Elvis Presley is an iconic figure that many revere as the “King of Rock and Roll.” He became popular during the height of his career in the 1950’s, and has since been cemented in time as one of the greatest musicians of all time. He is deemed influential as one of the artists who shifted youth culture and societal perception during that era. What many don’t know about this Rock and Roll legend is that he actually had a twin brother. Read on to learn more about the tragic story of this music icon’s twin brother.
Over the span of his career, Elvis Presley has earned many awards and acknowledgements. For his contributions to music, Elvis Presley won three Grammy Awards and garnered 14 nominations total. He is also a popular actor, having been featured in many Hollywood films. With such an amazing career amassed and likely more success in his future, Presley died unexpectedly at the young age of 42 from heart failure. His millions of fans were totally shocked and devastated by his untimely death.
Almost four decades later, a docudrama about his life was made and millions of people tuned in to watch the story of this legend’s life. What many probably learned in this film and did not know prior to was that Elvis actually had a twin brother.
Presley was born in 1935 and was raised as an only child in Tupelo, Mississippi. But he was not supposed to be an only child as his mother gave birth to two twin boys. His mother Gladys Love Presley birthed a son named Jesse Garon about 35 minutes before Elvis. But sadly, Jesse was a stillborn. The following day, Jesse was buried in an unmarked grave in the Priceville cemetery in Mississippi.
Many psychology experts and biographers of Elvis’ life believe that the loss of his brother deeply changed the trajectory of his life and the life of his family. One psychologist named Peter Whitmore wrote a book on Elvis called “Inner Elvis,” which was published in 1996. Whitmore believes that Jesse’s untimely death was a “tragedy that triggered a process that made his dead sibling the bedrock.” He also stated that his twin brother was “the singular driving force in his life,” and that his brother was a “restless spirit who eventually haunted all of Presley’s relationships.”
His parents have a deeper, even more spiritual understanding of why they lost their firstborn son Jessie. Online sources say that Gladys believed that Elvis actually inherited her lost son’s soul, which made him even more special in life. They even attempted to have more children after Elvis, which resulted in miscarriages. This confirmed her feelings about Elvis, as well as the opinion of Elvis’ father Vernon. “l can only say that God spoke to my heart and told me that Elvis was the only child we’d ever have and the only child we’d ever need,” Vernon said.
But the death of his twin brother is not the only death that totally changed Elvis for the rest of his life. In 1958, his mother was diagnosed with hepatitis. This was a blow to Elvis, who was reportedly very close with his mother, with whom he still used baby talk and pet names with each other after he grew up, sources say.
As her health declined and she eventually passed, Elvis was totally devastated. “It broke my heart,” he said at the time. “She was always my best girl.” Witnesses at her funeral said that he was so torn up that he collapsed on her casket, saying,” Don’t take my baby away. She’s not dead, she’s just sleeping.”
He met his wife not long after, Priscilla Beaulieu, but he was already overtaken with grief. He became addicted to prescription pills and his own health began to decline. It was these lifestyle changes that led to his own untimely death.
