Linda Thompson, who dated Elvis Presley during the 1970s, recently opened up about her relationship with The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, shedding light on their deep connection, his struggles, and the reasons she ultimately walked away.
Elvis Presley, a global music icon and cultural phenomenon, left an indelible mark on 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 …”
Historic Moments and Heartbreaking Realizations
During their time together, Linda accompanied Elvis to monumental events, including his Aloha from Hawaii concert in 1973—the first live satellite broadcast by a solo artist, reaching over 40 countries. However, as Elvis’s fame soared, his health declined.
Linda described how Elvis’s health scares became frequent. She once found him struggling to breathe and rushed him to the hospital, where doctors discovered liver issues linked to his medication use. These moments deeply impacted Linda, who began to feel overwhelmed.
In 1975, after years of emotional and physical strain, Linda decided to leave Elvis. Though the decision was agonizing, she explained that she needed to prioritize her well-being and career. She relocated to Los Angeles, where she pursued acting and songwriting. However, she and Elvis remained in touch.
“I had this haunting feeling,” Linda explained. “I thought, ‘I don’t know if anybody’s going to take care of him the way I did.’”
Elvis’s Final Days
On August 16, 1977, Linda received the devastating news that Elvis had passed away at the age of 42. Just days earlier, she had tried calling Graceland to check on him. Though reassured by Elvis’s close friend Charlie Hodge that he was fine, Linda’s last words to him were relayed through Charlie: “Tell him I love him and I’m just checking on him.”
When Elvis’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, learned of her father’s death, nine-year-old Lisa called Linda to share the heartbreaking news.
Linda’s Life After Elvis
Following Elvis’s death, Linda found success as a songwriter, earning accolades for her work on The Bodyguard soundtrack and contributing music to television shows like The Voice and American Idol. She married twice—first to Bruce Jenner (now Caitlyn Jenner), with whom she had two sons, and later to music producer David Foster.
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