Highlights
- Lisa Marie Presley’s unexpected death at a young age has brought back painful memories for fans of her father, Elvis Presley.
- Lisa Marie’s relationship with her father was filled with love and cherished moments.
- Lisa Marie and Elvis Presley had similar funerals.
Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter and only child of music icon Elvis Presley, passed away unexpectedly on January 12, 2023. Only 54 years old, Presley’s death was eerily similar to her father’s.
Lisa Marie Presley was only nine years old when her father passed away due to a heart attack in August 1977. Elvis Presley, who became of the world’s most endearing and popular entertainment stars in his lifetime, only became more prominent after his premature death. The entertainer has gained millions of fans since his passing and his beloved home, Graceland, has become one of the US’s top tourist attractions.
Lisa Marie Presley’s death not only affected her fans, but her father’s fans. The circumstances surrounding her passing and her memorial service brought back a feeling Elvis fans hoped to never experience again.
What Is Lisa Marie Presley’s Legacy?
Born in February 1968 to Elvis Presley and his then spouse Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley came into the world as entertainment royalty. Right from her birth, Lisa Marie became the greatest joy in Elvis Presley’s life.
Her father, after nearly a decade of strictly filming movies, was planning a comeback to the stage. In December 1968, Singer Presents Elvis, now known as the 68′ Comeback Special, aired on NBC. The special’s success led to some of Presley’s most iconic albums and his return to touring.
Elvis Presley was quite busy during Lisa Marie Presley’s childhood, but he always made time for her. A doting father, Presley even flew his young daughter to Idaho to play with snow for a half hour.
While Lisa Marie Presley was only a small child when her larger-than-life father passed away, she knew how much he loved her. She once said in an interview discussing her Idaho trip that “I just knew that he adored me. I wasn’t thinking, ‘Ooh, I get to fly’ or anything like that…I never thought it was weird or unusual. I just knew that he was crazy about me; that was just him showing his love for me. He was just doing what was in his heart.”
After Elvis Presley’s passing, his assets were inherited by Lisa Marie Presley upon her 25th birthday. Presley was raised by her mother, as she pursued a career in entertainment and helped open up Graceland for public tours in 1982.
Lisa Marie Presley lived a very public life during her adulthood. Her marriages to pop legend Michael Jackson, actor Nicholas Cage, and guitarist Michael Lockwood were heavily publicized. Her first marriage to Danny Keough gave her a daughter, Riley Keough, and a son, Benjamin Keough. Her later marriage to Michael Lockwood gave her twin daughters, Finley and Harper Lockwood.
Similar to her father, Lisa Marie Presley pursued a music career and released three albums. “To Whom It May Concern”, her first effort, was released in 2003. Also like her father, Presley was active in philanthropy work throughout her adulthood. She opened the first Presley Place apartment in 2001 and started the Presley Chairitable Foundation in 2007.
In July 2020, Lisa Marie Presley’s only son, Benjamin, took his own life. Understandably, Keough’s passing was extremely challenging for Presley and took a toll on her mental well-being, according to CNN.
Less than three years later, Lisa Marie Presley passed away due to a small bowel obstruction relating to a surgery she had. Presley rarely made appearances in her final years due to grieving her son’s passing, but she joined fans at Graceland for Elvis Presley’s 2023 Birthday Celebration and attended the Golden Globes in support of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic.
How Was Lisa Marie Presley’s Funeral And Burial Similar To Elvis Presley’s?
Lisa Marie Presley’s life was celebrated at a memorial service held on the Graceland estate on January 22, 2023. Among guests such as Axel Rose of Guns N’ Roses and Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins, gospel quartet The Blackwood Brothers performed at the service, according to CNN.
Billy Blackwood, the quartet’s leader, is the son of James Blackwood, who co-founded the group in the early 1930s. Elvis Presley was a fan of the original Blackwood Brothers and invited them to perform at his mother’s, Gladys Presley, funeral service in 1958.
When Presley himself passed away in 1977, the Blackwood Brothers were invited again to perform at his service. Over 45 years later, Billy Blackwood was able to carry on his father’s legacy and honor the Presley family with performing at Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial service.
According to The Daily Mail, Blackwood shared the story of his father performing at Gladys and Elvis Presley’s respective funeral services, and said how performing at Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial service was a full circle moment for him.
Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial service was public and live-streamed. Fans were invited to watch the service live at Graceland in a standing area. After the service concluded, guests were able to view Lisa Marie Presley’s final resting place.
When Elvis Presley passed away, the Presley family also invited fans to participate in the mourning process. Vernon Presley, Elvis’s father, opened up Graceland for fans to walk in and pay their respects to Elvis as he lied in repose in the home’s living room.
Lisa Marie Presley was buried on the Graceland estate in an area known as the Meditation Garden. She joined her father, Elvis Presley, her son, Benjamin Keough, her paternal grandparents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, and her paternal great-grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley.
When Elvis Presley passed away, he was initially laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery. After an alleged failed attempt to steal Presley’s remains, he was moved to Graceland in October 1977. Prior to Lisa Marie Presley’s passing, she knew that she would eventually be laid to rest at the Graceland estate. She chose to have her son buried there and wanted to be next to him when her time came.
Source: NewsFinale
