- Brenda Lee recalls a decades-long friendship with Elvis Presley rooted in humility and kindness.
- They met in 1957; their bond focused on personal connection, not fame or music.
- Elvis gave Lee a rare necklace stamped with his initials — a keepsake she still owns.
- Lee says Elvis was shy, down-to-earth, and a devoted son who left a lasting impression.
Brenda Lee recalls a private friendship with Elvis Presley
Brenda Lee recently opened up about her longtime friendship with Elvis Presley in a new Woman’s World interview, sharing memories that strip away the myth of the King and reveal a quietly generous man. The two first met in 1957, when both were early in their careers. For Lee, the moments they shared were personal and unspectacular — and that is exactly what made them meaningful.
“He was very shy,” Lee remembered
Lee described Elvis as shy and unusually down-to-earth for someone of his fame. “I don’t even think he knew what people thought of him. And how big he really was,” she said, crediting his mother, Gladys, for keeping him grounded. The star’s humility, Lee says, became the foundation of a friendship that endured until his death.
A gift few people received: the E.P. necklace
One moment from their friendship stands out: Elvis gave Lee a necklace bearing his initials, E.P. “He didn’t give those to many people,” she recalled. When asked if she still has it, Lee answered simply, “Yes, yes, I do still have it.” The gesture underscores how personal their bond was — a private token rather than a publicized souvenir.
Visits, candid talks and quiet loyalty
Elvis also visited Lee at her home, something he reportedly rarely did for others. The surprise visit caused excitement among her household, but Lee remembers it fondly: “After everybody got up off the floor, we had a good time,” she said. Their conversations, she added, weren’t about hits or industry gossip. Instead they traded thoughts about life, people they knew, and how they felt about the music business.
Lee emphasized that, despite the celebrity around him, Elvis was first and foremost a kind person. “He was a good, he was a good guy, a good son,” she said. That sentiment — valuing character over celebrity — is the lasting impression she carries from their friendship.
Why this memory matters
Brenda Lee, who turned 81 on December 11, uses these recollections to remind fans that fame often masks the human side of cultural icons. Her account of Elvis highlights generosity in small gestures: a visit, a private conversation, and a rare keepsake. Those moments offer a more intimate portrait of a man usually seen only on stage.
For Lee, Elvis Presley will be remembered not for the legend alone, but for the humble, kind friend he was away from the spotlight.
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