“Me And A Guy Named Elvis
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Elvis Presley was a king during his life. Even before he became famous his first record was put out while working as a truck driver. As early as it may have been in Elvis’s career there were fans that dreamt and prayed to meet him. For Jerry Schilling it would take a prayer and little luck for his wish to come true.
Jerry’s mother, Dorothy, died a year after his birth contracting rheumatic fever. Bill, Jerry’s father, worked hard taking extra shifts at the Firestone Factory to provide for his kids. Billy Ray, his older brother was sent off to boarding school to try and ease the loss of their mother. Jerry bounced around living with his grandparents, aunts, and uncles until he moved back in with his father permanently in the summer of 1954. Later Jerry attended Catholic High School, upon his completion of the eighth grade. This helped Jerry get around and explore the wider circle of Memphis where he grew up.
Jerry’s boredom one Sunday afternoon on July 11, 1954, would lead him to Guthrie Park for a pick up football game of six on six. It was enough excitement getting asked to play football with Red West and some older kids, but he was overwhelmed when he was picked to be on Elvis’ team. This first meeting between Elvis and Jerry would be the start of an illustrious lifelong friendship. Being Billy Rays brother, gave Jerry good reason to why he was invited to play with Red West and the older kids from around town. The friendship created, between Elvis and Jerry, through football would then take Jerry to Graceland where people stood at the gate only to catch a glimpse of the king. Karate lessons from Elvis himself, when he returned from military service in 1960, set the friendship to a special bond that would last a lifetime between the two. Jerry was ushered into Elvis’s entourage and would then turn it into a career. While working for Elvis, Jerry thought that he would be doing a lot of travelling between his dad’s house and Graceland but the sudden invitation of moving in with Elvis made Jerry feel like he was at home in Graceland. Jerry’s invitation came while Elvis was conversing with Marty Lacker, another resident of Elvis’s home. Elvis simply told Jerry that he would take the downstairs room. Jerry wouldn’t have it any other way because to him Graceland had always been a place of excitement and would be for years to come. Elvis’s generosity was bigger than the world when it came to his friends. Any gifts the king would give, as Jerry found out when he received a truck, would have to be taken because Elvis wouldn’t take no for an answer.
Elvis’s relationship with Colonel Tom Parker was sought out