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.