JESSE LEE DENSON, 75, died this week at Methodist University Hospital. He was the son of the late Jesse and Mattie Denson. His friends called him Lee. He was born in 1932 in Rienze, MS. Lee was a lifelong singer, songwriter and musician with numerous musical compositions to his credit. Probably the best known is "The Miracle of the Rosary" which was recorded by Elvis Presley. Lee leaves behind son, Jesse Denson (Terry), son, James Denson (Anne), daughter, Maryanne (Dave), sister, Gladys Adams, sister, Gloria Reed, brother, James Denson, sister, Deloris Clark (John), sister, Virgina Fay Howard (Andy), brother, Lowell (Spike) Denson (Devonna) and also 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who all love him dearly and will miss him. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend calling hours tonight, Friday, November 9, from 5-7 p.m. at High Point Funeral Chapel, 3788 Summer Ave. A funeral service will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1644 Jackson Ave. at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 10. Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery on Elvis Presley Blvd. High Point Funeral Chapel (Published in The Commercial Appeal on 11/9/2007)
As Whitehaven resident Jesse Lee Denson stood in front of the two-story, red-brick building at 227 E. Winchester St. that was part of Lauderdale Courts where his family lived from 1947 to 1969, the memories came flooding back. "My parents had a mission nearby called the Poplar Street Mission," recalls Denson, whose parents, Jesse James and Mattie, were Pentecostal evangelists. "This is where my mother struck up a friendship with Gladys Presley. The Presleys were staying in a cramped rooming house and mother helped them to get a better place in Lauderdale Courts." Recently refurbished and now known as Uptown Square, the original Lauderdale Courts were built in 1936 and used as public housing for lower-income families in need. When Denson met a 14-year-old Elvis Presley for the first time, he was not impressed. "He was different from all of the other kids," said Denson. "A bit of a misfit and scrawny with a bad complexion. He was a good kid, very shy and never got in trouble." Denson was good at singing and playing a guitar but was reluctant to assist Elvis when asked. "I gave in because of Mrs. Presley," said Denson. "She was so sweet, we all liked her." Practice took place after school several times a week in Presley's and Denson's apartment or the basement laundry area. "One day when we were inside the Presley apartment (185 Winchester, Apt. 328), Mrs. Presley told me that my name meant 'gift from God,' " recounts Denson. "She told me God had sent me to her and from then on she called me her special son." According to Denson, Elvis had a huge crush on his sister Virginia, who had no time for Elvis. "Elvis would hide behind these bushes and watch for Virginia to come home from school," said Denson. "Most of us went to L.C. Humes High in those days. We would walk up Jackson Street until we hit Manassas, quite a good walk." When Denson left school he sang in Eastern clubs and occasionally saw the Presleys on visits home. "I kept in touch after the family moved," said Denson. "Elvis's success took everyone by surprise but we were so glad for him." Denson was devastated after learning of Mrs. Presley's death in August 1958. "It was a tremendous blow," said Denson. "I sure did love that woman, she was an angel. We had visited with her only months before in her new home on Audubon Drive. She had looked tired and was not happy that Colonel (Tom) Parker (Elvis's manager) was keeping Elvis away so much. It just broke her heart." When Elvis died in 1977, Denson was not as surprised. "I knew what his lifestyle was like and he worked too hard, but what a tragedy," said Denson. "All I could think about at the time was that Mrs. Presley got her boy back." Denson, a successful singer-songwriter, has written several songs about Elvis and Gladys (his mother) including "The Mississippi Kid" and "Mrs. Presley" and Elvis recorded one of Denson's most well-known religious songs, "The Miracle of the Rosary," in 1972. "If Mrs. Presley had lived longer, we might have seen a different ending for Elvis," said Denson. "They really loved each other." (By June Robertson, special to Whitehaven Appeal, published in The Commercial Appeal 12/5/2004)
Click HERE for memorials of other Memphis musicians.
As Whitehaven resident Jesse Lee Denson stood in front of the two-story, red-brick building at 227 E. Winchester St. that was part of Lauderdale Courts where his family lived from 1947 to 1969, the memories came flooding back. "My parents had a mission nearby called the Poplar Street Mission," recalls Denson, whose parents, Jesse James and Mattie, were Pentecostal evangelists. "This is where my mother struck up a friendship with Gladys Presley. The Presleys were staying in a cramped rooming house and mother helped them to get a better place in Lauderdale Courts." Recently refurbished and now known as Uptown Square, the original Lauderdale Courts were built in 1936 and used as public housing for lower-income families in need. When Denson met a 14-year-old Elvis Presley for the first time, he was not impressed. "He was different from all of the other kids," said Denson. "A bit of a misfit and scrawny with a bad complexion. He was a good kid, very shy and never got in trouble." Denson was good at singing and playing a guitar but was reluctant to assist Elvis when asked. "I gave in because of Mrs. Presley," said Denson. "She was so sweet, we all liked her." Practice took place after school several times a week in Presley's and Denson's apartment or the basement laundry area. "One day when we were inside the Presley apartment (185 Winchester, Apt. 328), Mrs. Presley told me that my name meant 'gift from God,' " recounts Denson. "She told me God had sent me to her and from then on she called me her special son." According to Denson, Elvis had a huge crush on his sister Virginia, who had no time for Elvis. "Elvis would hide behind these bushes and watch for Virginia to come home from school," said Denson. "Most of us went to L.C. Humes High in those days. We would walk up Jackson Street until we hit Manassas, quite a good walk." When Denson left school he sang in Eastern clubs and occasionally saw the Presleys on visits home. "I kept in touch after the family moved," said Denson. "Elvis's success took everyone by surprise but we were so glad for him." Denson was devastated after learning of Mrs. Presley's death in August 1958. "It was a tremendous blow," said Denson. "I sure did love that woman, she was an angel. We had visited with her only months before in her new home on Audubon Drive. She had looked tired and was not happy that Colonel (Tom) Parker (Elvis's manager) was keeping Elvis away so much. It just broke her heart." When Elvis died in 1977, Denson was not as surprised. "I knew what his lifestyle was like and he worked too hard, but what a tragedy," said Denson. "All I could think about at the time was that Mrs. Presley got her boy back." Denson, a successful singer-songwriter, has written several songs about Elvis and Gladys (his mother) including "The Mississippi Kid" and "Mrs. Presley" and Elvis recorded one of Denson's most well-known religious songs, "The Miracle of the Rosary," in 1972. "If Mrs. Presley had lived longer, we might have seen a different ending for Elvis," said Denson. "They really loved each other." (By June Robertson, special to Whitehaven Appeal, published in The Commercial Appeal 12/5/2004)
Click HERE for memorials of other Memphis musicians.
JESSE LEE DENSON, 75, died this week at Methodist University Hospital. He was the son of the late Jesse and Mattie Denson. His friends called him Lee. He was born in 1932 in Rienze, MS. Lee was a lifelong singer, songwriter and musician with numerous musical compositions to his credit. Probably the best known is "The Miracle of the Rosary" which was recorded by Elvis Presley. Lee leaves behind son, Jesse Denson (Terry), son, James Denson (Anne), daughter, Maryanne (Dave), sister, Gladys Adams, sister, Gloria Reed, brother, James Denson, sister, Deloris Clark (John), sister, Virgina Fay Howard (Andy), brother, Lowell (Spike) Denson (Devonna) and also 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, who all love him dearly and will miss him. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend calling hours tonight, Friday, November 9, from 5-7 p.m. at High Point Funeral Chapel, 3788 Summer Ave. A funeral service will be held at St. Theresa Catholic Church, 1644 Jackson Ave. at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 10. Interment to follow at Calvary Cemetery on Elvis Presley Blvd. High Point Funeral Chapel (Published in The Commercial Appeal on 11/9/2007)
As Whitehaven resident Jesse Lee Denson stood in front of the two-story, red-brick building at 227 E. Winchester St. that was part of Lauderdale Courts where his family lived from 1947 to 1969, the memories came flooding back. "My parents had a mission nearby called the Poplar Street Mission," recalls Denson, whose parents, Jesse James and Mattie, were Pentecostal evangelists. "This is where my mother struck up a friendship with Gladys Presley. The Presleys were staying in a cramped rooming house and mother helped them to get a better place in Lauderdale Courts." Recently refurbished and now known as Uptown Square, the original Lauderdale Courts were built in 1936 and used as public housing for lower-income families in need. When Denson met a 14-year-old Elvis Presley for the first time, he was not impressed. "He was different from all of the other kids," said Denson. "A bit of a misfit and scrawny with a bad complexion. He was a good kid, very shy and never got in trouble." Denson was good at singing and playing a guitar but was reluctant to assist Elvis when asked. "I gave in because of Mrs. Presley," said Denson. "She was so sweet, we all liked her." Practice took place after school several times a week in Presley's and Denson's apartment or the basement laundry area. "One day when we were inside the Presley apartment (185 Winchester, Apt. 328), Mrs. Presley told me that my name meant 'gift from God,' " recounts Denson. "She told me God had sent me to her and from then on she called me her special son." According to Denson, Elvis had a huge crush on his sister Virginia, who had no time for Elvis. "Elvis would hide behind these bushes and watch for Virginia to come home from school," said Denson. "Most of us went to L.C. Humes High in those days. We would walk up Jackson Street until we hit Manassas, quite a good walk." When Denson left school he sang in Eastern clubs and occasionally saw the Presleys on visits home. "I kept in touch after the family moved," said Denson. "Elvis's success took everyone by surprise but we were so glad for him." Denson was devastated after learning of Mrs. Presley's death in August 1958. "It was a tremendous blow," said Denson. "I sure did love that woman, she was an angel. We had visited with her only months before in her new home on Audubon Drive. She had looked tired and was not happy that Colonel (Tom) Parker (Elvis's manager) was keeping Elvis away so much. It just broke her heart." When Elvis died in 1977, Denson was not as surprised. "I knew what his lifestyle was like and he worked too hard, but what a tragedy," said Denson. "All I could think about at the time was that Mrs. Presley got her boy back." Denson, a successful singer-songwriter, has written several songs about Elvis and Gladys (his mother) including "The Mississippi Kid" and "Mrs. Presley" and Elvis recorded one of Denson's most well-known religious songs, "The Miracle of the Rosary," in 1972. "If Mrs. Presley had lived longer, we might have seen a different ending for Elvis," said Denson. "They really loved each other." (By June Robertson, special to Whitehaven Appeal, published in The Commercial Appeal 12/5/2004)
Click HERE for memorials of other Memphis musicians.
As Whitehaven resident Jesse Lee Denson stood in front of the two-story, red-brick building at 227 E. Winchester St. that was part of Lauderdale Courts where his family lived from 1947 to 1969, the memories came flooding back. "My parents had a mission nearby called the Poplar Street Mission," recalls Denson, whose parents, Jesse James and Mattie, were Pentecostal evangelists. "This is where my mother struck up a friendship with Gladys Presley. The Presleys were staying in a cramped rooming house and mother helped them to get a better place in Lauderdale Courts." Recently refurbished and now known as Uptown Square, the original Lauderdale Courts were built in 1936 and used as public housing for lower-income families in need. When Denson met a 14-year-old Elvis Presley for the first time, he was not impressed. "He was different from all of the other kids," said Denson. "A bit of a misfit and scrawny with a bad complexion. He was a good kid, very shy and never got in trouble." Denson was good at singing and playing a guitar but was reluctant to assist Elvis when asked. "I gave in because of Mrs. Presley," said Denson. "She was so sweet, we all liked her." Practice took place after school several times a week in Presley's and Denson's apartment or the basement laundry area. "One day when we were inside the Presley apartment (185 Winchester, Apt. 328), Mrs. Presley told me that my name meant 'gift from God,' " recounts Denson. "She told me God had sent me to her and from then on she called me her special son." According to Denson, Elvis had a huge crush on his sister Virginia, who had no time for Elvis. "Elvis would hide behind these bushes and watch for Virginia to come home from school," said Denson. "Most of us went to L.C. Humes High in those days. We would walk up Jackson Street until we hit Manassas, quite a good walk." When Denson left school he sang in Eastern clubs and occasionally saw the Presleys on visits home. "I kept in touch after the family moved," said Denson. "Elvis's success took everyone by surprise but we were so glad for him." Denson was devastated after learning of Mrs. Presley's death in August 1958. "It was a tremendous blow," said Denson. "I sure did love that woman, she was an angel. We had visited with her only months before in her new home on Audubon Drive. She had looked tired and was not happy that Colonel (Tom) Parker (Elvis's manager) was keeping Elvis away so much. It just broke her heart." When Elvis died in 1977, Denson was not as surprised. "I knew what his lifestyle was like and he worked too hard, but what a tragedy," said Denson. "All I could think about at the time was that Mrs. Presley got her boy back." Denson, a successful singer-songwriter, has written several songs about Elvis and Gladys (his mother) including "The Mississippi Kid" and "Mrs. Presley" and Elvis recorded one of Denson's most well-known religious songs, "The Miracle of the Rosary," in 1972. "If Mrs. Presley had lived longer, we might have seen a different ending for Elvis," said Denson. "They really loved each other." (By June Robertson, special to Whitehaven Appeal, published in The Commercial Appeal 12/5/2004)
Click HERE for memorials of other Memphis musicians.
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