Thanks Jess, this was a nice interview to read but whoever wrote it out sure can't spell.
Diane
MYRNA SMITH INTERVIEW
Joe Krein
THE FOLLOWING IS A TAPED TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH MYRNA SMITH FROM
THE
"SWEET INSPIRATIONS". WHAT A WONDERFUL LADY SHE WAS TO TALK TOO. I AM
GLAD TO SAY SHE HAS NOW BECOME A FRIEND. SHE TRULY LOVED ELVIS AND
DOES ANY THING IN HER POWER TO KEEP HIS MEMORY ALIVE.
JOE KREIN: CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF. WHERE WERE YOU
BORN AND RAISED?
MYRNA SMITH : I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH NEW JERSEY. I'M NOT TO
FAR FROM YOU. A LOT OF MY FAMILY STILL LIVES THERE. I MOVED TO
CALIFORNIA IN 1973. I BOUGHT A HOME. THAT'S BECAUSE JERRY SHILLING
LIVED HERE. WE WERE DATING AT THE TIME. I LATER MARRIED HIM. MY
MOTHER
AND MY SON LIVED WITH ME. I MOVED OUT HERE AND ELVIS HAD JUST GIVEN
ME
A CADILLAC. I FLEW TO MEMPHIS WITH JERRY TO PICK UP THE CAR. ELVIS
HAD ALSO GIVEN HIM A CAR. SO WE ALL DROVE HERE FROM MEMPHIS TO
CALIFORNIA. I WASN'T SO USED TO SUCH A BIG CAR. (LAUGHING)
WELL WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH ELVIS LIKED CADILLAC'S
WHEN DID YOU START IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS?
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS. SINCE I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD.
MY FATHER HAD A RADIO SHOW IN NEW JERSEY. IT WAS A GOSPEL SHOW. I
SING
ON THAT SHOW. THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!
DID YOU LATER BECOME INVOLVED IN GROUPS? I MEAN DID YOU START RIGHT
OFF WITH THE "SWEETS?
YES I DID. I ALSO TAUGHT HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH FOR THREE YEARS. BUT I
WAS SINGING WHILE I WAS TEACHING. I WAS WORKING IN SESSIONS. THE
FIRST
ONE I DID WAS WITH DION WARRICK, AND BURK BACCURACK. HE CALLED ME ,
HE
SAID YOU HAVE TO DO THIS SESSION! BECAUSE HE HAD CALLED ME PREVIOUSLY
TO DO ONE. BUT I DIDN'T DO IT. I WAS AFRAID. BUT FINALLY CONVINCED
ME.
SO I DID BACK UP FOR ALL HER RECORDINGS. YOU SEE DION AND I WENT TO
THE SAME CHURCH. SO DID SISSY HOUSTON. WHITNEY'S MOM. HER MOM WAS OUR
CHOIR DIRECTOR.
GOODNESS WHAT TALENT IN ONE CHOIR!
SO I DID SESSIONS UNTIL I JOINED THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS. WEXLER SAID
TO US THAT WE SHOULD START A GIRL GROUP OF OUR OWN. SO I HAD TO QUIT
TEACHING SCHOOL. SO I COULD DO THIS SINGING THING! WE WERE TRAVELING
SO MUCH. I FOUND THAT I COULD NOT DO BOTH.
(LAUGHING)
BUT SINGING HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.
IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE ONE DAY , MY MANAGER GOT A LETTER FROM A FAN. HE
WANTED TO KNOW IF THE MYRNA SMITH IN THE SWEETS WAS HIS EX TEACHER.
HE
TOLD HIM I WAS. NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT.
SO WHEN DID THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS GET THE ELVIS GIG?
IN 1969. RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF GETTING TO PERFORM WITH ELVIS PRESLEY?
WELL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH
REALLY? YOU KNOW THAT'S FUNNY. YOUR NOT THE FIRST ENTERTAINER THAT
WORKED WITH ELVIS . THAT HAD SAID THE SAME THING. SO YOU WEREN'T A
ELVIS FAN?
NO I WASN'T A FAN UNTIL I MET HIM. BUT THEN I BECAME ONE INSTANTLY.
SO YOU BECAME A FAN OF THE MAN!
YES FAN OF THE MAN! (LAUGHING) YES HE WAS A WONDERFUL MAN.
CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT WHEN YOU FIRST MET ELVIS?
WE WERE SITTING ON THE STAGE AT THE INTERNATIONAL HOTEL. THAT'S WHAT
IT WAS CALLED IN 1969. IT LATER BECAME THE HILTON AS YOU KNOW. SO WE
WERE WAITING FOR HIM TO CAME , SO WE COULD REHEARSE. SO WE COULD HEAR
SOME RUCKUS COMING DOWN THE HALL. IT WAS ELVIS WITH SOME OF HIS GUYS.
HE WALKED RIGHT OVER TO US, LEANED IN AND GAVE US ALL A KISS ON THE
LIPS.
OH BOY!
OH YES . IT WAS WONDERFUL (GIGGLING)
HE WAS REALLY SWEET. VERY SWEET VERY NORMAL.
WAS HE A NICE MAN? I MEAN I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD SAY SURE HE
WAS. BUT I MEN WAS HE A GOOD MAN?
I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN , AND ABSOLUTELY! HE AND I BECAME REAL GOOD
FRIENDS. I WAS DATING JERRY . SO WE FLEW WITH HIM ON HIS PLANE.
BECAUSE HE WANTED JERRY TO BE CLOSE BY. SO I DIDN'T FLY WITH MY
GROUP.
I GOT TO FLY WITH ELVIS. RIGHT AFTER THE SHOW WE WOULD GO TO THE NEXT
CITY. SO ELVIS COULD GET A GOOD NIGHT SLEEP. BUT THE REST OF THE
BAND
WOULD NOT LEAVE UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING.
BEING ON TOUR MUST HAVE BEEN HARD ON ALL OF YOU.
IT WAS BUT , YOU DON'T REALIZE HOW TIRED YOU ARE UNTIL YOU GET HOME.
YOU MEAN WHEN THE TOUR IS OVER AND YOUR AT HOME?
YES YOUR ALL DONE AND YOUR AT HOME. IT HITS YOU. IT TAKES YOU TWO OR
THREE DAYS TO GET BACK TO YOUR NORMAL. UNTIL THEN YOU JUST SACK OUT.
BUT IF YOU KEEP GOING. YOU COULD PROBABLY GO FOR EVER. YOU GET IN TO
A
REGIMENT WHEN YOUR ON TOUR. BUT WHEN YOU STOP. AARGH! (LAUGHING)
YOU DID A LOT OF SHOWS.
I THINK ABOUT 1400?
SO WHAT DID YOU LIKE BETTER? LAS VEGAS OR LAKE TAHOE?
OH I LOVED VEGAS. YOU SEE IN VEGAS BACK THEN YOU WOULD DRESS UP WHEN
YOU WENT OUT OR IF YOU WERE IN THE CASINOS. LAKE TAHOE WAS MUCH MORE
LAID BACK. YOU COULD GO INTO THE CASINOS WITH JEANS ON. I WOULD TAKE
VEGAS OVER TAHOE ANY DAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY GOOD STORIES ABOUT BEING ON TOUR?
ONE NIGHT THERE WAS A FIRE ALARM. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND
EMPTIED
OUT THE WHOLE HOTEL. I WAS TIRED SO I FIGURED I WOULD JUST IGNORE IT.
SO THEY CAME KNOCKING AT MY DOOR. THEY WERE SCREAMING YOU GOT TO GET
OUT OF HERE. I WAS STAYING WITH JERRY. WE WERE ON THE SAME FLOOR AS
ELVIS. BUT JERRY WAS STILL DOWNSTAIRS WITH ELVIS. WE HAD JUST
FINISHED
THE NIGHT SHOW. SO I ONLY HAD ON JERRY'S PAJAMA TOP. THAT'S ALL I HAD
WITH ME AT THE TIME. SO I DIDN'T WANT TO GO OUTSIDE LIKE THAT. SO I
MADE IT DOWNSTAIRS TO ELVIS DRESSING ROOM . ELVIS WAS STILL THERE
WITH THE GUYS . SO WE STAYED THERE UNTIL MORNING. ELVIS WANTED TO
FOOL
AROUND SO HE GOT UP TO THE CEILING WITH SOME PAINT. HE PAINTED ONE OF
THE FIGURES THERE. HE ALWAYS SAID THAT IT WAS JERRY AND ME.
(LAUGHING. )
OH I REMEMBER THAT STORY. THAT WAS AT THE INTERNATIONAL?
WERE THE INTERNATIONAL PEOPLE ANGRY ABOUT THAT.
I DON'T THINK SO . BUT WHAT COULD THEY DO IF THEY WERE.
THAT WAS LIKE THAT FOR QUITE A WHILE.
YES IT WAS. I WOULD LOOK UP THERE AND SEE THAT. WE WOULD ALL LAUGH.
WE
HAD THE RUN OF THE HOTEL.
(LAUGHING)
DO YOU KNOW THE TRUE STORY ABOUT THE FIGHT IN TAHOE. WHEN SOMEONE
TRIED TO GET INTO ELVIS'S DRESSING ROOM? YOU HEAR SO MANY DIFFERENT
VERSIONS ABOUT IT?
OH YES I WAS ON THE SAME FLOOR THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I WAS WITH JERRY.
ELVIS ALWAYS WANTED HIM NEAR. THIS GUY WAS MESSING WITH THE LIGHTS
AND
TRIED TO GET IN. RED WEST TOOK HIM OUT FAST. IT WAS QUICK AND OVER
WITH FAST. BUT OVER THE YEARS PEOPLE ADD TO IT AND MAKE IT MORE THEN
IT WAS.
WELL ELVIS NEW KARATE HE COULD HAVE HANDLED IT.
DID YOU GET ALONG WITH VERNON?
OH YES . I LIKED VERNON. BUT HE ALWAYS TREATED ME NICE. I HAD GONE
TO
DINNER WITH HIM AND DEE SEVERAL TIMES WITH JERRY. BUT WE WERE ALL ONE
BIG HAPPY FAMILY.
PATTY SAID THE SAME THING.
HOW DID YOU GET ALONG WITH THE COLONEL?
IN THE BEGINNING WE DID NOT GET A LONG. BUT LATER ON WE WOULD GO OUT
TO DINER WITH HIM EVERY SUNDAY.
I LOVED YOU ON THE RADIO PROGRAM "THE COLONEL"
OH THANK YOU.
BUT YOU KNOW FANS ARE NOT GOING TO EVER GIVE THE COLONEL A BREAK.
THERE ALWAYS GOING TO DISLIKE HIM.
YOU KNOW ELVIS NEW EVERYTHING THE COLONEL DID. EVERY DECISION. ELVIS
WAS APART OF. THE COLONEL TRULY CARED FOR ELVIS. HE LOVED ELVIS. HE
ONLY WANTED THE BEST FOR ELVIS. YOU SEE JOE WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH WE
WERE THERE.
THAT WAS THE COLONELS JOB. TO TAKE ALL THE GARBAGE.
SO WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW?
I WILL BE GOING ON "ELVIS THE CONCERT"
IS THAT HARD TO DO , OR TO SING WITH IMPERSONATORS.
SOMETIMES VERY HARD. ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE BAD. BUT THERE ONLY TRYING
TO SHOW THERE LOVE FOR ELVIS
I MISS HIM. I LOVED HIM.
WELL THANK YOU MYRNA. FOR DOING THIS FOR ME. I WILL BE CALLING YOU
SOON.
*Without you
If I could go
back in time
~28.06.06~
Last edited by Merry; 01-24-2009 at 07:26 PM.
Thanks Jess, this was a nice interview to read but whoever wrote it out sure can't spell.
Diane
THANKS FOR THE GREAT INTERVIEW JESS. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MYRNA SMITH, A GREAT SINGER (ALONG WITH THE OTHER SWEETS) AND A VERY CLASSY LADY. I LOVE HOW SHE GIGGLES ABOUT MEETING ELVIS FOR THE FIRST TIME!! SHE WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HIS BEAUTY IT MUST HAVE BEEN AMAZING TO SHARE THE STAGE WITH ELVIS!!
YOU CAN TELL SHE HAD A GREAT LOVE AND RESPECT FOR HIM!!
Thanks, for the interview Kimmi.
franny
You are very welcome, everyone.
I can hear Myrna's giggling, can't you? lol
Did i read this right? Myrna & Jerry were married? Didn't know that!
I'm the King of the Jungle, They call me Tigerman
]
Originally Posted by john carpenter
Did i read this right? Myrna & Jerry were married? Didn't know that!
LOL, David, yes you did.
YES THEY WERE MARRIED!! THEY WERE MARRIED FROM 1982-1987.ELVIS BROUGHT THEM A HOUSE. READ JERRY SCHILLING'S BIOGRAPHY "ME AND A GUY NAMED ELVIS" .HE TALKS ALL ABOUT IT!!
I was about to say the same thing Diane! I was hoping it wasn't Myrna the English teacher!!Thanks Jess, this was a nice interview to read but whoever wrote it out sure can't spell.
Diane
Elvis bought the house for Jerry, not Myrna and Jerry. They were not married at that time. Elvis told Jerry "I know you never had a real home growing up and I want to be the one to give you your own home." Jerry still lives there today!
Myrna and Jerry Schilling were already a couple by that time when Elvis bought the home in California. Myrna had previously lived at Elvis' LA home before then.I was about to say the same thing Diane! I was hoping it wasn't Myrna the English teacher!!
Elvis bought the house for Jerry, not Myrna and Jerry. They were not married at that time. Elvis told Jerry "I know you never had a real home growing up and I want to be the one to give you your own home." Jerry still lives there today!
Elvis bought the house for Jerry, not Myrna and Jerry. They were not married at that time. Elvis told Jerry "I know you never had a real home growing up and I want to be the one to give you your own home." Jerry still lives there today!I never said they were not dating....they were NOT married. Jerry has talked on many occasions about the day that Elvis gave him the house and what he said to him. Look it up.
Elvis bought the house for Jerry, not Myrna and Jerry. They were not married at that time. Elvis told Jerry "I know you never had a real home growing up and I want to be the one to give you your own home." Jerry still lives there today!
THANKS FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR ME!!
You are correct Rosanne. Jerry didn't marry Myrna until after Elvis died, maybe around 1980 ish.....I was about to say the same thing Diane! I was hoping it wasn't Myrna the English teacher!!
Elvis bought the house for Jerry, not Myrna and Jerry. They were not married at that time. Elvis told Jerry "I know you never had a real home growing up and I want to be the one to give you your own home." Jerry still lives there today!
"More people today should see him not simply as a performer, but as an artist with a great soul."
John Bakke, professor emeritus
University of Memphis
Correct...they married in 1980. Jerry tells the story of Elvis buying him the house in his book, pages 276-279. Jerry still lives in that house today.
You are welcome!
That is correct. It has also been told in other Elvis bios as well as EBTP's, but he has never said he was married to Myrna. If I recall correctly, he tells of dating Myrna and telling Elvis he was going to get his own apartment in LA and Elvis couldn't understand why Jerry didn't want to live in his house on Monovale. Jerry explained he was dating Myrna and didn't know if Elvis was okay with that. Elvis told Jerry that he would have it no other way -- he wanted them both to live with him.Correct...they married in 1980. Jerry tells the story of Elvis buying him the house in his book, pages 276-279. Jerry still lives in that house today.
"More people today should see him not simply as a performer, but as an artist with a great soul."
John Bakke, professor emeritus
University of Memphis
That's correct, Jerry says the only time he will leave his home is when he's carried out in a box.Correct...they married in 1980. Jerry tells the story of Elvis buying him the house in his book, pages 276-279. Jerry still lives in that house today.
I did read Me and a guy named Elvis..must have missed that!
I'm the King of the Jungle, They call me Tigerman
When Elvis bought the house for Jerry Schiiling he was already involved with Myrna Smith of The Sweet Inspirations. She and Jerry were living together with Elvis at the time even though not yet married. They broke up in '77 and reunited at Elvis' funeral and got married in '82 and divorced in '87. That's all according to Myrna. So in other words, Elvis bought Jerry the house for him, but Myrna lived there too. So basically it was for the both of them but jerry was the full owner. And why would Jerry ever assume that Elvis would have a problem with him and Myrna being together when it's been documented that Elvis was fond of Myrna and somewhat intimate with her on a few occasions? I've never understood that.
According to Jerry, they married in 1980.
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