Elvis has been a mainstay of the supermarket tabloids for nearly forty years, but it was well into the 80’s before the cover stories started getting weird. Titles like “Statue of Elvis Spotted on Mars,” or “Elvis Fathered My Alien Love Child” were nowhere to be found in my recently acquired 21 tabloids from 1977-78.
Most of the subjects in these magazines were about love and remembrance, titles like “Elvis & Priscilla’s Eternal Love” and “Elvis Love Letters.” However, there was one issue that foreshadowed the kind of Elvis stories to come. The June 20, 1978 Midnight Globe featured, “SUPER SÉANCE! 5 Psychics Contact Elvis.”
The story describes how British psychic, Sybil Leek, Midnight Globe’s own psychic editor, selected four other famous female seers and had them flown to mysterious (so they say) Merritt Island, Florida. They conducted their séance in an abandoned mansion called Hacienda Del Sol (House of the Sun) in a secluded location on 80 acres. According to Sybil Leek, “It’s a place filled with spirits, a good place to communicate with those who are beyond.” Ooooohh, spooky.
The one lady who supposedly connected with Elvis was Lou Wright. According to the article, Elvis had summoned her to Graceland frequently to “guide him through the maze of decisions he faced daily.” This seems to be confirmed in the excellent reference Elvis – His Life from A to Z, which says Wright did readings for Elvis during the last three years of his life through close friend Charlie Hodge.
So what kind of secrets did Ms. Wright discern? Mostly bland non-controversial stuff like Elvis is so glad Lisa Marie is safe and protected, and he will always be with her in spirit. A bit more interesting is his notion that three pieces of his jewelry are missing. Only a cynic like me would note that the psychic didn’t reveal who took them from his bedroom.
The most startling revelation of the séance (according to Midnight Globe) was that Elvis’ spirit revealed he had left another will, one which divided his fortune up among more of his friends and relatives. However, someone found it hidden under his mattress, and that was the end of it.
It was all pretty tame stuff compared to what was to come in the tabloids. We’d have to wait a few years before we’d see cover stories like “Elvis Sighted At Donut Eating Contest In Tulsa.”
© Philip R Arnold
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