Baz Luhrmann interviews Elvis Presley’s childhood friend Sam Bell Reaction| KeeSeeY Reacts #65
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- KeeSeeY reacts to Baz Luhrmann interviews Elvis Presley’s childhood friend Sam Bell Reaction! KeeSeeY's 65 reaction video on this and all of his three reaction channels. His other channels are KeeSeeY reacts to music and KeeSeeY reacts to Movies & tv Shows. #1 Reaction Channel in the world with great content and a wholesome reaction from him: follow him on the platforms below to get a closer look into his personal life:
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Mr Sam Bell gave the whole world this GREAT GIFT just weeks before he met the Lord. He told us the truth about Elvis and he gave us a glimpse on American life in the south during the Great Depression/Segregation better than any living person could today. Baz did NOT have to do this ..... how many directors that made it in Hollywood and internationally would take the time like this with such a sweet guy like that. He got SO MUCH out of Sam, and Thank God he did. We would have never known otherwise. KUDUS BAZ.
Its a great relief their souls ARE reunited in Heaven ✝
Oh no! I was just thinking what a sweet man Mr. Bell is!
I learned things I didn’t know about Elvis. It is all starting to tie up now, about Elvis. Thank you Mr.Sam. I recently saw the new movie Elvis , in a theater. Blew me away. On HBO max. Don’t miss it. I hope Oscar’s do it justice. The film maker’s and actors did a stellar and entertaining movie. RIP Elvis and Mr. Sam
I spoke with Mr. Sam Bell at his home there in Tupelo (and coincidentally found out later it was just within a few weeks of Baz Lurhman here in this video also talking with Sam). To answer your question - Elvis did go back to Tupelo many times throughout his life, but Sam said Elvis couldn't have found him because he was gone most of those years. Sam himself had went away in the military and was living on the West Coast, or up in Chicago... so Elvis would not have been able to reconnect with Sam on his return visits to Tupelo
(Unfortunately for both of them ...back then times not like they are now where it's much easier to track old friends down on the internet).
The closest they ever came to reconnecting was Sam went to one of Elvis's concerts and went backstage to try to say hello to his old friend, but security would not listen to Sam. Did not believe his story that he and Elvis were old friends.
This is a very hurting thing for some of us that know about this incident because Elvis would have lost his mind and been livid or enraged had he ever known that some of the security around him at that time turned Sam away.
Sam himself said that had someone maybe let EP know "Sam Bell from Tupelo is here and wants to say hi" - Elvis and him probably would have hugged each other and reminisced very fondly about their childhood.
(So unfortunately their reunion never happened.
But Elvis did go back to Tupelo and did visit other folks from that community).
It's interesting that Sam mentioned a number of the other folks from his neighborhood that Elvis was friends with. He mentioned as one friend Jesse had a sister ... Sam was talking about Janice, (Jesse & Eugenes sister)
And also important there were many others from Sams neighborhood as well ... that Sam didn't even mention in this interview.
There's at least approximately 12 documented black friends from Elvis's childhood.
Many historians have done a very poor job throughout the decades of documenting these things better.
Hell, all any of them had to do at any time in the past decades was do what me or Baz Luhrmann did, which was start asking people around town where to find folks like Sam Bell and then walk up to the door at his house and knock on it.
But thank God for Mr. Sam Bell and his very important insights. Sadly he passed away just last year.
But without this interview with Sam, Baz Luhrmann's film might have went quite a bit different.
But Bad did the same thing I did.
He went knocking on Sam's door.
I feel so thankful & appreciative he had presence of mind to videotape this interview for the rest of us all to be able to watch.
RIP Sam & EL 🙏
Really appreciated your commentary and reaction on this wonderful video
SO WELL SAID JAY. This is A REAL GLIMPSE into American history. Thanks to you and Sam for making this happen. It could have been washed away forever like so much history is.
Jay Viviano, thanks for sharing!
👍❤️
One of the greatest interviews EVER recorded about the end of Segregation in America because THESE boys were pioneers. Black and white playing together BEST OF FRIENDS risking life and limb as there were very dangerous people back then that could have hurt or killed them for this. (Many were hung or burned alive for FAR LESS back in them days.) They should be honored as pioneers for their contribution to humanity. Sadly Sam Bell "flew away" soon after this interview. May the Good Lord rest his mighty fine soul.
I am from the south Caucasian with some black friends so I identified and loved this interview with mr. Sam Bell a real sweetheart RIT Elvis and him were lucky to have each other as friends and I'm so glad that nothing happened to them as children rest in peace Elvis and Sam Bell
Going to a black church left an impression on Elvis for a lifetime.
All this was shared in Elvis and the Black Community but during his teens. He was exposed his whole life.
Elvis won 3 Grammys in his lifetime all for gospel. He always went to black churches as a kid in Tupelo and as a teen in Memphis. Black gospel was Elvis’first musical love. Elvis felt it full force 🙌🏽
Elvis was an identical twin. His twin Aaron was stillborn which is why his mother was so close and over-protective. RIP Sam Bell. I hope he and Elvis are hanging on the other side 💜💜
Elvis's twin was Jessie Garon Presley.
Elvis was blonde, but he believed dark haired performers got more attention so he dyed his hair like Tony Curtis. Black velvet.
I'm so glad you're taking interest in Elvis as a person. If you know people who still believe that he was racist and stole black music, I hope you'll share what you're discovering with them. This is a fantastic documentary that details Elvis' life from birth through the beginning of his career: Elvis: Return to Tupelo (54:02).
Yes, Return to Tupelo is a great documentary!
Black stole White's music equipment. White invent guitar, piano, speaker, etc.
No EVIDENCE! ELVIS did not steal. Nothing News!!
The brother Elvis was talking to in the trailer is supposed to be B.B. king and the preacher was Rev. Dr. Herbert Brewster who was a big influence in Elvis's life.
I have seen movie 3X. It’s in theatre now. It’s an experience and worth a watch. Austin Butler did Elvis justice.
What a lovely man Mr bell is.. Way he talks about elvis as a boy shows the true loving person his friend elvis was too.
As far as I know, from things I’ve read, Elvis left with his family when he was 14, which is a difficult age to have to adjust to a whole new way of life. He was always considered as an outsider when they moved to Memphis & he was at High School. Even at that young age, Elvis had his own style of dressing & doing his hair. He grew his hair longer than the rest of the boys, & they even ganged up on him & were going to cut his hair shorter, but he was rescued by another boy, who was Red West, I believe. Red & Elvis then became friends, & later when Elvis was famous, Elvis remained friends with him & his cousin Sonny West, & eventually took both of them to be his bodyguards. There is a very touching story, told by Sonny West (now deceased), how Elvis had just lost his mother, who he absolutely doted on, & he was 22 & in a bad way with his grief over losing her. Then Red West lost his father the day after Elvis lost his mother, & both of the deceased were at the same funeral parlour. Elvis was with his mother, & then saw Red grieving for his father, & as lost in grief as Elvis was, he went in to see Red & he hugged him & told him if he needed anything, even just company, that he was there for him. Now Elvis was totally grief-stricken at the loss of his mother, but he still went to give Red comfort. That was the kind of man Elvis was. He had such a big heart & showed his caring & love for others wherever he went.
Elvis is the most interesting person i can't wait to learn more about him. thank you.
So much garbage was written about him. After his death . Its hard to peel back the layers . I think this film comming out will dispell all these crap rumours
@paula smith: Unfortunately, a human life is too short to learn everything about elvis. i've been an elvis fan for 47 years, we're always learning new things about elvis. It's unbelievable what a gigantic legacy Elvis gave us.
This is why Baz is awesome, I loved Romeo + Juliet in the 90’s ,he’s an awesome filmmaker who does the research and keeps the true intentions
Hey sweetheart, you just made me so happy, I have not seen this interview with Mr Sam and even though I knew how Elvis grew up, hearing it from Mr Sam Bell was incredible, he told the truth about how Elvis came from nothing and became Elvis. He always said the same God that made you made me too. He never judged anyone over the color of their skin or the amount of money they had. It shows me the Dreamer in Elvis, how it all began. God, I really appreciate you reacting to this video, I'm even more anxious to see the movie now. Made my day, Thank you. TCb 1935⚡🤺🤺🤺🤺⚡⚡⚡⚡🙏
This interview was priceless. Elvis was the real deal, and Sam Bell was a Class Act.
On a side note, Sam was the star quarterback on his high school football team and led his team to the Mississippi state championship.
I'm glad I got to get a peek into Elvis' childhood. Sounds like it was fun.
Mr. Bell was a great guy and I had the pleasure of meeting him, twice, actually. I believe he may have been in the Navy, as well, and while stationed there, he tried to see Elvis after one of his concerts, but wasn't able to get backstage. I wasn't able to watch your video yet, either, so I don't know if this is in there.... But he told me a story of he and Elvis going to the movies together and how one or the other of them would climb over the segregated seating barrier and sign, or something, to sit with each other.
I am going to watch your video, though, to see how much of what Mr. Bell told me, he told Baz. Thanks, too, for posting this and I wish you the best!!!
What a lovely man!
I love this every time I see it. I think it just makes chunk D eat his words. Always bug me that people called Elvis a racist. And coming from a guy that grew up in Camden you can't grow up around all black folks and not treat each other like family I mean that's been my experience I had an aunt Estelle and an Uncle Willie Uncle Willie look like he come from the Congo he was so dark but I didn't know they weren't my aunt Uncle until I was like maybe 10 it's probably around the same time I found out there was no Santa Claus LOL
They need to add this interview to the end of the movie!
FYI - The image at 2:00 isn't of Elvis and his friends, it's by photographer Gordon Parks in 1956 of some children in Alabama. If you don't know Mr. Parks' work you should really check it out. They're using it as a reference to what Elvis and his friends could have looked like at the time. That's why there's a small pic of Elvis as a child as an inset in the upper right corner. 🙂
In Tupelo, his Dad Vernon was in jail for forging a check. I believe check was for 7 $ and Vernon wrote 1 before the 7 in order to feed the family.
Jane H commenting ….. Sadly, Sam wanted to meet up with Elvis at a nearby concert, in the early 70s, I think it was. But Elvis had no idea he was coming, so when Sam arrived at the back door of the concert venue, while Elvis was rehearsing, I believe, the security guards at the back door would not let him in, & did not manage to get word to Elvis, or perhaps informed a bodyguard, but that message was not conveyed to Elvis, so the two of them never met with one another.
This is one the best interview from Sam bell thank you for sharing your stories ! Rip Sam! 🙏
Wow so interesting all the background stuff…. Baz really did his homework for the movie.
Man this guy is so cool and so fun I'm talking about Sam Bell I mean wouldn't you like just to sit down on that porch with him and have a beer or a cup of coffee and just talk about his life and yeah that guy is just interesting as hell
I wish Sam Bell had a chance to meet up with Elvis .. lm sure he seen him in heaven.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Elvis father was in prison for a while too, one of the reasons he wasn’t around too much also. Cheque forgery, to get money for groceries for the family, those were rough times for them, for a lot of people.
Elvis had sandy hair but he dyed it black because he liked the look it had on screen in movies . Just like Tony Curtis .
Check out the film Follow that dream you'll see his natural color plus its a great comedy .
Another name for those small houses was shotgun houses. My son and I lived in a shotgun house (1987) in Tupelo, Mississippi that was across the street from a house that Elvis lived in as a kid with relatives. My son had a childhood friend who lived in that house. We moved there from western New York.
I come from a similar family to Elvis being part Native and living in a diverse community of many races that was kept alive through the generations so I grew up differently than most people,my mom grew up in a two room house,not a two bedroom but a two room house and my grandma didn’t have indoor plumbing until the 80’’s , that’s the poor stock I came from
Elvis also grew up in a 2 room house. He slept with his parents when he was young.
I’m not a regular church goer but I gotta say the music and atmosphere of the churches you talk about in this video seems very appealing. I really enjoyed your input on this video.
Thank you for taking time listen to Elvis song,please watch the community black eccept Elvis Echo part 1n 2 , Elvis was so generous to people around him still love n miss him all this years✌️😭😭😭😭
Rest In Peace Sir Sam Bell
To be honest, I was very disappointed that more of this wasn't incorporated into Baz's film. I love this interview more than the film. It explains why Elvis was the way he was. His beliefs, his tastes, and his unflinching support of the Black Community. I especially love the story of how Elvis would hold Sam's grandmother's leg and watch her do her quilting. I think it would be so cool if the film had been told from Sam's point of view rather than the Colonel's. Oh well...
Yes .Your in the house of God no color involved, Elvis was filled with the Holy Sprit . He was blessed .He always gave his Glory To God
I'd like to see you react to: Elvis Presley - The King of kindness (6:31).
What a wonderful video !❤️
Elvis had an identical twin ,who was stillborn ,that’s why his mother was so protective of him . She could not have any more children ,so he was her only child . Elvis’ felt lonely most of his life ,an emptiness that nothing could fill. Elvis ’ father was away a lot ,also Because he was in jail for a time ,due to fraud,because they were so poor that Elvis father and a relative ,a cousin I think it was ,sold a hog and put a different price on it .
I wish Sam would have been asked, if he saw Elvis singing in that same park they played in, when Elvis came back to do his home town show.❤❤❤❤❤❤
It's great that Baz Luhrmann interviewed Sam Bell. There are earlier interviews with Sam Bell. I think he was a community leader, he recieved a NAACP award. The person sitting with Elvis in the trailer is probably BB King. In the 1956 WDIA Goodwill Revue he thanked BB King "Thanks man for all of those early lessons." ( Tri state Defender 1956). Rufus Thomas discrimination into entertainment industry interview, he talks about it towards the end. "We loved Elvis and Elvis loved Us." At 4:30 (Shake Rag receives it's Mississippi Blues Trail mark in Tupelo Mississippi.) They have videos on Elvis and Shake Rag Tupelo, they took down the best one.
Wow man I'm so glad you did this. I've seen the title to this interview before and I thought I had watched it but I realized I think I watched like a very short 4 minute excerpt from it. This was so touching been so inspirational on so many levels. And just like you, so much of it rang true from my childhood which was later on in the late sixties and early seventies, but we had race issues in our neighborhood and so many of the things that he touched on were like that for us only 20 years updated you know. I'm so happy I got to watch this and you had a lot of good points to make along the way. It's interesting that you're totally going into the weeds with this. Normally I've been interested in Elvis reactions recently and I'd like to see people react to the stuff I already know just to see the diversity or the similarity of the reaction and just a Marvel at first time impressions. So I tend to skip over stuff that seems like it's out in the weeds but I have learned that on your channel, it's worth clicking on because you do seem to seek out some really interesting stuff. This was really really amazing.
Learned alot. God bless you Mr. Bell.
There was a famous concert Elvis put on in 56 and actually returned to Tupelo. It would have been great to ask if Sam was there or what he thought about it.
That picture in the beginning is not of Elvis and his friends; Elvis is in the top right corner. He was dirty blond until his mid teens. Then his hair started getting darker as he aged. One of his friends in the army, later his guitarist/harmony singer, Charlie Hodge said that in the army (when he could not dye his hair black) his natural hair color was chestnut brown. What's interesting is that Baz Luhrman at some point repeats what Mr Bell had told him, that some of the African American boys in their group had lighter skin than Elvis (probably Mr Bell, too, because he is quite light skinned).
Great job reacting to this interview.
Elvis's dad was in prison for altering a cheque of his employer, he got 3 years, he took the hit for it because he never altered it but it was his cheque, Elvis was part cherokee from his mom 👩 her dad was a full cherokee his dad was Scottish, Welsh, xxx
IT'S SO TRUE ABOUT THE SOUTH... LIVING OFF THE LAND SOMEWHAT.... MY GRANDMOTHER HAD 200 ACRES OF FARM LAND ... PIGS HORSES COWS CHICKENS DONKEY'S TURKEY'S ETC COLLECTING EGGS FRUIT AND VEGGIE GARDEN CORN FIELDS -- FEEDING THE PIGS THOUGH UGHHH 3 PONDS FOR FISHING! WATER HOLES THAT WERE CREEKS... MISS THAT Yes I saw this interview and right before I'd seen the trailer ... and it looked great but was worried they would not tell the true story of Elvis!!! and I am SO Impressed that Baz did this interview with Sam Bell... It really shows how much He cares about telling Elvis's true story!!!! I've seen other interviews with Sam Bell! I loved how he described Elvis as a boy ... full of dreams!!! even at that tender young age! RIP Sam Bell! Thanks for sharing your story to the world about Elvis!
I love, love, love this interview ❤
R.I.P. Mr. Bell! He was so aware and funny! Great choice, KeeseeY! Your reaction videos with ELVIS are the best! You always have smart and important comments to share! Thanks one more time!
I just discovered your channel. I am enjoying watching all your Elvis video reactions. I like your reaction style. Not over the top. You're a straight shooter & you pepper the videos with your insightful comments. Keep up the great work, KeeSeeY! 👍 Thank you, Sir!
I love this amazing story's this really good can't wait for the film
I have been waiting for someone to do a reaction to this! I loved it. I was really sad to learn of Mr. Bell’s passing. I didn’t know that. Now they’re both up in Heaven laughing & cuttin’ up again.
Happy Easter (a little early)
This was so great.
Elvis's Father Vernon spent time in a penitentiary for changing a check amount of $4 to $40 for selling a hog & Vernon was caught but he felt he was cheated out of what he owed him. He was there for 8 months. So Elvis & his Mom grew closer~ She also lost Elvis's identical twin brother during birth & because of complications couldn't have anymore children so she was very protective of her only child~
Elvis's twin was Jessie Garon Presley.
sometimes when you become attached, your parents would sometimes think it best if you just go quietly. it would had been hard for EP and that is probably why they never saw him leaving. Maybe they moved him to stay with a family member whilst they moved things. I know what it was like as a kid. my grandma moved her and I to boarding school, and I never got to say goodbye to my friends who I hung out with as a kid.y grandma was a teacher n got her posting to boarding school.
A terrific video - thank you for sharing and reacting
RIP Mr Sam Bell and Ty for sharing
...I'm anxious to follow you on this Elvis journey..my connection is: I was manning incoming phones for the Memphis Fire Dept on 8/16/1077 we got a call from Graceland to send an ambulance ASAP within 3+ hrs, we were getting calls from around the world, wanting particulars of the event. sad day for Memphis, and, a good portion of the world.
The guy who said "they might arrested me for walking across the street, but you a famous white boy " is supposed to be Little Richard
No that was BB King 😂
@@travesotom6890 I realized that after I watched the movie
Some folks are afraid of the unknown, so they just live in the same place forever.
Deer are smart creatures which why my Native ancestors worship them
The sad thing about Memphis today is the crime....horrific..with the death of Young Dolph..who was giving back to the community...😒
I'd love to go to a Church like that. Always felt very compelling for me and my personality. Sadly enough we have one Church only where I live in Sweden and it resembles more a Bowing alley more 😕
Thanks for this
I see you taking me down this rabbit hole with you. Props heads back to you... THX bro
WOW I love it!!
very interesting interview. Elvis was just a real person, as big as he got i think a little of that always stayed with him. I always wonder what would have happened had Elvis never met C. Parker...or if he had never been in the army. Cant wait for the new movie.
the black friend he's talking to in the movie is B B King
Great share👍💕
I would LOVE to go to a Church like that...I know I would REALLY feel the celebration of Life~I live an hour west of Chicago, I'm not sure how I'd find that type of church.
ELVIS 😇❤️ GREAT GRANDMA 💕💟 was CHEROKEE AMERICAN INDIAN 🌈
Elvis dyed his black, his original color was Sandy Blonde and his eyes Blue
I came up with a "fantasy" concert, I could really imagine myself watching and listening to Elvis and these artists:
Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury, Bob Marley and Elvis Presley (if I could hear Elvis sing some duets with Lisa Marie to).
Would you go and watch them perform if you could, or who would you like to see and hear if you could choose anyone???
Lol hi I'm E's cousin I just wanted to answer your question about his hair E had dirty blonde hair as a kids he started dying his hair black I think it was after he got out of the army he did it for his mama as his mama had black hair as well he wanted to be like his mama
When you were asking about his dad not being around very much, it was because he was in jail for forging a $4 check.
The little boy with blonde hair was not Elvis as a child maybe it was just file photo to give a reference
Slavery was abolished in 1865 . .Elvis was born Jan 8th 1935
I don't know where all the racism and negativity about Elvis came from. Sure Quincy Jones made a stupid comment out of jealousy. Otis Black wrote onenof the songs Elvis sang so he sang it to him, but the idea Elvis stope black music is ridiculous, that's where he was from. His roots are in gospel and black churches. Elvis was so generous to everyone bevause he came from nothing and he knew how lucky he was. But let's acknowledge his powerful voice and talent. See how James Brown couldn't leave him alone in his coffin at the end of his funeral.
Keep this beautiful man's voice and good nature alive please.
Long live the King ❤
I would love to meet up with Sam and talk to him. He seemed like such a sweet old guy...with a great smile. Maybe you could get a camera and pay him a visit...and do an interview for your channel. I am really starting to appreciate your channel. Thanks so much.
They didn’t have color film then
Elvis was a natural dark blonde. That's not him in the pic at 2:00 other than in the top right corner.
🇭🇹
Such an interesting video
Facinating!...the comment that Elvis was Racist in anyway truly ridiculous!...and explains his style...and Generosity to those who had less materially
no....that is NOT Elvis and his friends in picture...Elvis's picture was top right insert
Let us hear this person first
Elvis’s girlfriend in high school parents didn’t like because he went to a black church
I don't believe Elvis's maturity at thirteen years old, was like a Seven to Ten year old, pretending a broom was a Guitar and freestyling as he's being portrayed. Sam Bell says, when Gladys brought Elvis a Guitar, Elvis wasn't allowed to bring it outside, so Elvis would still play with his broom, which he kept in the tree house. Historically we know this is incorrect and fabricated, as Elvis got his Guitar for his Eleventh Birthday, nearly two years before Sam Bell would have even known of Elvis. Gladys purchased the Guitar from Tupelo Hardware Store - circular Jan 8th 1946. Elvis actually wanted a bicycle! "He said" and the (only reason) he ended up with a Guitar was because his Mother was worried that he might get run over. So It would appear, the purchase of the Guitar only came about by chance. Their's no account's to my knowledge of a Pre - Eleven year old Elvis, desiring a Guitar or freestyling with a broom. We know Elvis had a Guitar in that timeline, early 1946, because when he lived at Berry Street, he attended the WELO Jamboree broadcast at the Courthouse. Elvis saw his musical idol Mississippi Slims "Pickin and Singin" Hillbilly Show. It's said, Elvis performed two songs with Slim on his Show, and we know Elvis had a Guitar then, as Mississippi Slim - real name - Carvel Lee Ausborn says he taught Elvis a few chords on it. James's Ausborn, Slims younger brother and Elvis's best friend at the time, has spoken of simular memories. Magalene Morgan Elvis's Sweet heart from 5th Grade Oct 1945, until when Elvis moves to Memphis Nov 6th 1948, recalls Elvis always bringing his Guitar to School, and at lunchtime he would go sit out under a tree and pick and sing. Magalene attended the same School as Elvis, East Tupelo Consolidated in Lake Street, so she's referring to 5th Grade Sept 1945 - Sept 1946. School Teacher Mrs Oleta Grimes also recalls Elvis bringing his Guitar to School in 1946. At Twelve and Nine months years old in Sept 1947, Elvis moved to 1010 North Green Street, Sam Bells neighbourhood, and also started 7th Grade at Milam Junior High School. Friend Roland Tinall recalls Elvis taking his Guitar to School everyday, placing it in his locker. Elvis's Teacher Mr's Quay Webb Camp from 6th Grade up at Milam School, also recalls Elvis with his Guitar at School. Numerous Classmates have also verified this fact. He would sing songs on his Guitar at lunchtime in the basement recess area, with School friend Billy Welch. The mountain of evidence Elvis owned a Guitar since circular Jan 1946 is overwhelming. Sam's story of Gladys buying Elvis a Guitar in his timeline, circular 1948 does not hold weight and Elvis fantasizing a broom is a Guitar at Thirteen years old sounds abit silly, and does not make sense, especially when evidently Elvis already owned a Guitar and took it everywhere he went, and had already before he'd met Sam, experienced with his Guitar, musical foundation moments with it. The listener's of this Baz Luhrmann interview are left with the belief and feeling, Sam and Elvis's friendship developed over many many years, from living in the same neighbourhood, which could not be further from the truth. Account's show Elvis only lived in Green Street where Sam Bell lived for just fourteen months, (September 1947) to (November 6th 1948). Though other Journal's of the Presley family's, and lifelong friends like Guy Harris, say Elvis's family moved back Home to East Tupelo from North Green Street, early (May 1948), before they moved to Memphis.
Gladys was unhappy and demanded to Vernon he moved them back home to the old neighbourhood. Vernon found an empty duplex on Kelly Street a few doors down from Sales and Annie Presley. Gladys Sister Lillian officially rented the 1010 Green Street property after Vernon and Gladys. My theory is maybe Vernon subletted the property to Lillian from early May to November 6th, before Lillian officially rented it from the local Authority. If these circumstances are correct, Elvis would have only lived in Sams neighbourhood for just Nine months. At some point in these very short periods of timelines, it's said! "By Sam" they became friends, how long they were friends! maybe Nine months, Six months, or just Two months, or maybe over the School Summer Holiday period, maybe!. In less than a month from moving to Memphis, Gladys and Elvis was catching the three hour bus ride to come Home, and continued to return, many times to East Tupelo until the year Elvis finished High School. He would sometimes travel back with (Tressie) "Guy Harris's" aunt, or (Lillian) his Cousin, as they both went to Memphis with the Presleys, and lived in a two bedroom apartment across the hall from Vernon, Gladys and Elvis's apartment in a Memphis boarding house. There were special trips when everyone, including Elvis, went back home to Tupelo for the Halloween Carnivals, and Elvis would stay for the weekend at one of his best friends homes of Odell Clark or Guy Harris. Elvis would also schedule his return visits to concide with the WELO Radio broadcasts at the Courthouse, for the opportunity's for young singers. Also before fame and notoriety Elvis would drive his Dad's car down to Tupelo and attend the Church services, singings, movies and other entertainment's. The desire for Elvis to be back home in his birth neighbourhood with his friends and extended family's, was strong, and particularly so for Gladys. "Sam says", him and Elvis were best friends, yet among Elvis's many return trips to East Tupelo from Memphis, Elvis never once went to go and see Sam!, it doesn't make sense.
As lovely, a sweet old guy Sam was, it pains me to say, 80% of his story's, I believe are fabricated! That's not me having any personal preference of wanting to put one friendship on Top of another. If convincing evidence comes to light of Sam's story's, I will be (proudly) singing them from the rooftops, but the Authenticity in what Sam is saying, does not support the evidence.
Sorry everybody
Circular 1966 - 1972 the McCullough Boulevard freeway was built and cut straight through North Green Street Road where Sam Bell says Elvis lived. Then by adding a flyover bridge connecting North Green Street Road back together, leaving two little spur roads on either side of the Boulevard freeway. Sams proposed Elvis home would have been on the Northside of the Boulevard, situated EastSide of the road, that section of the road now renamed Fields Lane. The Southside of the Boulevard renamed Old North Green Street. Sam says Elvis home was demolished because of the building works of the Boulevard freeway, and the new number (1010 location), was moved (1323 ft) further South. The new location is on Google Maps and is the official address location for the number (1010), it is (0.98 miles) North of Main Street, its located just south of the Church of Christ Church. On a 1955 Aerail Map of that location there is a row of six houses. Travelling North from Main Street, the fourth house of those Six Houses is (number 1010). On a Aerail Map of 1972 all Six house's are present, as they are on the 1955 Aerail Map, which means, that when the McCullough Boulevard was built (circular 1966 - 1972), Sam's proposed Elvis home in Fields Lane, the Number (1010) was moved, not onto a New build property!, but onto a already existing property. So you would expect that Number, (1010), to be out of sequence with all the surrounding property Numbers, which is puzzling, as it's not. In that stretch of road, you have the Numbers 1006, 1015, 1016 and Number 1007 which is opposite Number (1010), meaning (Number 1010) has always been at that location. Returning North to Sam's proposed Elvis home, as you turn out of Fields Lane, on the left side, property Numbered 1255, and beyond heading North, property Numbers 1265, 1301, 1305 and so on, in a incrementing sequence as you would expect. On the Southside of the Boulevard, Old North Green Street, lots of the original property's are still there. You have incrementing Numbers, 1203, 1207, 1209, 1219, 1222, 1225. Returning across the Boulevard into Fields Lane, the property's now have all gone, but by observing the above property numbers North and South of that area, we are able to identify the "true Numbers" to those original homes, the property's would have been Numbered in between (1225 - 1255). Sam's Number (1010) as you can see would be totally out of sequence with all the other surrounding property Numbers near by. Yet this is supposed to be, by Sams account, the Original location of (Number 1010). It doesn't hold up to scrutiny, to be credible, it has to make sense!. As that section of the road has been renamed to Fields Lane, it's now classified as a new road, so the original numbers to the previous old properties, on that stretch of road, their placement on Google Maps, have been redirected onto the bridge that reconnects North Green Street Road over the McCullough Boulevard. The most probable Number to Sam's property Number 1010, I've identified to have originally been (Numbered 1228). EastSide to Fields Lane were most likely numbers 1226, "1228" 1230 and 1232. WestSide = 1229, 1231 and 1232.
On a Aerail Map of 1955, overlapping it with a modern day Map, I'm able to measure the distance of the back of Sam's proposed (Number 1010) home in Fields Lane, to the edge of the McCullough Boulevard freeway.
It measures (163 ft).
Now crossing back over the Boulevard, to Old North Green Street, and measuring the nearest property to the freeway, Number 1222, it measures (124 ft). Again this raises questions, why was the property's in Fields Lane demolished because of the McCullough Boulevard building works, and not the property's in Old North Green Street, which were situated (39 ft) closer to the freeway!. I believe its more probable the fate of the property's became unsuitable for habitation and were dismantled at a different period of time.
The 1955 Aerail Map of North Green Street, shows the land layout before the McCullough Boulevard was built, it shows Sam's proposed (Number 1010) home. Studying the land at the back of the garden, and facing East for (290 ft), their's lots of natural wild untouched, unspoilt, shrubbery, wild bramble and mature trees with small patches woodland covering a area (2.58 acres). At that spot (290 ft), face North and it leads (450 ft) to Ode Street, face South and this (leads 452 ft) back onto North Green Street, further East beyond this point their's about five acres of field land with dividing hedgerows, beyond that point their's acres and acres of wild natural shrubbery etc. Their's No signs of Sam's home behind the property, where Sam said it should be, No paths, No roads, No foundations, absolutely nothing, just scattered trees and natural wild open land, and the area looks to be untouched for many many decades. I appreciate the Map I'm viewing is of 1955, and not 1948, but it's only seven years out. I would expect to see some evidence to support Sam's claims, but I don't. The real location for Elvis's home for 1010 North Green Street is about One mile North of Main Street, before the Black Carver High School, and I believe by the overwhelming evidence and logic its always been at that location, and not as far North as Sam Bell claims. Sadly individuals like Baz Luhrmann have taken the word of one man, without doing any adequate research to validate the accuracy of his claims, as a consequence important Historical truths are being lost to myths.
This is a description from a Journal of three early Childhood Elvis friends, Azalea Moore, Guy Harris and Cousin Sybil Presley, describing 1010 North Green Streets location.
"It says"
(The house was between the primarily White neighbourhood forming the first few blocks North of Main Street occupied by the White mercantile families and the cemetery. One had to bypass the rental house to go further North towards the shotgun houses of the Black share croppers and field hands who clustered past the Black Carver High School. Several large farms were up that way including the Livingston Place).
Wow you definitely done your homework
Don't waste time talking about your story. Let us hear about Elvis Presley
Please listen more. Less talking