The extraordinary story of colonel tom parker and elvis presley. Tom parker bowles was born on 18 december 1974 in london. By now, most elvis fans are well aware that parker was an illegal dutch immigrant by the name of andreas cornelis van kuijk. It covers every side of parker that ever existed spanning his entire life.
For many years parker falsely claimed to have been u. Colonel tom parker story 9781569801277 by oneal, sean and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Colonel thomas andrew tom parker june 26, 1909 january 21, 1997 born andreas cornelis dries van kuijk, was a dutchborn entertainment impresario known best as the manager of elvis presley. Colonel thomas andrew tom parker june 26, 1909 january 21, 1997 born andreas cornelis dries van kuijk, was a dutchborn entertainment impresario. Robert brown parker september 17, 1932 january 18, 2010 was an american writer of fiction, primarily of the mysterydetective genre.
The story of elvis association with colonel tom parker is a cautionary tale for all artists. Tom parker has 21 books on goodreads with 491 ratings. Parker by loanne m parker parker, who gave up smoking his trademark big cuban cigars in 1990, had a meteoric rise from being a hobo in the late 1920s to a top show business manager. Parker himself is hardly s noble or novel figure, so for most this book will lack appeal. When christopher hunt set off in search of vietnams notorious ho chi minh trail, he hardly expected to end up on a rickety, russianmade motorcycle navigating 5,000 kilometers of paths rarely traveled. The curious life of elvis presleys eccentric manager. Loanne miller parker, colonel tom parkers wife mrs. An infamous, cautionary figure in the annals of rocknroll history, colonel tom parker managed elvis presley, one of the genres most enduring icons, from his humble beginning in.
His most famous works were the 40 novels written about the fictional private detective spenser. One thing that elvis had that many of his contemporaries lacked was a great manager, colonel tom parker. Filled with startling material found in neverbeforeseen documents, including parkers army records, psychiatric evaluations, and police reports, this investigation challenges even the most familiar aspects of the presley saga. While scores of books have been written about elvis presley, this is the first. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the.
This story took years and many manhours of exhaustive research to bring to fruition. You will not only learn about his work with elvis, but also his life before he became the most flamboyant celebrity manager the world has ever seen. Colonel parker managed elvis career, but was he a killer. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A meticulously researched biography, this story profiles the colonel tom parker, the man behind elvis presley, in a compelling new light. He was married to loanne miller and marie frances mott. Colonel tom parker simple english wikipedia, the free. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the colonel. For all of the twenty years that parker outlasted his greatest discovery. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I was mildly surprised to learn from this article that colonel tom was really a colonel, in the louisiana state militia. Colonel tom parker, dutchborn american show business promoter who was best known for managing the career of elvis presley b.
Colonel parker was guilty of selfdealing and overreaching and had violated his duty to both elvis and to the estate. This is the best book ever written about colonel tom parker. The result is a book that reads like the most riveting of reallife detective stories one that will completely change your view of presleys life, success, and death. The second novel, dark hollow, was released eagerly a year after the first, following charlie as he tracks down yet another savage murderer. After an appearance on groucho marxs you bet your life tv program, trudes article about that experience appeared in tv radio life magazine. Tom parker was born on june 26, 1909 in breda, the netherlands to adam and maria vankuijk who named their fifth child andreas cornelius vankuijk. He and his sister laura were raised as roman catholics.
When brian oxley learned that developers planned to build a car wash on the madison property formerly belonging to. He grew up at bolehyde manor in allington, wiltshire, and later middlewick house in corsham, wiltshire. In the colonel, alanna nash, the author of golden girl. His management of presley rewrote the role of talent manager and was seen as central to the astonishing success of presleys career. Trude forsher colonel parkers secretary defended her boss. Dutchamerican, called colonel tom parker who became elvis presleys personal manager from 195677. Colonel tom parker, the man who ruthlessly steered elvis presleys career from memphis truck driver to king of rock n roll, died today of complications from a stroke. The key theme of this book is that tom parker was a manipulative con man who took advantage of those who trusted him, and was deathly afraid of being exposed. Its that he failed to see that more profits could actually be hd by protecting elviss artistic integrity. Abc television network developed the television series spenser. The most recent book surrounding charlie parker was released in 2014 with high.
Colonel tom parker started working in show business and dabbling in the music industry late in the 1940s. The frustrating thing about parker is not that he went for the quick cash grab movies, cheaply packaged and repackaged music. Parker and neal worked together to promote presley, using their own hank snow tour to book him and tour him. Tom parker has 71 books on goodreads with 37 ratings. This article was most recently revised and updated by karen sparks, director and editor, britannica book of the year. He is known for his work on follow that dream 1962, it happened at the worlds fair 1963 and flaming star 1960. Colonel tom parker 19091997, elvis presleys manager. Parker learned to play the guitar at the age of sixteen after trying out his older brothers. If the person helping you get work is taking more of a cut than you, sever ties. The parker story, 2 volumes 9780965774826 and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Tom parker was born on june 26, 1909 in breda, noordbrabant, netherlands as andreas cornelius van kuijk. Thomas andrew colonel tom parker born andreas cornelis van kuijk. Parker didnt have a passport at any point in his life 80. Thomas anthony tom parker born 4 august 1988 is an english singer best known for being a member of the britishirish boy band the wanted.
It covers topics such as parkers birth as andreas van kuijk in the netherlands, and his illegal entrance into the usa and his stint as a carny. This may have motivated him to avoid seeking a passport, as the netherlands has an active extradition treaty with the united states, and he may have wanted to avoid criminal arrest by dutch authorities in that case. After a few years, he was given the honorary title of colonel by jimmie davis, governor of louisiana. Weeks parker has been awarded two plaques from city of fayetteville, nc mayors in appreciation for his many years of capturing the citys history on film and in books, and. Colonel tom parker was born andreas cornelius van kuijk in breda, holland in 1909. Tom parker singer born 1988, british singer, member of the wanted. Shortly after elvis death, his manager and friend colonel tom parker made the following remark. Part biography, part murder mystery and perhaps the most thoroughly researched music book ever written, the colonel is an intriguing, if flawed. He is considered to be the man behind the elvis presley legend.
The curious life of elvis presleys eccentric manager new edition by dickerson, james l. This biography of colonel tom parker includes revelations and ins. In the colonel, her biography of parker, alanna nash wrote that there were questions about a murder in breda in which parker may have been a suspect or at least a person of interest. Colonel parker managed elvis career, but was he a killer on the lam. The epe publication and its praise of the colonel was remarkable, considering that a decade earlier the presley estate had sued parker after a memphis probate judge declared him guilty of mismanaging elviss career and defrauding the star and his estate out of millions of dollars.
Join facebook to connect with tom parker and others you may know. Its amusing at times, tragic and compassionate at other times. Tom colonel tom parker 19091997 find a grave memorial. The extraordinary story of colonel tom parker and elvis presley by nash, alanna isbn. That started a chain of events that led to her becoming colonel parkers secretary in. Tom parkers most popular book is is that your hand in my pocket the sales professionals guide. Music history buff acquires interior rights to colonel tom. Colonel tom parker quotes,colonel, tom, parker, author, authors, writer, writers, people, famous people my account help add the dynamic daily quotation to your site or blog its easy. The strength of the book lies in its early pages, when dickerson traces. He was an employee of a circus and came up with the idea of having chickens dance on.
Charlie parker currently has novels depicting his stories, released in the united kingdom as well as the united states. Tom parker, horoscope for birth date 26 june 1909, born in. His acts were tom mix, hank snow, minnie pearl, and june carter. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Download audiobooks narrated by tom parker at and save. Music history buff acquires interior rights to colonel tom parker house. Rare interview from colonel tom parker with abc news anchorman ted koppel. In 1953 parker bought a house in madison, tennessee, where presley would visit and stay while recording. When elvis presley met colonel tom parker in a memphis restaurant in 1955, it was the start of a relationship that would transform their lives and see the creation of a 20th century cultural. In 1956 trude forsher was a stayathome housewife and mother. If youre interested in colonel thomas andrew parker, this is the book for you.
He was not a real colonel but is thought to have gotten his name from a captain in the army named tom parker. Why was elvis manager, colonel tom parker, considered. Both their father and their paternal grandmother, dame. Colonel tom was elvis manager, was he an illegal alien. I talked to him this morning and he told me to carry. Tom parkers most popular book is the adventures of huckleberry finn. The story of jessica savitch, explores in depth the amazing story of colonel tom parker, the man behind the legend and the myth of elvis presley. June 26, 1909 january 21, 1997 was the dutchborn manager of elvis presley. Despite the hundreds of books profiling presley and his career, the story of.
Colonel tom, as he was called, was the reason both he and elvis made millions of dollars a 5050 split, yes really. After parker s death in 1997, the home was used as a law. The extraordinary story of colonel tom parker and elvis presley kindle edition by nash, alanna. Immigrating to the us in 1929, he was given the honorary title of colonel in 1948 by louisiana governor jimmie davis. Elvis fans will enjoy reading about books about elvis rather than colonel parker. A common factor between the success of eddy arnold and later success of elvis presley was their management by one, colonel tom parker the honorary colonel tag was bestowed on him by louisiana governor, jimmy davis, during his time with eddy. In this indepth spotlight ein takes a look at the darker side of colonel tom parker and includes plenty of insights from elvis colleagues and friends. Our sarasota storefront has since housed two distinct shops. The man who brought the king to global fame kept his own past secret. Their partnership was uniquely successful, elvis being an entirely new force in popular music, and parker an entrepreneur able to market him.
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