Author Peter Guralnick wrote a comprehensive two-volume biography of the king: “Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley” (1994) and “Carefree Love: The Destruction of Elvis Presley” (2000). And now his latest book is about Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's legendary manager. Asked if he found anything surprising, Guralnik replied, “It completely surprised me.”
“The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley and the Partnership That Shook the World” (Little, Brown and Company) is the story of a partnership that shocked popular culture, and how Parker's marketing savvy and enduring devotion helped secure the king's crown.
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Guralnick says Parker didn't create a template for being a musician's manager: “It wasn't original to him, it wasn't something completely new. But he, I think, realized it to a much greater extent than anyone before.”
In 1955, a 20-year-old Presley was playing wagon train in Louisiana when Parker caught him perform for the first time. “It wasn't more than a few days after he first saw it and he booked Elvis even though no one else wanted to book him,” Guralnick said.
Parker, who was then serving Hank Snow, quickly put Elvis on the show.
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In 1956, Elvis sold more than 12 million records. The Colonel negotiated the recording contract, the film's production, and oversaw all of its marketing. As he wrote: “I don’t [just] sit here and smoke cigars, hoping something will happen.”
Guralnick said, “There is so much love in some of his early letters to Elvis. And in one he says: “You are just like me. You are sensitive and easily hurt. But only those we love can hurt us.”
Presley responded, “I love you like a father.”
Colonel Tom Parker was not actually a colonel; he was also not American. In fact, Andreas van Kuyk was a stowaway from Holland who arrived in the United States in 1926 and spoke almost no English. The 16-year-old soon came up with an origin story. “After he claimed to be West Virginia-born Tom Parker, his identity was never questioned for over 50 years,” Guralnick said. “The only person who would have known about this was Elvis Presley.”
The honorary title “Colonel” will be awarded to him by the Governor of Louisiana. This became his name. “That’s how he signed all his letters,” Guralnick said.
Graceland Archives 
Before Presley, Parker made Eddie Arnold a star, calling him the first “hillbilly actor” in Vegas.
Actor George Hamilton, who befriended the Colonel in his early years in Hollywood, said: “He had all the mind of a con man, but he wasn't one. He knew how to make another person want what he was selling.”
Asked why Parker was so passionate, Hamilton replied: “Emotional things from his childhood. I feel like some terrible damage has been done to him. He didn't love his father.”
Parker became famous for receiving a 50% share of some of Presley's later deals. “I sat with him one day and asked him, 'Is it right to get half of everything?' – Hamilton recalls. “And he said, 'Well, you know, 50% of something is better than 100% of nothing.' And I said, “Well, do you mean your half or his?” He said, “Well, if I didn’t have my half, he wouldn’t have his!” And I understood. I understand”.
The Colonel offered Hamilton the opportunity to go to Vegas: “He said, 'And by the way, Elvis needs to take two weeks off at the Hilton.' And I signed you up.” I said, “I can't do this show.” This doesn't make any sense, Colonel. He said, “George, do you want $50,000 a week?” I said, “Yes.” He said: “Two weeks have passed. You can do anything for this, right? I said, “Yes, sir!”
In 1973, after Presley insulted hotel owner Conrad Hilton on stage in Vegas, Parker confronted him backstage. “Essentially, Elvis and the Colonel fired each other,” Guralnick said.
The split did not last long. “Neither the Colonel nor Elvis could imagine a world without each other,” Guralnick said. “They just didn’t have the option to leave.”
But Parker began to worry about “instability [his] artist.”
Asked how he reacted to Presley's increasing drug use, Guralnick replied: “I think he was confused. I think there was an element of denial. But he was well aware of what was happening. No one could have missed what was happening.”
In Vegas, the Colonel developed his own addiction. George Hamilton saw this firsthand: “He used to make me gamble with him. God! He went all in, I mean big money. I've seen about a million dollars lost at the table.”
Guralnik said: “They fell into a trap – just like Elvis sang! I mean, neither of them could confront the other with their problem.”
According to the author, these two found themselves in a relationship of mutual denial – the double tragedy of their history. And when Elvis died in 1977, the colonel, according to Guralnik, “went into shock.”
“I will never stop trying to keep his name alive,” Parker said. He will die in 1997.
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When Guralnick was doing research at Elvis's Memphis mansion, Graceland, the former office of Elvis' father, Vernon Presley, he was told that the office phone was disconnected: “So one evening we were working pretty late, and it was 10 p.m. And suddenly the phone rang.
“We looked at him. Should we respond? Shouldn't we not answer? Who knows what will happen if we answer? But we didn't answer. We just listened to him calling until he finally stopped calling!”
“Did you want one of these three to be on the other end?” I asked.
“Well, you want to keep a secret!”
READ REST: “The Colonel and the King” by Peter Guralnick
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The story was produced by John Karras. Editor: Remington Corper.
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