Elvis Presley’s Cousin Addresses Rumors He Is Not Buried at Graceland
Rumors surrounding Elvis Presley‘s 1977 death continue to swirl around the entertainer. Some theories claim Elvis’ death was a hoax, while others believe the King of Rock and Roll remains alive and well and living in the sealed-off upstairs area of his Graceland home. Elvis’ cousin Danny Smith addresses these theories head-on in a new video upload, revealing if Elvis is buried at the stately Memphis, Tennessee home.
Is Elvis Presley buried at Graceland? His cousin Billy Smith weighs in
In a new video uploaded to his YouTube channel, Memphis Mafia Kid, Danny Smith shared his thoughts about rumors that Elvis Presley was not buried at his Graceland home. Subsequently, the entertainer has a plot in the meditation garden in the home’s backyard.
“It’s just a rumor,” he explained. “Y’all know that.” He continued, “There are going to be so many rumors and so much bull crap. Always has and always will.”
“But no, they’re all up and Graceland. That’s where they’re buried.” Smith concluded, “To each his own. If you want to believe differently, so be it.”
Was Elvis Presley originally buried at Graceland?
Elvis Presley’s Graceland home was where he lived with his extended family members and friends. However, he also allowed his friends and close associates to feel like the abode was theirs.
Eager to find a rural refuge away from wild fans and the pressure of fame, 22-year-old Elvis purchased the home on March 19, 1959, for $102,500. He lived there with his parents, Vernon and Gladys, and his grandmother, Minnie Mae.
He resided at the stately Memphis home for 20 years. Elvis died in the house’s upstairs bathroom on Aug. 16, 1977.
He was buried on Aug. 18, 1977, not at Graceland but at nearby Forest Hill Cemetary, where his mother Gladys, who died in 1958, was laid to rest. The copper coffin, weighing nearly a thousand pounds, was carried by six people: road manager Joe Esposito, members of Elvis’ entourage, and Dr. George Nichopoulos.
However, a plot to steal Elvis’ body and hold it for ransom just nine days after his burial led Vernon Presley to petition to have the grounds zoned for a burial. But on Sept. 28, 1977, legal permission was given to relocate the coffin to Graceland.
Who is buried at Graceland today?
Graceland not only remains the Presley family’s home but also where Elvis and his immediate family are buried. Presently, the location of their graves is the Meditation Garden, just beyond the pool area.
The Meditation Garden, just south of the swimming pool area, was constructed in 1964-1965. Reportedly, Elvis built the site as a place for contemplation, a private retreat on the property.
The first person to be interred in the area was Elvis, followed by his mother, Gladys, whose remains were relocated from Forest Hills Cemetary to her beloved home. Notably, both of these burials took place in 1977.
In 1979, Vernon Presley was buried beside his son. But one year later, Minnie Mae Presley, Elvis’ grandmother, was interred opposite Elvis’ grave.
Elvis’ only grandson, Benjamin Keough, died in 2020. However, his remains were buried in an above-ground tomb directly across from Elvis’ grave. In January 2023, Lisa Marie Presley was interred beside her son in an above-ground vault.
Graceland is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Consequently, it is the second most-visited private home in the United States after The White House.
