Harvey Brownstone conducts an in-depth Interview with Deborah Presley Brando, Elvis Presley’s Daughter, Author, “Memoirs of a Starseed Child: Elvis, Marlon, Christian and Me”
About Harvey's guest:
Today’s special guest, Deborah Presley Brando, has lived a life that most of us could never possibly imagine, in the shadow of one of the greatest superstars of all time – Elvis Presley.
Although many people still believe that Elvis had only one child, Lisa Marie, who passed away tragically last year at the age of 54, the fact is – and this has been confirmed by an order of the Tennessee Court of Appeal - Elvis had another child, our guest, born on March 4, 1956.
Our guest’s mother, Barbara Jean Lewis, met Elvis in 1954, before he became famous, through his cousin Gene Smith, when she was 14 years old. She had a romantic relationship with Elvis in the summer of 1955, when she spent several weeks with him on tour in Mississippi. Elvis and Barbara were very much in love, and when Elvis learned of the pregnancy, he invited Barbara to come to Memphis and live with his parents. Barbara did visit Elvis in Memphis, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, fearing the impact on Elvis’ career and public image of being seen in the company of a pregnant 16-year-old girl, persuaded Barbara to return home to her family in North Carolina. Barbara married a man by the name of Don Yandel prior to having the baby, and she kept the identity of our guest’s father a secret from her for many years, until 1977, when, at the age of 21, she finally told her daughter the truth.
She also told our guest that Elvis had been a part of her life until she was 4 years old, and that he sent gifts and money throughout her childhood.
In the 80s our guest became good friends with the one person besides her mother, who was able to confirm the details that I’ve just mentioned: Elvis’ cousin and best friend Gene Smith, who was Elvis’ driver and who was with him constantly, including during the time of Elvis’ relationship with Barbara. In fact, Gene Smith provided a crucial affidavit in the court case launched by our guest, leading to the judicial finding that our guest is, indeed, the biological daughter of Elvis Presley.
Our guest has written a fascinating and compelling book entitled “Memoirs of a Starseed Child: Elvis, Marlon, Christian and Me”, in which she shares her heart wrenching and sometimes traumatic journey through a difficult childhood, her quest to learn the truth about her paternity and to be acknowledged and validated for who she is, and several complicated relationships including her marriage to Marlon Brando’s late son Christian.
Our guest has also written a children’s book entitled, “Creations of the Goddess Maylaya: An American Fairy Tale”, and she’s had a varied career, not only as a writer, but as a special education assistant working with autistic children, and as an artist and a curator for an art gallery.
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To learn more about Deborah Presley Brando, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/deborah.presley.98/
https://www.instagram.com/deborahdelainepresley/
https://twitter.com/devidelaine
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