Priscilla Presley (named Beaulieu at the time) was a massive fan of Elvis Presley before she even met him.
She recalled in her memoir that she remembered watching him perform on TV as a child, and often played his record Blue Suede Shoes at home.
They first met in Friedberg, Germany, in 1959 when Elvis was stationed in the country for the US Army. Priscilla became obsessed with the King of Rock and Roll. And as their relationship blossomed, she followed him around the world to live with him in Graceland.
After almost a decade of being together, they got married in 1967 – but during that time she never saw him perform music live.
When she finally saw him hit the stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas, 1969, she was stunned by what she witnessed.
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Priscilla wrote about the experience in her memoir, Elvis and Me, where she recalled: “Though it had been nine years since Elvis had given a live performance, you never would have known it from his opening.
“The audience cheered the moment he stepped onstage and never stopped the entire two hours as Elvis sang, All Shook Up, Blue Suede Shoes, In the Ghetto, Tiger Man, and Can’t Help Falling in Love. He mixed the old with the new, the fast and hot with the lyrical and romantic.”
Looking back on his incredible setlist, Priscilla felt as if he was singing directly to her.
Priscilla wrote: “It was the first time I’d ever seen Elvis perform live. Wanting to surprise me, he had kept me from rehearsals.”
“I was astounded,” she added. “At the end he left them still cheering and begging for more.” (Via Cheat Sheet)
Elvis remained at the hotel for years in a residency slot, where he played almost daily to more than 2,000 punters, showing off just how powerful his bravado still was.
Although Elvis and Priscilla split up in 1972, she never stopped praising how incredible the star was at his craft.
Priscilla later said of the performer: “The thing about Elvis is he was authentic. He was the real deal. Stage appearances or when he would go on tour, you couldn’t help but fall in love with him. He seemed to have it all.”
Once the King died on August 16, 1977, Priscilla took over Graceland and turned it into an empire for Elvis lovers to visit and pay their respects to the star.
