Elvis Addicted 2 Work As Well As Drugs?

Author suggests addiction to work was as much to blame for Elvis Presley’s early death at 42 as any addiction to the drugs he popped to ease his mounting physical pain while preparing for yet another grueling tour.

Sally Hoedel who wrote “Elvis: Destined to Die Young” focuses on the final months, in which a seriously deteriorating health culminated in his death on August 16, 1977. We’re told Elvis “was in a lot of pain.” But, we already knew that. “The singer, who made teenage girls hysterical with his movie star looks, catchy songs … had divorced his wife Priscilla Presley in 1973 & developed a dependence on prescription drugs … He had turned to food for comfort” & had gained much weight while struggling to sleep. Arthritis invaded parts of his body. Still, Elvis insisted on maintaining a “grueling” schedule …

But, did we really realize how grueling his calendar had become? Hoedel told Fox News that as Presley’s body was slowing down his determination to hit the road seemed to increase beyond reason. “Elvis [always] had an incredible work ethic,” she explained. “When he played Vegas, he played 2 shows a day for 30 days …” In the year Presley died, however, he had a fourth tour scheduled and Hoedel says people in his entourage were worried about how much of the load he could now handle. Her book alleges that during the second show of that fourth tour, a semiconscious Presley, “had his head dunked in a bucket of ice water. His manager, Col. Parker allegedly shouted, ‘The only thing that’s important is that he’s on that stage tonight.’” Elvis apparently agreed, largely out of fear his team would be left financially destitute without him. That’s why a fifth tour that year involved 10 shows in 10 days in 10 cities. At his last concert, in Indiana, Elvis said, “My body really hurts, but no matter what I’m going out there & giving everything I have … no matter what” because people “depend on me.” He never got to do a 6th tour that was in the works.

Davd Soul