Traveling back to the hotel from our movie location, I shared a transport vehicle with a fellow actor Hoyt Axton, he could see something was troubling me, and after explaining what went down during my last scene on the bridge he turned to me and said - “hey listen man, my Mom’s in town, she’s pretty good at these sorta things why don’t you join us for dinner” - he can see I’m hesitating, “just come and meet her.” (Silence) I can see he’s sincere so I just trust and say yes. Then he says in a flat and dry voice “if it was good enough for Elvis, I’m sure she can give you some sound advice.” What do you mean Elvis? “My Mom co-wrote Heartbreak Hotel for Elvis (her and Tommy Durden) - she nurtured and guided him in his early career, gave him the song that changed everything, sent him on his way.” At dinner I immediately felt at ease with Mae Axton, like we had known each other for years, she shared with me her work as a high school english teacher, publicist, mother, part-time DJ and songwriter, how she arranged for Elvis, Scotty and Bill to split $50 for one nights performance when they came to town, and a single small motel room for the 3 of them to share. As I began to gain acceptance over the days onset drama and Mae gave me some career advice that stays with me till this day. Mae, Hoyt and I talked all night, about creativity, where songs come from, faith, family - and in the wee small hours she told me the story of how Heartbreak Hotel was created and written, what the public had never been told about what happened, and then she entrusted me with the real life tragic inspiration for the song - that had never been revealed. In that moment I made a declaration to Mae, that with her blessing, whether on screen or on stage, I would recount in a respectful and honorable way, for all involved, the truth of what happened. How it came to be. The promise had been made, the pact sealed. This is the story of how a song she co-created changed our music and our culture. Her last words to me on that dark and rainy night “Tell the story. Tell it right.”

I Walk a Lonely Street (The Love You Take)

Written by Cory Dagg