Elvis Presley Remembered by Groveland Resident

This Saturday August 16th marks the 31st Anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley.

Peggy Mosely, owner of the Groveland Hotel, grew up with Presley as a child and lived only about 100 yards away from him in a Government Housing Project. Mosely discussed growing up with Presley on today´s Newsmaker segment on AM-1450 KVML.

Mosely said, “We hung out together, drank Cokes, played corkball and did the things that kids do together when they couldn´t afford a lot of sports equipment.”

According to Mosely, Presley was a very shy kid and was so poor that he went to school barefoot.

However, Presley was given a guitar by his Mom and Mosely says that from that day, he always carried it with him. In the evenings, Elvis would strum his guitar in the local mall where the kids would gather around. Elvis would also try to sing during the school talent shows at Humes High School. Mosely recalls that he did not start out with a great voice but did develop it over time.

Presley and Mosely remained friends even after Mosely moved to California in 1959 and Presley´s fame grew immensely.

Mosely concludes, “We were friends even when there was no need for him to be my friend other than the fact that he was a great person. I´ll always remember him like that”.

The Newsmaker of the Day can be heard each weekday morning at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47 on AM-1450 KVML.

Written by Mark Truppner