Anita Wood
American singer (1938–2023)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anita Marie Wood Brewer (May 27, 1938 – June 29, 2023), also known as Little Bitty and Little, was an American television performer, recording artist and girlfriend of Elvis Presley.
Biography
Wood was born on May 27, 1938.[1] A vocalist, she won the 1954 Youth Talent Contest at the Mid-South Fair, and a runner-up that same year for Miss Tennessee. A couple of years later, she worked with Wink Martindale on the "Top 10 Dance Party."[2]
Anita recorded for ABC-Paramount (1958); Sun (1961); and Santo (1963). She also worked on The Andy Williams Show (summer 1958).[3]
Presley and Wood met in 1957 and in the same year Presley referred to Wood as his "No. 1 Girl".[4][5][6] The two dated non-exclusively from 1957 to 1962.[7][8][9] Wood signed a contract to work as an actress for Paramount Pictures, but later gave it up for Presley.[10]
Personal life
She was married to National Football League player Johnny Brewer for 46 years from 1965 until his death in 2011.[11][12]
In 1976, Johnny Brewer sued the Memphis Publishing Company for libel when it reported that Anita Brewer was divorced from Brewer and reunited with Presley in Las Vegas.[13][14][15] Anita Wood appeared on the Larry King show in 2005 to talk about her romance with Elvis Presley.[16]
Brewer died of pneumonia at St. Dominic's Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 29, 2023, at the age of 85.[17]
