Around 1955 it looks like the young Elvis Presley will become an American sensation that will musically inspire generations to come. After his guitarist Scotty Moore teams up with Bob Neal to fix and organize gigs for the time being, a newcomer applies for the job of manager. It is Tom Parker, who calls himself ‘Colonel’. In later years the real identity of Colonel Parker will be revealed as being a citizen of the Dutch city of Breda in The Netherlands. In 1929 he left Europe in search of a new life, without a visa or official papers. He managed to jump ship and reach the US, where he enlisted in the US Army under the fake name of ‘Tom Parker’. It worked and in the late 1930’s he married and took several jobs with circus travelling shows to make ends meet. On the side he started working as a promoter of artists such as Gene Austin and Eddy Arnold, who became famous in their own right.
When Colonel Tom Parker gets the chance to join Bob Neal as a co-manager for Elvis, he has build the mentality of a street merchant and, according to several sources, a simple but shrewd way of handling business. He doesn’t shy away from manipulating or threatening to get the best deal. People would settle with him because of fear of missing out, or just to get a deal going. Parker is responsible for Elvis’ contract with RCA, after he convinces them that Elvis will not stay an unknown singer for long. Then the Colonel proposes a contract to manage Presley to make him a star. For this he asks for a 25% commission of everything that Elvis is earning, in those days already a high stake. Later, around 1966, Colonel Parker will convince Presley to share 50% of all income with him. After all, in the meantime Elvis is his only source of income…
After studying quite a few interviews and biographies, my conclusion can be no other than that Colonel Tom Parker was a fearless businessman who managed to make Elvis a superstar, but had very little respect for his talent. He was a hard working promoter who knew how to turn anything or any situation into big money. Likewise he promoted and merchandised Elvis’ recordings and movies, making sure the public would not forget their idol during his stay at a German Army base. More so, the Colonel advised his pupil not to avoid military service. Elvis could have stayed out of the draft because famous artists were granted special treatment, by signing up to perform in a world tour to morally support the troops. But Parker prevented this from happening, as he wanted to present Elvis as a patriot who served his country, even through tough military training. Simultaneously the Colonel wanted to turn everything into a circus show. Thus he made sure the entire press was there filming when Elvis’ cool hairstyle was trimmed short at the Army draft. During that haircut Elvis coined the phrase ‘Hair today, gone tomorrow.’
I have asked myself why Elvis Presley never went abroad to perform. But in light of the facts, one can see that this was not his own decision. Organizing concerts and travels are Colonel Parker’s job, and it is in the Colonel’s interest not to leave the United States. His illegal US citizenship and his fear that they might be looking for him in Europe, makes him deny his client any movement outside his own country. So, Colonel Tom Parker keeps Elvis from travelling abroad, denying his worldwide fans to see and hear Elvis live. The only trip he is allowed to do, is in January 1973 to Hawaii for the first broadcast of an Elvis concert live via satellite. Besides that, Elvis is stuck in the web of Colonel Parker’s mysterious and egocentric existence. As the years go by, Presley tries to end his relation and contract with his manager, but lacks the vision and the strength to follow through.
In his last Las Vegas years Elvis stays at the Hilton with his team, his musicians and his manager. It is well known that Colonel Parker was a regular customer at the Hilton Casino. While Elvis and his band are doing their shows, Parker is in the casino gambling away their salaries. Because of Parker’s growing debt, he keeps re-negotiating Elvis’ concert wages with the Hilton executives. Sad to say that at the end Elvis loses a lot of money and actually pays for his manager’s gambling lifestyle.
This is an excerpt from the Kindle eBook at Amazon: ‘Elvis Evangelist - The true inspiration of an icon’ by John Howard.
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