Benjamin Keough struggled with ‘pressures’ of Presley family name, pal says

The pressure of carrying on the Elvis Presley family legacy was just too much to bear for the legendary rocker’s grandson, a friend said in a new interview. Musician Brandon Howard told People magazine that 27-year-old Benjamin Keough’s struggles with being from a famous musical lineage “absolutely” contributed to his death Sunday night from a …

The pressure of carrying on the Elvis Presley family legacy was just too much to bear for the legendary rocker’s grandson, a friend said in a new interview.

Musician Brandon Howard told People magazine that 27-year-old Benjamin Keough’s struggles with being from a famous musical lineage “absolutely” contributed to his death Sunday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“That kind of pressure is definitely a part of what happened,” Howard said of his friend, who was the son of Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

He continued, “It’s a tough thing when you have a lot of pressure with your family and living up to a name and an image. It’s a lot of pressure. It’s almost like you’re pressured into having to be a musician, having to be an actor. It was good for him to go around the world and discover himself and have his own friends. You never know what triggers it. You never know … It’s so random.”

Howard also revealed that his friend dealt with depression.

“Sometimes he struggled with depression, which is a serious thing with (the current pandemic) and everything happening right now and everybody being locked in the house. It takes a lot. I wish I could have been there.”

Yet despite that, Howard said Keough was a devoted friend.

“He has always been there for everybody,” he explained. “In any kind of situation, he would be the one who would come crash with you on the couch for weeks until you’re actually feeling better.”

Howard was a longtime friend of Keough. The two first met when Lisa Marie, 52, wed Michael Jackson in 1994. Jackson’s father Joe had managed Howard’s mother, singer Miki Howard.

Even though Lisa Marie and Jackson divorced in 1996, the boys remained close friends and even dubbed their circle, which included child actor Corey Feldman, “The Lost Boys.”

“As adults, we had a brotherhood and a kind of respect,” Howard said. “We always felt we are who we are and we just got to be the best we can for different people around us.

“He would be the one I talked to when a lot of stuff was going around about me and questions about who I am and where I come from.”

Howard called his friend “an excellent chef,” and a “wonderful” person with “the craziest laugh.”

“I want people to know about his humility. He wasn’t a spoiled kid. He was very humble, very giving, very loving, especially to his friends. It’s just wild. There’s nothing like this,” he said.

Earlier this week Keough’s ex-girlfriend, Alexa Rohde, shared a touching tribute on Instagram writing: “Benjamin Storm, YOU. Always happy in the sun and water. And a laugh that made everyone happier. You gave love to anyone who needed it. You were wise like a thousand year old man, but silly as a 5 year old.”