From Richard Nixon to Michael Jackson to Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley has a photo with just about every major celebrity of his time. One photograph, however, has been debunked. Though the picture is real, the person thought to be an iconic musician in the photo with Elvis was actually just a look-alike.
In 1970, someone snapped a photo of Elvis Presley signing autographs for a crowd of fans. Until recently, one of the young fans was thought to be the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. However, the chances that the girl in the photo is, in fact, Madonna are slim to none.
First of all, Madonna was 11 or 12 at the time, depending on the month the picture was taken. The girl in the photograph, though young, appears to be quite a bit older than 12.
Now, Madonna did grow up in the suburbs outside of Detroit, where the photo was taken. However, Madonna has also never addressed the photo, despite it being shared on social media regularly.
Last but not least, the photo was taken prior to Elvis’ concert at Olympia Stadium in Detroit. Surely, if Madonna was attending, it would be her first concert. But Madonna has said that her first concert was a David Bowie performance.
Madonna expert, Matthew Rettenmund, weighed in as well, further disproving the image. “That absolutely is not Madonna,” Rettenmund said. “She was nowhere near a concert of any kind until she snuck out to see Bowie YEARS later. Exactly right that there is no way she would make it to age 63 without mentioning she got Elvis’ autograph.”
Elvis Presley’s History With Legendary Musicians
Though it’s safe to say that Elvis Presley never met Madonna, he not only met but had strong relationships with legendary musicians such as Johnny Cash and Tom Jones. Perhaps the most impressive meet-up, however, was when Elvis Presley met The Beatles.
In 1965, The Fab Four stopped by Presley’s Bel-Air home during their US tour. Billy Smith, a member of Elvis’ inner circle, the Memphis Mafia, recalls The Beatles being a little starstruck by the King of Rock and Roll. “When they [The Beatles] came in to see him and Elvis was waiting for them there, they just stood, they didn’t say a word. They just stood and stared at him.”
Smith and other members of the Memphis Mafia were impressed by The Beatles as well. Smith says of meeting the British superstars, “We got to meet The Beatles like 1-on-1. They were great, just as nice as they could be. Really, really nice. Every single one of them. I mean that was like unbelievable to people and friends of ours back here [in Memphis]. We actually got to meet The Beatles.”
Elvis, however, was unfazed. Unwilling to allow anyone to feel uncomfortable in his home, he broke the silence and said, “Look if y’all not going to talk I’m going to go to bed!” The joke was enough to bring everyone to their senses and the group spent the rest of the evening enjoying each other’s company.
