Lisa Marie Presley, singer and daughter of rock'n'roll legend Elvis, has passed away at 54 years old.
The news was confirmed by her mother, Priscilla Presley, who wrote in a statement:
"It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us. She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.
"We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment."
Priscilla's message arrived just hours after her announcement that Lisa Marie had been rushed into hospital on Thursday morning (January 12). As TMZ reports (and later confirmed by People magazine), according to a direct source to the family, Lisa Marie was found unresponsive at her home in Calabasas by a housekeeper after having gone into full cardiac arrest.
Lisa Marie was born on February 1, 1968, to Elvis and Priscilla Presley at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee, just nine months after her parents' wedding on May 1, 1976.
Following the couple's divorce on October 3, 1973, Lisa Marie, who was four years old at the time, moved to Los Angeles, California with her mother, although made frequent visits to Graceland to see her father Elvis in Memphis, Tennessee.
In 1995, Lisa Marie appeared in her then-husband Michael Jackson's music video for his song You Are Not Alone. Eight years later, she went on to follow in her father's footsteps, beginning her own musical career in 2003, releasing her debut album To Whom It May Concern that year. Its first single, Lights Out, debuted at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 chart and at No. 16 on the UK charts. Overall, the pop-rock record sold 142,000 copies during its first week of release, and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America two months later.
The singer went on to release another two albums, Now What in 2005, and Storm & Grace in 2012, and also released several duets with her late father, using vocals that were recorded before he died, including a new version of Elvis' In the Ghetto, which reached the top spot on iTunes in the UK, Australia, Canada Ireland, Germany, and New Zealand.
Outside of her career, Lisa Marie was involved in charity work and a number of humanitarian efforts, and was the chairperson of the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation alongside the management team at Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises. In 2011, Presley became a patron of the Dream Factory, a charity which works on granting the wishes of terminally ill children.
Lisa Marie married musician Danny Keough from 1988 to 1994, and had two children, Riley and Benjamin. Within three weeks of their divorce, she famously married Michael Jackson on May 26, 1994, and later divorced the pop sensation on August 20, 1996.
She went on to have another two marriages, first to actor Nicolas Cage in 2002 and in 2006 to her guitarist and producer Michael Lockwood. Lisa Marie and Lockwood went on to have twin daughters Finley Aaron Love Lockwood and Harper Vivienne Ann Lockwood. The couple divorced in 2016.
Following Lisa Marie's death, tributes from the entertainment world have been pouring in. Actor John Travolta writes in a post: "Lisa baby girl, I'm so sorry. I'll miss you but I know I'll see you again. My love and heart goes out to Riley, Priscilla, Harper and Finley."
Rita Wilson offers: "Our hearts are broken with the sudden and shocking passing of Lisa Marie Presley tonight. Tom and I had spent some time with the family during the Elvis movie promotional tour.
"Lisa Marie was so honest and direct, vulnerable, in a state of anticipation about the movie. She spoke so eloquently about her father, what the movie meant to her, that it was a celebration of her dad.
"She had her gorgeous daughters Finley and Harper with her who made us all laugh. She privately showed us her home, Graceland, and she made it feel like home to us. She was so gracious to us, Austin, Baz, and guests.
"If you haven’t heard her music please go listen. She had a sultry voice, a power and tenderness, that I have always loved. Our hearts and our prayers go out to Riley, Harper, Finley , Danny @nava_rone and Priscilla. A mother should never have to lose a child. Lisa Marie lost her precious son Benjamin, Priscilla loses her only daughter. It’s too much. Sending love to the family, prayers for peace and strength. Love, Rita and Tom".
Wilson's wife Tom Hanks writes: "We are heartbroken over the loss of Lisa Marie Presley. Absolutely broken… Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson."
Pop/rock singer Pink writes in a post on Instagram: "Oh, this one hurts my heart. Lisa Marie, you were one of a kind.
"Funny as s**t, smart as a whip, sensitive, talented, witty, mean, loving, generous, judgmental but always right, loyal, and you adored your children. My heart breaks for you and your beautiful family and your children.
"The world lost a rare gem today. May your soul rest in peace, friend."
