Beauty and ‘The King;’ Ginger Alden Leyser on her life after Elvis

During the mid 1950s, rock-n-roll newcomer, Elvis Presley and his band were constantly on the road performing and making personal appearances at events throughout the south.

They played a variety of venues, ranging from high schools to county fairs.

One such stop in March 1955 brought the then 20-year-old singer to his first and only performance in Poplar Bluff, where Presley played for a packed house at the old city armory building.

A year after his visit, Presley released his first self-titled studio album, “Elvis Presley.”

Presley’s career would span the next two decades until his untimely death on Aug. 16, 1977. The singer remains one of the most adored and popular music icons in history.

Ginger and Elvis arrive in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 31, 1976, Elvis’ final New Year’s Eve show before his death. Leyser had learned the day before this photo was taken that her beloved grandfather had passed away in Harrison, Arkansas.Photo courtesy Bob Klein Photo Archives

A longtime fan of all things Elvis, I was afforded the wonderful opportunity a few weeks ago to interview Presley’s former finance, Ginger Alden Leyser, via email. Although she is an extremely private person, who rarely grants in-person or phone interviews, she agreed to answer a few of my questions.

Berkley Books/ Penguin Random House

Five-year-old Ginger Alden Leyser first met rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis Presley in 1961 at the Memphis Fairgrounds Amusement Park in Memphis, Tennessee.

During that time, Leyser’s father was a public relations officer with the Army in Memphis and had been invited by Presley’s uncle to join a group at the fairgrounds for a carefree evening.

She remembers Presley greeting her with a pat on the head and his displaying a kind and “giving nature.”

Ginger Alden Leyser present dayPhoto courtesy Ginger Alden Leyser

Unbeknownst to Leyser, the Memphis beauty and “The King” would cross paths 15 years later when she would become Presley’s fiance and last love.

On Nov. 19, 1976, Presley’s longtime confidante and well-known radio personality, George Klein, invited Leyser’s sister, Terry Alden, the then reigning Miss Tennessee, to meet Presley and visit Graceland.

Presley is said to frequently have enjoyed the company of beautiful women.

Klein and others close to Presley were known to scout out potential dates for the singer. Terry, engaged to her high school beau, was thrilled to meet Presley and visit his iconic home, but felt uncomfortable going alone.

Terry and her sisters were raised in a conservative household, where it was deemed inappropriate for a young woman to meet a man unaccompanied, no matter how innocent the circumstances, so she asked Klein if her sisters, Rosemary and Ginger Alden, could tag along.

Once inside Graceland, the Alden sisters enjoyed tours of the home and grounds. After finally meeting up with Presley, the sisters recalled how polite and easy to talk to he seemed.

In those moments of socializing, Presley took a special interest in sister Ginger.

At a pivotal moment during the sisters’ visit, Leyser remembers Presley professing his attraction to her by exclaiming,“Ginger, you’re burning a hole right through me!”

Leyser wrote her meeting with Presley was a “wonderful accident that turned into a life altering nine months.”

She described her relationship as being rapidly “pulled into the orbit” of a powerful and charismatic man, a true “supernova” personality she wanted to spend the rest of her life loving.

Presley proposed to Leyser late one evening in January 1977, presenting her with an 11.5-carat diamond ring.

She remembers that night as “extraordinarily unforgettable” as Leyser committed to the man she loved “heart and soul.”

Leyser remained Presley’s constant companion for the rest of his life, traveling, touring with and loving him until his death on Aug. 16, 1977.

Oct. 29 marked the 44th anniversary of Presley’s final studio recording session.

The hits “Way Down” and “Moody Blue” were among the songs recorded that day in the Jungle Room of Presley’s beloved Memphis mansion, Graceland.

What follows is the bank of questions I posed to Ginger Alden Leyser, and the responses written in her own words.

• How have you and your family been coping with and keeping healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic?

My family and I are doing well so far, thank God, although I did have a niece who had the virus and recovered. It is a very serious time in our world, and I do hope all will heed the advice of professionals and protect each other by wearing masks, washing hands often and social distancing. These things I have been doing while a vaccine is being sought. Unfortunately, I still see some people not doing the same, which is disturbing and disheartening to me. Keeping the faith though!

• You are known to the world as the woman with whom Elvis shared his last few months. What aspects of your life would you like people to know that extends outside the Elvis bubble?

Being engaged to Elvis left such an impact on me and my life was most certainly changed. I moved away from Memphis, began a career and worked for many years before getting married, then retiring to raise my son. I am actually a very private person but someone trying to move forward since the death of my husband five years ago, navigating new waters without him, something which has not been easy. (Notably, Leyser’s husband, Ron, died suddenly Aug. 16, 2015, the 38th anniversary of Presley’s death).

• Your book, “Elvis and Ginger, Elvis Presley’s Fiancee and Last Love Finally Tells Her Story” was released in 2014 and well received. Why did you choose to remain silent for so many years about your relationship with the king of rock ‘n’ roll?

Yes, my story with Elvis over the many years would become the “elephant in the room” for me. I had removed myself from the “Elvis limelight,” not wanting to jump into the circus of books that were being tossed out left and right by many, and I had offers. I moved forward with my life and worked, having no idea of the many false stories, speculations and unjust portrayals that were being tossed out into the Elvis world. I would hear bits and pieces of articles or interviews by some others feeling it was something I could not stop, but I had no idea of just how bad and untrue some of these stories would become. I had some medical setbacks as well, which had stopped me from writing sooner, but I wrote down a great deal not long after Elvis passed as a way to hold onto various memories. There are also some things, you never forget. When my son went off to college, the timing was right and I sat down and began my book. It was something that had to be done, and Elvis sure would have wanted our story out there, the truth, as it should be. My book became a New York Times best seller, something I was overjoyed about, and I’ve been so blessed to have so many of Elvis’s fans say to me, “thank you, I understand now.” That has meant the world to me!

• Graceland was your home for a period of time during the 1970s. What are your thoughts on the vandalism attacks marring the walls and gates of the iconic mansion that occurred this summer? How do you think Elvis would react to this and to the current racial unrest dividing our country?

I was so angered and saddened to see the attack on Graceland’s walls, but I knew they would be cleaned quickly. Elvis would have been angered, but he would also have been saddened and hurt by it, as he would have wanted all to get along. He loved helping others, and I feel he would have spoken out with some press interview, in trying to get people to understand things better. Our country sure needs healing, let alone the rest of the world!

• By all accounts, you’ve led a pretty exciting life. What advice would you offer others on living life to the fullest?

I always ask God to “make me strong,” “to help me understand some things” and thank HIM for my blessings that I have had in my life. It’s not always easy, but one can certainly choose how they want to wake up each morning. Looking at a glass half full, or half empty, it will set the tone for the rest of the day. Each day is a blessing, really, and as far as living life to the fullest, I can only say, I am giving it my best shot and hope others are as well!

Leyser moved from New York state after her husband’s passing and now calls eastern Tennessee home. She enjoys a quiet, private life far removed from her former life with Elvis Presley. She now prefers to simply be known as “a proud mom.”