THE COLONEL AND THE KING

Helping crown the King of Rock and Roll.

Born in the Netherlands in 1909, Andreas Cornelis Kuijk spent much of his youth running away from home. In his teens, he entered the U.S. illegally and after a period of wandering changed his name to Tom Parker. In 1929 he joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in Hawaii. After his discharge, he worked in carnivals—perfecting his approach to promotion—and ran a humane society in Tampa, Florida, before launching on a career of managing singers. His clients included country stars Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow, but when he discovered Elvis Presley in 1955, his future course was set. Guralnick closely follows Presley’s career and Parker’s maneuvers to maximize his client’s exposure and income, with lots of detail on negotiations with his record company, RCA, and movie studios. Readers also learn about Parker’s personal life, including his Snowmen’s League of America, a celebrity-loaded group dedicated to poking good-natured fun at himself and other members. After Presley’s death, Parker continued to represent his late client’s interests on behalf of his estate. The second half of the book is made up of letters by Parker and others, with haphazard punctuation and misspellings—and his inimitable sense of humor. They offer a direct look at his promotional style and his sometimes trying relationship with his client at the peak of the singer’s career and in its eventual decline. An intriguing perspective on the music business when rock was first making its mark, and a special treat for Presley fans.

A fascinating look at a truly unique personality and his direction of Elvis’ career.