Vernon Presley Biography

(Elvis Presley's Father)

Birthday: April 10, 1916 (Aries)

Born In: Fulton, Mississippi, United States

Vernon Presley was the father and manager of the legendary American singer Elvis Presley. He was born into a poor farming family in Fulton and when he was old enough, he started doing various odd jobs in order to make ends meet. Vernon decided to start driving a truck for a local grocery store to support his wife Gladys Presley and his new son Elvis Presley. Later, he became a deacon at a local church. Vernon was a complete family man who dedicated himself to providing a wholesome atmosphere for his son and wife. He was the one who encouraged his son to pursue a career in singing. His solid support for his son’s signing talent soon paid off when Elvis released his first independent record. Elvis became a superstar overnight, and his father’s unending encouragement helped him rise further. While Vernon decided to stay behind the scenes when his son became successful, he managed his overall career from his estate in Graceland. He was also responsible for Elvis’s finances and often accompanied him on his tours and events. Throughout their lives, the duo was inseparable. Following Elvis’s early death, Vernon took over the role of his executor. Unfortunately, he died shortly afterwards, leaving behind a pleasant joint legacy with Elvis.

25
Quick Facts

Died At Age: 63

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Davada, Davada, Davada "Dee" Stanley (m. 1960–1977), Gladys Presley (m. 1933–1958)

father: Minnie Mae Hood Presley

mother: Jessie D. McClowell Presley

siblings: Vester Presley

children: Elvis Presley

Born Country: United States

Family Members American Men

Died on: June 26, 1979

place of death: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

U.S. State: Mississippi

Rise to Fame
Vernon Presley is most famously known for being the rockstar Elvis Presley’s father. He was born in Fulton, Mississippi, into a farming family. He started his career by doing various odd jobs in order to support his family. He also worked on his brother’s farm and was involved in manual labor to assist his family. Later, he started working as a truck driver for a wholesale grocery delivery service. While the family was poor, they were happy to live a life of love and faith. Vernon regularly visited the local church and enjoyed singing gospel music there. His first marriage with Gladys Presley took place when he was just 17 years old. Gladys became pregnant soon and gave birth to Elvis on January 8, 1935. At the time of Elvis’s birth, Vernon’s family was poor, but they were excited to turn parents at such as a young age. Vernon fully dedicated himself to being a father and knew instinctively that Elvis was a special boy. Later, Vernon became a deacon in the Assembly of God Church in East Tupelo and often encouraged his family to join him in the ceremonies.
The members of the loving household formed a religious trio, often attending church together and singing songs around the piano. This instilled a lifelong love for music in Elvis. When the legendary singer was confused about his career path after high school, Vernon encouraged him to take up gospel singing. However, he couldn’t join any group and decided to release his individual record, with complete support from Vernon. Vernon’s unwavering belief in his son’s talent helped Elvis establish a rock steady career. After Elvis became a popular name, Vernon started managing his career, in addition to looking after his finances. Apart from that, Vernon also toured regularly with his son. He was often seen along with Elvis son in his movies and documentaries. Sometime in 1973, Vernon decided to record his own song ‘Don’t Close Your Door’ to pour out his feelings about his troubled marriage. This is the only available record of Vernon’s musical talents.
Elvis’s sudden death on 16 August 1977 came as a shock to Vernon since he didn’t expect anything so unfortunate to happen to his successful son. After his son’s death, Vernon became the executor of his estate, taking over Elvis’s affairs. However, Vernon soon had a heart attack and died on 26 June 1979 at the age of 63. He was subsequently buried at Graceland Mansion Estates in Memphis, Shelby County.
Family & Personal Life
Vernon Presley was born on April 10, 1916 in Fulton, Mississippi, to Jesse D. and Minnie Mae Presley. He had an older brother called Vester. Vernon was first married to Gladys Love Smith as a teenager. The couple met each other in church and fell in love at first sight. They decided to get married on June 17, 1933 in Verona, Mississippi. Despite being underaged, Vernon decided to fake his age and marry Gladys. On 8 January 1935, the couple’s twin children, Elvis and Jessie, were born. However, Jesse was a stillborn child. The couple remined together for 25 years until Gladys’s death on August 14, 1958 from a heart attack. After her death, Vernon married Davada (Dee) Elliot Stanley in 1960, but the marriage was a disastrous affair and ended in a divorce in 1977. Rumors had it that Elvis was also unhappy about his father’s second marriage.

See the events in life of Vernon Presley in Chronological Order

How To Cite

Article Title
- Vernon Presley Biography
Author
- Editors, TheFamousPeople.com
Website
- TheFamousPeople.com
URL
https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/vernon-presley-44216.php

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