The Colonel and the King

Tom Parker, Elvis Presley, and the Partnership that Rocked the World

By: Peter Guralnick

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

From the award-winning biographer of Elvis Presley, a groundbreaking dual portrait of the relationship between the iconic artist and his legendary manager—drawing on a wealth of the Colonel's never-before-seen correspondence to reveal that this oft-reviled figure was in fact a confidant, friend, and architect of his client’s success

In early 1955, Colonel Tom Parker—manager of the number-one country music star of the day—heard that an unknown teenager from Memphis had just drawn a crowd of more than eight hundred people to a Texas schoolhouse, and headed south to investigate. Within days, Parker was sending out telegrams and letters to promoters and booking agents: “We have a new boy that is absolutely going to be one of the biggest things in the business in a very short time. His name is ELVIS PRESLEY.” Later that year, after signing with RCA, the young man sent a telegram of his own: “Dear Colonel, Words can never tell you how my folks and I appreciate what you did for me.... I love you like a father.”

The close personal bond between Elvis and the Colonel has never been fully portrayed before. It was a relationship founded on mutual admiration and support. From the outset, the Colonel defended Elvis fiercely and indefatigably against RCA executives, Elvis’s own booking agents, and movie moguls. But in their final years together, the story grew darker, as the Colonel found himself unable to protect Elvis from himself or control growing problems of his own.

Featuring troves of previously unpublished correspondence, revelatory for both its insights and emotional depth, The Colonel and the King provides a unique perspective on not one but two American originals. A tale of the birth of the modern-day superstar (an invention almost entirely of Parker’s making) by Peter Guralnick, the most acclaimed music writer of his generation, it presents these two misunderstood icons as they’ve never been seen before: with all of their brilliance, humor, and flaws on full display.

basically a fan for the colonel

well researched i liked it I thought there would be more about Elvis Allana Nash's book is more entertaining

The man behind the King

A very good historical account and filling in the human nature aspect of deals/contracts. I had gained lots of insight on Tom Parker as well as Elvis. I feel the “letters” were redundant and actually could have been omitted for brevity. Additionally, the ending felt abrupt.

Compelling stories but feels like a biased character defense

It will go along way to helping restore the Colonel‘s reputation. But it seems like the author is biased in favor of his subject. It feels like a vigorous rebuttal of the 2022 Baz Luhrmann movie which goes conspicuously unmentioned in the narrative. The Colonel just come off as caring and savvy, but Guralnik excuses a 15 year-plus affair while his wife was ill and couches any brusqueness as a defense mechanism for an inferiority complex.

It is like two books in one: the first half is a biography which takes pains not to focus on Elvis, followed by a lengthy and insightful list of correspondence throughout the years.

All in all, you do come out with a more favorable view of the Colonel as, at the very least, a complicated individual — but you are left wondering if the truth lies somewhere in between

It should be called The Snowman Runs The Show

The book is primarily about Col. Parker, with Elvis almost being a side attraction. I must say that it changed my mind about the Colonel and I saw him in a much more positive light. Let's face it, Elvis, after about 1963 and coinciding with the U.S. arrival of The Beatles, the British Invasion, Motown and the 1960s cultural revolution became irrelevant. From 1964, the movies became progressively sillier and formulaic. Much of this was due to himself, for he became increasingly reluctant to go into the recording studio for anything other than recording movie soundtracks. After meeting hairdresser Larry Geller in April 1964, he kind of twisted off into this "What is Life?" psychobabble. By the 1970s, Elvis was doped up, lazy, depressed and spending himself into bankruptcy. The Col. had his hands full trying to coerce a distant and difficult Elvis into fulfilling his contractual obligations. Plus, we learn that the reason Elvis never performed internationally was not due to the Colonel's immigration status, but due to the Colonel's and several other Management III executives' concern about Elvis being arrested for a drug-related offense due to the sheer quantities and varieties he would bring with him into those countries. Prescribed or not, it was not viewed the same in foreign countries. This was especially true as the 70s wore on and Elvis' performances and behavior became more erratic and alarming. Bottom line: The hero of the book is Col. Parker, not Elvis.

Two minor mistakes are in the book: The original broadcast of the 1968 Singer Special was on December 3, not December 8.

Guralnick writes that Elvis' favorite Christmas song of the ones he recorded was "Blue Christmas." In the original edited live performance broadcast in the TV special and on the accompanying soundtrack, Elvis does state, "I'd like to do my favorite Christmas song of all the ones I've recorded," and then launches into "Blue Christmas." But that statement was not about "Blue Christmas" as it was edited.

In the UNEDITED sit-down show with that particular performance, the song that Elvis is referring to and which actually follows that statement is "Santa Claus is Back in Town." Elvis did not know all of the words to SCIBIT in that brief live version so that's perhaps why the complete "Blue Christmas" was substituted for SCIBIT in the original broadcast and soundtrack.

The included letters to and from Col. Parker really shed light on how devoted to Elvis Colonel Parker was, and I now have much more respect for him. Overall, a good and enlightening book.

Letters from Parker

Elvis is always an interesting subject and Peter’s deep research based approach can typically bring something new to a story told many many times.