Elvis Presley was only 42-years-old when he died of a heart attack at home in Graceland on August 16, 1977. The King of Rock and Rock had been married to Priscilla from 1967 until their divorce in 1973. Now in an unearthed interviewed from the 40th anniversary of his passing sees her recount finding out the tragic news and the aftermath.
Speaking with the Today Show, the now 74-year-old said: “It was shocking, it was like everyone else not believing it.
“The phone call I got from Joe Esposito [Elvis’ manager], it was like ‘Are you kidding me?’
“Because we would kid around all the time y’know.
“And [Elvis] was in the hospital lots of times and he always made it through.”
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Priscilla continued: “He was so alive with so much energy and to think that it happened so soon. 42, so young.
“And so much left in him, that he wanted to do.
“And yet there was a side of him that was wondering what to do.
“I mean, how do you keep up with your fame? How do you, y’know, what you do you have to out do what you did the last show, the last project. You have to out do it.”
She added: “There’s a lot of pressure that comes with fame. Trying to keep on top.
“All of this was always trying to entertain his audience and make them laugh.
“I think of those times and I just think there was still a lot in him that he could have done.”
Elvis is buried in the meditation garden of Graceland next to his parents and grandmother, where thousands of fans come to pay their respects all year round.