old, and Elvis was 32 years old. Priscilla then gave birth to their first child in February 1968 while living in Elvis’ Graceland home in Tennessee. They named the child Lisa Marie Presley.

Not-so-happily ever after

Despite Lisa Marie’s arrival, Elvis and Priscilla eventually divorced in 1973, bringing their six-year marriage to an end. Some four years later, Elvis passed away in August 1977. Aged just 42, the iconic musician suffered heart failure, with his body later being laid to rest in Graceland. Even after Elvis’ untimely death, though, his family remained in the spotlight.

Priscilla Presley

Many family members carved out careers for themselves in different areas. Priscilla enjoyed great success in Hollywood in the 1980s, featuring in over 140 episodes of the classic TV show Dallas. The actress also showcased her comedic talents in the much-loved Naked Gun film trilogy, alongside Leslie Nielsen. She continued acting well into the 1990s, too.

Priscilla's hard work

And while Priscilla eventually dropped out of acting in 1999, she had already established herself as a notable businesswoman. Following her ex-husband’s passing, she helped form Elvis Presley Enterprises, a company that opened up Graceland to the public. Priscilla also gave birth to another child in 1987, following a three-year relationship with director Marco Garibaldi. His name is Navarone Garibaldi.

Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie Presley, who died aged 54 on January 12, 2023, endured plenty of ups and downs in the years after Elvis’ death. She was, after all, only nine years old when her father passed. But while she may have had personal problems growing up, she had no problems forming relationships. In 1988, for instance, she found love with rockstar Danny Keough.

Danny Keough

The pair eventually got married in October 1988, before having their first child together the following year. Danielle Riley Keough was born in May 1989, becoming Elvis’ first grandchild. Lisa Marie then gave birth to her second baby three years later, naming him Benjamin Keough. But while that may sound like all happy families, the story does not have a perfect ending.

Lisa Marie's family

Lisa Marie’s marriage to Danny mirrored her own parents’ relationship; they, too, got a divorce after six years together. This was in 1994. After that, Lisa Marie engaged in a couple of other high-profile marriages. Her second union was with Michael Jackson, between 1994 and 1996. And her third was with Nicolas Cage, between 2002 and 2004.

Focusing on her career

Following that hectic period, Lisa Marie kick-started a career in music, releasing three albums in nine years. Storm and Grace in particular got rave reviews upon its arrival on the charts in 2012. And in between making these records, she got married again. This time, the union lasted significantly longer than her previous relationships, too.

Michael Lockwood

In January 2006 Lisa Marie celebrated her fourth wedding, tying the knot with musician Michael Lockwood. In an unusual twist, her first husband, Danny Keough, was actually the best man at the couple's wedding. Some two years after that, she welcomed two more children into the world, giving birth to twin girls Harper Vivienne Ann Lockwood and Finley Aaron Love Lockwood.

Nanny dearest

These various commitments meant that Lisa Marie often relied on her mother when it came to childcare. In March 2017 Priscilla confirmed that she’d been helping to look after her daughter’s twins, Finley and Harper, for approximately nine months. And judging by her interview with People that same year, she appeared to be relishing the opportunity to spend more time with them.

Tight bonds

Harper and Finley even inspired Priscilla to write her very first children’s book! Priscilla explained, “They have so much to contribute in their opinions, their viewpoints, and questions. I value that very much.” Priscilla also revealed that her two youngest grandkids are already very familiar with her late husband and his iconic body of work. Tragically, though, Lisa Marie will not be around to watch her youngest kids grow into adulthood.

Life cut short

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us,” Priscilla Presley said in a statement in January 2023. “She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known.” Lisa Marie died after being rushed to hospital following a suspected cardiac arrest. It was the latest tragedy to befall the Presley family.

Benjamin Keough

Lisa Marie’s son, Benjamin, died by suicide at the age of 27. Lisa Marie released a statement through her manager at the time. "[Lisa Marie] is completely heartbroken, inconsolable, and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter, Riley," it read. "She adored that boy. He was the love of her life."

Riley Keough

As for Lisa Marie’s oldest daughter, she has big ambitions of her own. Now known as Riley Keough, the actress wanted to forge a path for herself instead of living off of her famous family name. “I always wanted to have my own money — not my family’s money,” she told Esquire magazine in March 2016. And she has achieved this admirable goal.

Making her own name

“I don’t think it had anything to do with me being Elvis’ granddaughter,” Riley continued. “None of my drive was, ‘I need to get away from my family legacy.’ I wanted to save up the money to go to film school.” And following a stint as a model, she moved into acting, making her movie debut in 2010.

Big break

After appearing in The Runaways, Riley secured roles in several other projects, including 2012’s Magic Mike. But her big break didn’t come until 2015 when she co-starred in the critically acclaimed Mad Max: Fury Road opposite Charlize Theron. From there, the actress went on to star in movies such as American Honey, Logan Lucky, and It Comes at Night.

Continuing the family name

As well as extending her family’s entertainment legacy, Riley has also continued the Presley tradition of marrying young. In 2015 the American Honey star was only 25 when she walked down the aisle with Aussie stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen. Riley’s mom, Lisa Marie, got wed in 1988 at the age of 20, while grandmother Priscilla was a year older when she got hitched to Elvis in 1967.

Love and marriage

Riley told The Guardian, “Marriage is just something I wanted to experience in my lifetime, to be honest with you. But the older I get, the less urgent it feels to have a kid. Not to be too grim, but the world is in a weird place, so I’m kind of torn on whether to bring a child in or adopt. Like morally.”

Benefits of fame

But Riley acknowledges that she’s benefitted from being part of such a famous family. She told The Guardian, “It’s been a huge help. I’m very privileged. Like the normal story of moving to Los Angeles and it takes you three years to find an agent? I got one in a week.” She revealed how she deals with the spotlight, too.

Living under your spotlight

In 2016 Riley told Esquire, “People always ask, ‘How crazy is it that your grandpa was Elvis and your stepdad was Michael Jackson?’ I make them happy and say, ‘Yeah, it’s soooo crazy!’ But actually, I don’t think about it, ever. The reality is I know as much about my grandpa as you’d know about a grandpa you [had] never met.”

Best known

Despite her various acting achievements, though, Riley will always be best known as the granddaughter of Elvis Presley. Luckily, as she told The Guardian, that’s not something the star has a problem with. Riley said, “Why should I? It’s a fact. And I’m not ashamed of that in any way.” Riley also doesn’t mind being asked questions about the King, despite the fact he died 12 years before she was born.

Wider family

Another member of Elvis' family you may not know is Billy Smith. Smith’s father, Travis, was the brother of Elvis’ mother, Gladys, and the two boys remained close for life. In fact, the singer’s relative was also part of the so-called Memphis Mafia — the name that Elvis gave to the close group of friends and associates with which he had surrounded himself throughout his career.

Family insiders

Owing to their close links to Elvis, Smith and his family were in a position to clarify some of the bizarre rumors involving the King. That’s precisely why Danny chose to set up a YouTube channel. He and his relatives wanted to share insights into their lives with Elvis with the wider world. And what they had to say was intriguing.

The iconic quiff

First of all, Smith addressed Elvis’ famous hair. According to the King’s cousin, he didn’t always sport his iconic quiff. Smith explained, “In high school, he once got a crew cut, but [he] decided that [it] didn’t look real good. So, he let his hair grow out, and that’s kind of when he started wearing his sideburns long.”

Lookin' good

Next up, attention turned to Elvis’ winning smile and claims that the King had help in achieving that perfect grin. Smith confirmed this, saying, “He had caps on his teeth.” Explaining why the singer might have had such a procedure, he said, “Well, things like this to Elvis, it meant a lot because it made him look — he thought... it made him look better.”

Pride in himself

Smith also confirmed that Elvis dyed his hair. But while some of the tweaks that Elvis allegedly made to his appearance may come as a shock to fans, they apparently made perfect sense to those close to the singer. Smith explains, “[He] always tried to improve his looks.” And so that’s exactly what Elvis did, even when his friends and family believed that he was perfect just as he was.

A stepbrother

Elvis has also been the focus of David Stanley’s life ever since the two first met. David has knocked around a bit and tried a few things out. According to The Independent, he was even an evangelist at one point. But one thing above all has marked him out and formed the shape of his life: David is Elvis’ stepbrother. He doesn’t let anyone forget it, either.

Mined the relationship

David has mined his relationship with Elvis by writing a series of books about the singer. Among them have been Elvis, We Love You Tender and The Elvis Encyclopaedia. And when not writing, David has also been speaking. In fact, people will pack out a venue to hear stories from someone who was so close to the King. Well, we'd listen to what he had to say. Wouldn't you?