Priscilla Presley Recalled the First Time She and Elvis Functioned as a Team Years Into Their Relationship
After a string of career disappointments, Priscilla Presley was thrilled to see Elvis Presley achieve success with a Las Vegas residency. He reinvigorated his career and let her play an active role in his work. She explained his success also improved their marriage. For the first time in their years-long relationship, Priscilla felt that they were working as a team.
Priscilla Presley described the way Elvis’ success helped their relationship
After nine years without performing live, Elvis put on a concert at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. He jumped back into performing, putting on shows every night for a month. While his fame had been waning for years, Elvis mania gripped Vegas.
“No matter where we looked, all we could see was the name ELVIS — on television, newspapers, banners, and billboards,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “The King had returned.”
Priscilla had spent many sleepless nights next to Elvis as he agonized over his career. His new success improved their relationship.
“Initially, Elvis’ triumph in Las Vegas brought a new vitality to our marriage,” she explained .”He seemed a different person. Once again, he felt confident about himself as a performer and he continued to watch his weight and work out every day at karate.”
For the first time in their roughly 10-year relationship, Priscilla felt that she and Elvis were partners. He typically kept her away from his career, but now she was able to play a small role in his success.
“It was also the first time that I felt we were functioning as a team,” she wrote. “I made several trips to New York, trying to find unique accessories for him to wear onstage. I bought scarves, jewelry, and a black leather belt with chain links all around it that Bill Belew would later copy for the famous Elvis jumpsuit belts.”
Priscilla Presley shared the excitement of seeing Elvis perform during this period
Elvis’ shows in Vegas also allowed Priscilla to watch him perform live for the first time in their relationship. She loved watching him onstage.
“I loved seeing him happy and healthy again, and I especially enjoyed our early days in Vegas,” she wrote. “The International provided an elegant three-bedroom suite that we turned into our home away from home. During his show I always sat at the same table down front, never tiring of watching him perform. He was spontaneous and one never knew what to expect from him.”
This was the first time in their relationship that Elvis’ career was at a high point, and Priscilla enjoyed it.
His successful run of shows eventually began to wear on the couple
Eventually, the success became a problem in their marriage. Priscilla explained that Elvis grew “cocky” and thrived off of his audience’s adoration. Life at home with his wife and daughter became dull to him.
“Thriving on all the excitement, glamor, and hysteria, he found it difficult to go home and resume his role as father and husband,” she wrote. “And for me, the impossibility of replacing the crowd’s adoration became a real-life nightmare.”
Elvis and Priscilla began spending more time apart during this period. The distance wore on Priscilla. It also required her to become more self-reliant. She began to build an identity outside of Elvis.
