history with his magnetic performances and groundbreaking hits like Jailhouse Rock, In The Ghetto, and Love Me Tender. Yet, behind the glitz and glamour of his career, Elvis battled personal demons that deeply affected those closest to him—including Linda, who was by his side for much of his later life.

Linda Thompson’s Memphis Roots

Linda Thompson was born in Memphis, Tennessee, just like Elvis. As a young girl, she was mesmerized by his music and even declared at the breakfast table, “I am going to marry Elvis Presley.” Years later, fate brought them together.

Linda, a beauty queen and Miss Tennessee in 1972, first met Elvis at a private film screening shortly after his divorce from Priscilla Presley. While she initially hesitated, thinking he was still married, their connection grew quickly.

At the Las Vegas Elvis Festival, Linda recounted their first encounter: “He started pulling the old yawn, put the hand around the seat. He said, ‘I’ve been separated since the end of the year. We’re getting a divorce.’” From that moment, their whirlwind romance began.

Life with Elvis at Graceland

Linda moved to Elvis’s famed Graceland estate, where their relationship blossomed. In her memoir A Little Thing Called Life, she described their bond as multidimensional, with each playing different roles in the other’s life.

“Ours was a complete relationship,” Linda wrote. “Sometimes we were lovers, sometimes we were brother and sister, and sometimes we were best friends. Elvis was always everything to me.”

Despite their closeness, Linda witnessed Elvis’s struggles with health and addiction firsthand. His reliance on prescription medications and erratic sleeping patterns took a toll on their relationship. Linda often stayed awake to ensure he was breathing and felt emotionally drained by the weight of his self-destructive habits.

“It was exhausting,” Linda admitted. “I loved him more than my own life, but watching him slowly self-destruct and not being able to do anything about it …”