Madonna felt the spirit of Elvis Presley pass through her when he died, according to her brother-in-law, singer songwriter Joe Henry.
Elvis Presley died 38 years ago on August 16, 1977. August 16 is also Madonna’s birthday.
Henry, co-wrote ‘Jump’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me’ for his famous sister-in-law, as well as various album tracks.
In a post at his Facebook page Henry writes, “I have told this tale before, but it bears repeating: when Elvis Presley died on this date in 1977, this upstart professed in real-time that she felt his spirit had passed out of his body and through her own in exodus.
“I laughed at her then for such outrageous self-possession, at the arrogance that I assumed must allow her to declare such publicly”.
Henry met Madonna in 1975 when they were both Michigan students at the same school. He had just entered his Sophomore year, she was a Senior. They were both members of the Thespian Society. They once played Mother and Son together in a school play.
Henry says, “she was whip-smart and short on patience; and to tell the truth, she scared me more than a little. But along with her sister Paula, her presence upon my landscape nudged open a door through which I would pass and find my life utterly and forever changed…that unusual and sprawling family becoming, years later, my own”.
After knowing Madonna for 40 years Henry says, “like anyone, I can sometimes forget to see the flesh and blood/heart and mind behind the parade float that is her public persona. But then I will find myself across the kitchen table from her, sharing a martini, and be additionally shocked to recognize anew the compact, terse-yet-compassionate human at the switches”.
Madonna has three brothers Anthony (born 1956), (born 1957) and Christopher (born 1960) and two sisters Paula (born 1959) and Melanie (born 1962). Joe Henry is married to Melanie. They have two children.
R.I.P Elvis Presley, January 8, 1935.
Happy birthday, Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone born August 16, 1958
