Elvis - A Lighted Candle

[Skylar Star]

Hello Wanda!
I wanted to ask you if Elvis mentioned anything about Joyce? I have her book and like June, she had also broke up with Elvis. At one time, he wanted her to live with him at Graceland.

SS

[Wanda June Hill]

Hi, the only thing he said about her was when I mentioned that Jimmie's sister whom we called Shirley liked using her middle name best- Joyce and that she was having a birthday and he asked for her number...she also had a daughter who had some birth problems and I think he was interested in finding out more about that at the time. Anyway, he said, "Joyce... I know a lady named that...and told me what it meant which I have forgotten now...the meaning of the word separated etc: he was into doing that at the time. It was a spiritual meaning, I remember that and him saying that they were often "special souls" sent to help people through trying times and friends named Joy or Joyce were to be cherished...as special.

I wish I could recall his exact explanitions but... gone....

I believe at the time he was seeing her he didn't want any publicity about it, that he and pris were more apart than together except for the media and fan's benefit etc: ...and it was kept very quiet as were several other lady friend's visits.... he was "sparing Priscilla's feelings by keeping it quiet as well as doing what she told him to do- not wanting to have it front page news etc:... And too, he still had hope of resolving their problems and was letting her "sow her wild oats" because as he said, "I did."

As for June's book, I will try to get a copy as I've not read it. I have seen parts of the video on tv a time or two but nothing else. His mom did everyting for him....made his food, cut it up, cooked just as he liked it, waited on him hand and foot, He was very spoiled. And June would have continued it I think, because she did seem to really care about him.
He was 21 when he did Love Me Tender-and turned 22 while making it- the starlet who went to his house for Christmas was a set up for photo opt shots and nothing else- they were friends. Nick Adams was using Elvis I know and he knew it, but he still kind of liked him and he did introduce Elvis to lots of hollywood starlets and Natlie Woods too. Elvis wanted to be another James Dean and Nick was "experienced" somewhat in the business so Elvis brought him along like he did so many other people...if he was your friend, he remained so unless Elvis finally had enough of "excusing" your actions. I think he was hurt that Nick was "telling on him to the Col. etc:" but he still was upset when Nick died as he did - Elvis thought someone killed him. Probably did...
Anyway, thanks for telling me I can still find her book. I thought they looked good together too... she had the dark hair etc: that he liked and she and his mom got along very well. His mom told Anita Wood she'd like them to get married so she could have a blue eyed blond little grandson playing on the driveway... She wanted him to settle down and be taken care of... properly etc:. She knew he needed special care and worried about him constantly.

Wjh

[Skylar Star]

Thanks for the info Wanda! I wanted to look up Joyce's name on the Internet and found that it is a breton name which means Lord (other sites have it listed as little Lord) which is extremely fitting for Elvis. I can definitely see him being drawn to people with names of this spiritual nature. I had read that he was very private of that relationship. I know she was too especially in regards to her career which would have been a definite problem had the public found out.

I'm glad to hear that the starlet who came for Christmas was publicity only. I'm still a rather new fan so I didn't know all of the circumstances surrounding it. I do remember June was extremely hurt by it and with her not being in constant contact with Elvis at the time, just made matters all the worse. It just wasn't meant to be but she always had a great love for him.

I didn't care much for Nick as a person at least with what I've read. During Elvis and June's relationship, Nick made it a point of trying to make June feel insecure about the relationship in regards to possible other women. I did read a few things surrounding his death and it did sound unusual. Might have been a setup.

Oh and there are some great pics in June's book. This one I like, she was going to send it to Elvis.

[Lindsaygirl]

Hello Wanda!
I wanted to ask you if Elvis mentioned anything about Joyce? I have her book and like June, she had also broke up with Elvis. At one time, he wanted her to live with him at Graceland.

SS

Joyce had a abortion after learning elvis ddin't like sleeping with mothers so l think thats the best reason why she didn't stick around.

[Wanda June Hill]

Could be- but I doubt she would have ever told him that.. she wouldn't have wanted to ruin her relationship with him as he made it plain he didn't want his women getting pg. I don't think it was "that he didn't like sleeping with mothers"- I think it was more he felt a woman who had a child shouldn't be "sleeping around"? He never said anything about his "dislike" in any way other than the above in various comments... but he did not want to have a child out of wedlock... it was more his feelings on the "God's gift of children" and he tended to be of the "old school" etc: than anything else.

There were too many women in his life that had kids... and he didn't seem to have any problems according to their stories - which ring very true in how they relate what they say about him and being around him and etc:... things they wouldn't know otherwise. He didn't as he put it "go looking for virgins" either, in fact he tended to feel "safer" with those who were "free spirits" as he once explained the various ones he met.

Sometimes things he might say off handidly seem to have turned into major statements it seems to me. But then, everything is "filtered" through the eyes and ears of each individual person and how they "hear" or "see" whatever it might be. So to each their own... he ain't here to set it straight so we'll never know for certain. It did make a good "cover" story that was something he could live with... etc:...

wjh

[Skylar Star]

Yeah she did have an abortion. I believe at the time, the only person who she told about it was her twin sister. From what I recall reading her book, towards the end of their relationship, his lifestyle proved to be too much for her to handle. I think she was missing work which was unlike her. I know she was supposed to come out to California to stay with him and then decided not to.

[73smile]

In the book authorized by Graceland by Gulanick the author talked about Bova and said she worked in D.C. in a government job and also said she had an abortion---according to her.
I can not imagine her not telling Elvis she was expecting his baby and the 'ridding' herself of any baby at all much less one that would be part of Elvis forever.
I do not believe he would ever have abandoned a baby of his--he may have kept it all quiet but he was a man of honor. Period.
That part of Bova's story has never quite rung true with me but I was not there so................
I just can not accept that Elvis would have told her to get rid of part of him---never.
Just my opinion, though.
always with love,
73smile

[FairyTale]

No I can't believe that if Elvis ever knew that a Women was having his Baby, that he would ever want that Child Destoried. He Love Childern, and he always wanted more childern. Elvis I have to believe would never told a Women to get a Abortion, he was Raised Different then that. FairyTale!

[Skylar Star]

I believe and anyone can correct me if I'm wrong since it's been awhile since I read the book, but I thought she possibly did it because of the way Elvis felt towards Priscilla after she had Lisa Marie with him looking at Priscilla as a mother. I don't feel either he would have told her to get rid of the baby because Elvis loved children. In fact he WANTED more children. Joyce did work for the government and her job title escapes me at the moment.

[ALNA]

elvis not wanting Pris anymore after baby Lisa had nothing to do with her giving birth not at all......

It is something Pris made up after his death and was never ever mentionned during his lifetime

[Laura]

I believe that Priscilla made up that story about Elvis not wanting to sleep with a mother too. I read somewhere that after Lisa Marie was born he was scared that he would hurt Priscilla if they had sex too early. He wanted to make sure that Priscilla's "insides" were back to normal before resuming their relations. He even asked the doctor about this, according to what I read. He was trying to be very caring towards her, but as Priscilla has said before, "sex is everything", so in her anger towards Elvis she may have made that story up. She must have been chomping at the bit to have relations with someone soon after Lisa was born because as we have read, she had one of many affair's very soon after Lisa's birth. If she did make that story up just like when she said Elvis raped her, she is the one who has had to live with these things all her life since his death. I wouldn't trade places with her for anything. Money can't buy honesty.

[ALNA]

wow Laura this is one heck of a post. Made me silent. You are so right here girl

[Blue Moon]

With this subject brought up, I should mention that yesterday I watched Elvis: The mini-series again. All in all I liked the movie though it did have some flaws. Well there is this scene, just after Lisa's birth, of Elvis talking to Priscilla saying he didn't want to have sex with her because he didn't like having sex with mothers. Yet we know from his history that he had been intimate with single women who were mothers. So I don't think this was the issue at all. I think he truly was concerned about Priscilla, wanting to make sure she was OK. Whether his worries were well founded or not is not the point; his heart was in the right place. But the movie does not make it seem like that. He comes off looking like weirdo in that scene. What is extra dissapointing, is that this movie was done with the coroperation of EPE. That scene could have been handled in a better way.

Also, I recently watched the Elvis By The Presley's DVD. It was nice to hear more about the man behind the image, in particular the spiritual & giving side of him, but I was disturbed when Priscilla was talking about their marriage break-up. It's very subtle, but with the way she spoke (along with a comment from Jerry Schilling) it makes it seem like Elvis was the first one to cheat on her (& also the only one to cheat) & that she was the saintly victim having to tolerate his affairs. Again, it's put very subtly, but that is what one is left to surmise. Yet we know the opposite is true; that Pris cheated on Elvis several times and only after he found out about her affairs did he have his own. I can understand her not wanting to talk about her youthful indiscreations, but why leave an improper impression re Elvis in this area. Truly, she should be commended for helping to preserve Elvis' legacy, but it's dissapointing that in the area of extra marital affairs she feels the need to present an unbalanced picture. Did anyone else get the same impression here, or was I reading too much into what was said?

[ALNA]

My beautiful friend,

you are so right here and almost reading my mind on the same subjects

True Pris is an ecellent spokeswoman for EPE and yes she does a lot to preserve his legacy but there is something wrong in the total picture. To me it seems she is an independant source , not really emotionally involved and when it comes to their marital life she becomes very very cautious, almost defending......

IMO she has chosen to have very selective memory and she only remembers her truth, her manufactured truth she decided to bring out once and for all. If we would let Pris do her thing she would talk about him with terms like wonderful, special etc etc but IMO she doesn't like to tal about their life together at all. Then she comes on guard......

She has things to hide, many things be sure about that and altough time did its thing and also Scientology did his thing with her memories and way of thinking something deep down inside her is still there. That conscious, that realisation that people who knew them still are listening and watching her. And altough she is mighty powerful because of her wealth and her position in the board of EPE she knows there still exist people like The Smith side of the family, The Presley side, friends of him , people who worked with him etc etc..... And she feels uneasy about telling lies because she KNOWS they will shake their heads in disbelief over and over again..... But she is well trained and believe me never ever will she talk about HER faults, HER shortcomings, HER part in the downfall......

When I was in Memphis (out os season and less crowdy) I met many people connected to him because I had the fortune to have a fantastic tourguide. A local , older man who grew up with Elvis . Not as an insider but as a local Memphis guy. He hung out in same places Elvis and his friends did, he talked to him, he knew very well people like Red and Sonny, Billy Smith, Jo Smith and lots and lots more..... He toured with us in his own car and told us so many stories. Me still naive and in love with that beautiful couple asked a lot about Pris and that journey was the beginning of my own personnal search for the truth. Little nice did I hear about her, in fact nothing at all and it was devastating to me.

He also knew people who were family or friends of those who worked for him. Maids, gardeners etc etc. Majority will never ever write articles or books but to me it seems that there are the best stories. Silent eyewitnesses but eager to tell the truth to friends, and family and so those stories begin to circulate and can also reach a wide public and people cannot be sued because it is not printed on paper and it is just hearsay told by whom?????? Noone can still find the source you know.....


People in Memphis, friends and family are afraid of the mighty EPE. They learned very fast that one can say about Elvis all you want. You may slander him, drag him trough the mud, everything, You will not get into troubles for that "at all". But watch out what you tell about her...... That's the general feeling and atmosphere. I heard words like snake, cold as concrete, evil, bad, many times and oh my God did that break my hearth but either you choose to ignore that and tell yourself it was plain jealousy towards her or you begin to question a lot and try to get as many possible reports from various sources who knew them. Do your on research. I did the last one and am still going on doing so.

Never ever will I come to know everything and that is not necessary but at least I'm glad I'm not a naive follower taking her word and her film and her book for the gospel concerning his life....

For young fans I always say, search and you will find (truth)

The only piece really bothering me is Lisa. I often wonder what side of the story she got to know about mom and dad. Did she also fooled her with lies like she does with us or did she told her only daughter the full truth?????

It keeps me awake often and as for Lisa ..... She seems strong, on her own but did she ever was brave enough to KNOW the truth. To me it seems she is disconnected from ALL who still know the truth. The Smith side, The Presley side in Memphis. I can relate that she doesn't want to speak to the MM but there is also still family who misses her and who would be so glad to tell her stories she perhaps is risking to loose forever. I could only give her one advice. He was her dad, he loved her tremendously and hey she should do that for him, listening to the truth I mean.....

[Blue Moon]

Wow, how lucky for you to have gotten the right tour guide. And thanks Nadine/Alna for such an insightful reply. Your analysis makes sense to me. You are right. Pris does not discuss her own shortcomings. We only hear about Elvis' and even then it is from her perspective. For varous reasons, she seemed incapable of trusting Elvis. She believed he had affairs even when he did not. And nothing he could say would convince her otherwise. Part of it was likely due to projection. She was having her own affairs, so she would feel better about herself if she believed he was having them also. And then in hindsight Elvis blamed himself for having brought Pris over too soon from Germany. He wasn't ready to committ then for any serious relationship so he went out with other girls. Pris on the other hand was expecting committment right away, so she felt he was cheating on her. And she brought that mistrust of him right into the marriage. She didn't seem to understand that when Elvis was ready to committ to marriage with her, he was serious.

And it is a shame that Elvis' relatives are cut off from his immediate family. I've often wondered why. Were they afraid of being asked for money? But then it seems more than that. I know of an Elvis relative who wants to publish a book and has pictures of Elvis even, from when her father knew him. All she wants is approval for use of her own photos but EPE won't even meet with her. It could be as you say, that the relatives know too much.