did colonel parker steal from elvis

Colonel Parker is seen as under pressure from secretive governmental forces who want to keep Elvis from corrupting youth and to try to get him to tamp down Why AI Has Some Viewers Asking Which Film Actors Are Real. But big Elvis fans know Parker the man who managed the musicians career from 1955 until the iconic singer died prematurely in 1977 all too well. As the film depicts, Presley feels exploited by Parker on stage and fires him, but the actual firing happened as a result of Parker stealing money from Elvis. Is the portrayal of the 68 comeback special accurate, with Parker trying desperately to keep it a Christmas special, and resisting the rock n roll throwback elements that everyone loved, because he was kowtowing to a deeply upset TV network? The concerts started off well. In 1955, Parker persuaded the much-larger record label RCA Victor to buy out Elvis contract with Sun Records for the staggering sum of $35,000; he became Elvis manager and exclusive representative for the rest of the stars career. Elvis invented himself over and over again, through the popular culture that he consumed, says Michael T. Bertrand, a cultural historian at Tennessee State University and the author of Race, Rock, and Elvis. But according to Alanna Nashwho spent time with the real Colonel in the 90sthere were times when he was just as scary as what you see onscreen. But living in a colored neighborhood, as he did, he certainly heard early R&B, jump-blues and swing tunes pulsating through the walls at the nearby juke joints, and he loved it, as he did both Black and white gospel. But Gladys was a big Grand Ole Opry fan, and it was in part the Colonels introducing her to Hank Snow that got her to let her boy go with the Colonel. Backed by the colonel, Elvis starred in nearly 30 movies over the next eight years, appearing in comfort films like Blue Hawaii (1961) and Viva Las Vegas (1964), where he sang, danced and always got the girl. Its kind of like Priscilla letting Baz make Parker out to be such a villain, but is now having Hanks and Baz say they toned down the Colonels evilness once they met with her, because Parker was a good guy. Parker always claimed he was from West Virginia, but, three years after Elvis death, it emerged that the man who managed The King was actually born Andreas Cornelis Dries van Kuijk in Breda, the Netherlands, in 1909. He told me: There were times when B.B. Elvis, especially, thought that it might even be over by the time he got out. Were Elvis primary music influences almost all Black artists, as portrayed in the movie? Baz Luhrmanns new film Elvis, starring Austin Butler as the eponymous singer, testifies to the publics enduring fascination with its title character. Elvis Presley: Why He Never Fired His Manager Tom Parker - Outsider But according to Yes. Privacy Statement The Colonel was now looking for the next big thing. Did Elvis Really Fire Colonel Parker? He didnt care what color he was. Though his triumphant 1973 Aloha From Hawaii broadcast kept his myth alive, it wasnt enough for the man himself. He also paid a visit to Little Richards home in California in the late 50s. Reportedly, Elvis would ask his friends to Tell Parker, hes fired. And Parker would simply respond, Tell Elvis to tell me personally.. I think initially, Elvis loved this idea. The timeline of Parkers life at this point is not entirely clear no doubt due to his own desire to cover up his shabby early days but in their obituary of him, The Daily News of Los Angeles wrote that he even founded his own circus, the Great Parker Pony Circus, and his own circus act, Colonel Tom Parker and His Dancing Chickens, in which chickens danced on a hot plate while music was playing. After being discharged from the army, he spent time traveling with circuses as a carnival worker. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Parker quickly set to work promoting Presley, arranging tour dates and television appearances (including Presleys famous performances on The Ed Sullivan Show), and by the end of 1956, he and Presley had signed a contract making Parker the musicians sole and exclusive adviser, personal representative and manager.. Several times throughout the film, Parker as narrator, says that you, meaning the people who loved Elvis, were at the heart of Elviss fatal problems. But in Luhrmanns treatment, hes Satan in a snowman sweater. An early hero in Tupelo was a hillbilly singer named Mississippi Slim. According to biographer Alanna Nash, Parker was diagnosed as a psychopath and discharged. In 1956, Elvis also starred in a hit movie, Love Me Tender. Subscribe to our newsletter for new stories, tips & events. It was supposed to be a Christmas show in the sense that it would air in December, and Parker wanted it to be a family show with Elvis as a 60s-era Bing Crosby or Perry Como. Shes not going to steal it, Colonel, Loanne laughed. and The Great Gatsby, Elvis explores the relationship between Elvis the man and Elvis the myth from the viewpoint of the man who sold both. Eventually, Parker began to manage musicians. Is it true that Colonel Parkers reason for being attracted to Elvis was that he thought a white singer who sounded Black was bound to be a star and accomplish what a Black singer could not? The Colonel always was a mystery. Remember, he entered a talent contest as a child singing Old Shep warbling about dead dogs is about as country as it gets. Did Colonel Parker Steal get from Elvis? He was the ultimate consumer. Only 19 when he started recording music with Sun Records in 1954, the culture-savvy teenager was, at the beginning of his career, very much like his future fans. Eddy Arnold, whom Parker had built into a household name, had fired him as his manager over failing to honor their exclusive contract, though Parker continued to book him. He was a carny to the last, even if for one second, unlike with FDRs old Potomac, he had presented the side he never wanted to show. Parker was able to persuade Elvis to enter the United States Army's service in January 1958, arguing that demonstrating himself as an ordinary man would be detrimental to Elvis' public image and his music. [W]hen he started to work with the mike, his right hand flailing air, his left leg moving as though it had a life of its own, time stopped, and everyone in the place was 17 again, Chase wrote. Parker was ticked that there was initially no Christmas music, though, and (TV producer) Steve Binder and Elvis threw him Blue Christmas as a bone. [The colonel] seemed not only interested in turning his million dollars worth of talent into a million dollars, but also in wanting the very best for him. In the end, its likely that Elvis felt obligated to stick with Parker. Michael Ochs Archives/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images, granted him an honorary colonelcy in 1948, sold Presleys contract to RCA Victor for $35,000, restricted Presley from touring internationally. He never left the carnivals, really. But he was never inept, and he was fiercely loyal in his business dealings and determined to honor his contracts to the letter. White artists, regardless of their intentions, enjoyed greater access to fame and profit than Black artists by virtue of the color of their skin. Elvis took care of what Elvis did and Colonel took care of what Colonel did. Elvis would never have been so crass as to have fired Colonel from the stage. Click here to get it! Elvis Presley himself struggled with the relationship at times. In the scenes in which he promotes Hank Snow, Parker talks about staging a carny wedding at an upcoming stop. Grant Wong is an American history Ph.D. student of 20th century pop culture and consumerism at the University of South Carolina. Whats your overall feeling on the movies truth-ometer? Was Colonel Parker really interested in stealing Elvis? Colonel Parker is seen as under pressure from secretive governmental forces who want to keep Elvis from corrupting youth and to try to get him to tamp down Presley, they threaten toexpose his past, as a non-American native of Holland, which hes desperate to hide. Walking down the hall, the Colonel hits up the Singer rep for a free machine for Priscilla: Mrs. Elvis unique sound, borne from the talent of his voice and the instrumental skill of his backing band, the Blue Moon Boys, resonated across the United States as he moved from Sun to a new label, RCA Victor, and became a national star. Forty-five years after the musicians death in 1977 at age 42, observers continue to reckon with the man and the myth that wasand isElvis Presley. One of Parkers biggest missteps came in 1974 when the manager devised a plan to make money outside of Elvis contract with RCA Records. Parker remained Elvis manager until Presleys death in 1977. I just wish I had a microphone so I could have recorded it all. Privately, Parker referred to Elviss family as shit and rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. Yes. He was a scoundrel in his way.. 2023 Smithsonian Magazine Did Parker really have huge gambling debts he was able to pay off by committing Elvis to a single Vegas hotel for years before Presleys death? I would say it was in his spiritual DNA, as he grew up with Black playmates and heard that music all around him. The discussion of cultural appropriation in music would be much more nuanced if we took a broader look at the conditions in which musicians worked, says Lewis. The second show sold out. Lets face it: I cant sing like Fats Domino can. Anything else to say about the Parker characterization? And while Im going to get up from whatever happened to me. | They went motorcycle riding together in Nashville. Parker used Jimmie to sidle up to Elvis and form a friendship to get Elvis to sign with Parker and the elder Snow, who were then business partners. The Speed! The Tony winner and comedy legend reflects on a wild, 40-year-plus acting careerall leading to this moment. Throughout his life, Parker claimed that he had been born Thomas Andrew Parker in Huntington, West Virginia, shortly after the turn of the 20th century. Elvis Presley was furious with Parkers actions. Parker briefly managed another country star, Hank Snow, before meeting Presley in 1955. When [Presleys family and associates have] done all they can with him, then they start picking on me I dont think I exploited Elvis as much as hes being exploited today.. Elvis has long since become one of those symbols himself. I will stick with you through thick and thin. After all, most talent managers are. Colonel Parker died in 1997 in Las Vegas after suffering a stroke at 87 years old, outliving Elvis by 20 years. Elvis' fourth single, titled "Love Me Tender," was released in October 1956, in conjunction with Paramount's other films; even though, Parker still questioned if Elvis's fame would last long, seeing as, over the years, many artists blossom to stardom and then fade away. Though Austin Butler is a little too pretty as Elvis, and cant replicate the hypnotic pull of Presleys exotic good looks, hes nonetheless a convincing prince from another planet. Whatever served Elvis interests served Parkers, too: He contractually took a 25 percent cut on all of his clients earnings (50 percent for licensing and merchandise). From 1956 to 1958, the teen idol dominated the charts with hits like Heartbreak Hotel and Dont Be Cruel, even as he was castigated by his detractors as Elvis the Pelvis for his suggestive dance moves and called a racial slur for his affinity with Black culture. He never fired him on stage, but there was an incident in Vegas in 1974 where Elvis criticized Barron Hilton from the stage for firing one of Elviss favorite employees. Astrological Sign: Cancer Nacionalities The Colonel made a lot of money from Elvis, but he never recouped it. (In other words, its crucial not to confuse music originated by Black artists with the cultural experience of being Black. At some point, he made his way to the United States Smithsonian speculates that he entered through the Canadian border and resided in America for the rest of his life as an undocumented immigrant. When Elvis's income began to dwindle in 1966, Parker suggested a major publicity stunt to reclaim his client's attention: a marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu, Elvis Presley's partner for nearly ten years, taking as an example the enormous publicity generated by Frank Sinatra's marriage to actress Mia Farrow. Though the movies made Elvis rich, he became dissatisfied with how they limited his creativity to milquetoast plots and soundtrack albums. Baz Luhrmanns movie has drawn Elvis back into the limelight, and along with him, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. His accent, on display in a rare interview with Ted Koppel in the 80s, sounded more like a slight speech impediment mixed with the insulation of a rural upbringing. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. (& How Much did he earn from The King? Elvis Presley: TRUTH about Colonel Parker and '50 per cent' cut This would sand the rough edges off his image and bring him back as the all-American boy fit for family entertainment with Frank Sinatra. On stage in Vegas in August 1974, the musician ranted at his audience: Is the Colonel around anywhere? Your Privacy Rights Parker's business strategy, which consisted of exploiting Elvis's Hollywood presence, was coming to an end in 1966. Well, Parker finally said, Did they spell his name right?. Parker loved it that Elvis was like a male striptease artist like the bally girls on the carnivals. Colonel Parker did not savor Elvis' earnings, but the deals he made with him were so unfair that they are certainly exploitative in nature. What is often overlooked when observers pin the blame for pop cultural racism on a single artist is the fact that the broader music industry wasand still isracist. Parker wanted to make Elvis clean-cut after he came back from the army in part because when Elvis went into the army, neither Elvis nor Parker thought rock n roll would last. Very handsome, I lied. Elvis wasnt ready for hear all that yet. Executors of the Elvis Presley estate ended a legal battle with the RCA Corporation and Mr. Presley's former manager, Col. Tom Parker, in an out-of-court Music writers continue to debate how necessary the colonel was to Elvis career, particularly as he polished the rockers rough edges to make him more marketable. Yes, he did. Variety spoke with her about how much rings true about both of the movies primary subjects, point by point. That Danger!: Ann-Margret Is Still Riding Her Harley at 81, Im just gonna get up on that bike again. I played along. up to the suite after the shows. Wed stop and go in there, and it would be very dark, very eerie, and the Thing would be this poor pathetic Black person on his hands and knees in a low cage. Elvis picked all his own songs and picturesthe scripts were sent directly to his house. He liked it that Elvis did what brought folks into the big tent. Cookie Settings, Photo by Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images, National Museum of African American History and Culture. When Parker crony Gabe Tucker threw a magazine piece on the Colonels desk that insinuated that Elvis was gay, Parker didnt say a word until his friend stopped sputtering. Charlie Lamb, who was present that day, told me that Parker got up from the lunch table and got in his car that minute and drove to find him. Colonel Tom Parker was best known for being the manager of Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley: Why He Never Fired His Manager Tom Parker. How much money did Colonel Parker steal from Elvis? That kind of dedication can go a long way with people. Once a big crowd saw Elvis perform, there was a demand for his record. Hes kind of a synthesizer, says Jack Hamilton, a cultural historian at the University of Virginia. And his son, Jimmie (later Jimmy), envied Elvis and yearned to counsel him on his sinful ways. No. The only time Parker got critical is when the shows began to falter with drugs or erratic behavior on stage. Parker received two million dollars in exchange for reneging on all rights to Elvis' royalties or income from the artist's estate, as well as reneging on all future financial claims against the Elvis estate in 1984. He also staged the first live international solo concert via satellite with Elviss Aloha from Hawaii special in 1973. Did Colonel Tom Parker Really Play a Role in Elvis's Enlistment in the Army? While managing Elvis and traveling the country in the late 50s, the Colonel was accompanied by William Morris agent-in-training Byron Raphael, who remembered, He often took me to these little carnivals that were so small they didnt even have a big tent. You can really hear all of his influences.. By Shireen Hollier. But as the L.A. Times wrote in its obituary of Parker, his life slowed down and shrank after Presleys death. Instead, it was audio taken from live Elvis performances between songs. In fairness, the rock star was pretty entertaining on stage. To me, its the difference between talking about Black music as a musical language and talking about musical Blackness as something that is inherent in the body of a Black person, the curator adds. Though Elvis didnt write his own material, he heightened every song he sang with the rawness of his smoldering baritone. 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