The memphis mafia organizational chart was an item for sale at the august 12, 2017 auction at graceland. This book is an extremley detailed oral history by three members of the elvis memphis mafia, the bunch of cronieshangers onbuddies elvis always kept near him. I was fascinated by it, and came away feeling quite sorry for the folks caught up in elvis world. Hardin on piano, james burton on guitar, ronnie tutt on drums, and jerry scheff on bass. It covers everything from the new age groupie who tried to turn elvis into a religious. In at least one report, presley was said to have been. This intimate story was written by one of the women who knew elvis best his former wife priscilla presley. Remembering red and sonny west, members of elvis famous. A monumental oral biography filled with raucous joy, ac. The memphis mafia throughout the early 1960s, elvis spent a lot of time with his fans at the gates of graceland. The stanley brothersbilly, rick, davidwere never part of the memphis mafia, according to marty lacker, a long time presley aide and friend.
They were prominent members of the socalled memphis mafia, the. One tv host, geraldo rivera, took issue with the book s drug claims, saying he met elvis once in 1973 and found him straight. See more ideas about elvis presley, elvis, memphis mafia. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash goodreads. He was present when elvis met the beatles in 1965, during the taping of the 68 comeback special, the vegas shows and on most of the studio recording sessions. Shirley was the girlfriend of elviss road manager and best friend joe espositos shirley lived with joe for 6 years. Late in elvis life, the boys performed many of the services that betterknown presley insiders had done for years. Remembering elvis presley with the memphis mafia lamar fike, elvis tour manager, so close to elvis he even tried to go into the army with him, but couldnt. He was best man at presleys wedding shortly before he was fired in. Memphis mafia member and elvis road manager joe esposito, in his book, good rockin tonight, subtitled, twenty years on the road and on the town with elvis. These musicians were along for the ride with presley from his triumphant return to the stage in las vegas until his death at graceland on aug. She recounts their love story, marriage, affairs, divorce and friendship afterward. Finally, the long awaited reissue of alanna nashs superb 1995 book, elvis aaron presley. Jerry shilling still finds it hard to discuss all the time he spent with elvis memphis mafia gang.
Alanna joins me for this episode and tells me about her light bulb moment discovering elvis,and talks about working with marty lacker,lamar fike and billy smith on the highly acclaimed book elvis aaron presley. The medallion was a special gift from elvis presley and marked him as a member of the stars inner circle, some of whom were macho young men. Ill be sharing stories of growing up living at graceland, the ranch, and perugia way with elvis. A member of the memphis mafia and always tcb, george kept elvis. Head of the memphis mafia, esposito was elvis best man after meeting him in the army in germany he worked for him for seventeen years. Scandalous tellall book revealed elvis presleys drug.
Remembering red and sonny west, members of elvis famous memphis mafia red and sonny west, friends of elvis who spoke out about the singers. Once a man came up to elvis and said elvis i dont want a kiss from you, but would like an autograph. July 5, 1938 may 24, 2017, known as sonny west, was a friend and bodyguard of the singer elvis presley along with his cousin red west for sixteen years, as part of the elvis entourage at the elvis memphis home graceland, which became known as the memphis mafia. Interview with the elvis presley memphis mafia members. Buy elvis and the memphis mafia by nash, alanna isbn. Nicknames of elvis presleys memphis mafia elvis history blog. Revelations from the memphis mafia is an essential addition to the presley lexicon. Four days before elvis presleys death, a paperback book. George klein, legendary dj and best friend of elvis. She writes about the positive side of elvis and how he and the memphis mafia. If not for marty lacker, elvis might never have gone to american studios in 1969 to record the landmark from elvis in memphis record.
Elvis and the memphis mafia pdf download full download. George klein was a friend of elvis, a friend to many and a friend of mine, said congressman steve cohen d memphis. His parents came from the pontotoc area of mississippi, not far from tupelo, from where elvis. She describes her meetings with elvis manager,tom parker whilst working on her book about him.
Elvis and the memphis mafia alanna nash, billy smith. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash quarto knows. Marty lacker to be honored by receiving a beale street blues note, the equivalent of a hollywood walk of fame star lacker started his. Alanna nash this vivid oral biography of elvis presley is based on the recollections of three members of the memphis mafia, the entourage who accompanied elvis every day, from 1956 to his death in 1977.
It broke the true story about his excessive druge use, and painted a very unflattering portrait of him. Memphis mafia princess was written by shirley dieu. Many believe that this book put elvis on a downward spiral from which he never recovered. These nicknames were assigned to dozens of people, some by elvis and others by members of his memphis mafia, which is itself a. Through revealing interviews with three of elviss closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, nash achieves the. This is the book that came out just before his death and was written by his former friends and bodyguardsmembers of the memphis mafia, red and sonny west. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Elvis presley had nicknames for members of his memphis mafia. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read elvis and the memphis mafia. Elvis and the memphis mafia ebook written by alanna nash. Elvis had some kind of pet name for almost anybody who spent some time around him, an outgrowth of the baby talk routine hed gotten into with his mother years before, explained elvis insider alan fortas in his 1992 book, elvis. It also looked kind of weird and confusing, until you spent some time breaking it down and figuring out everything.
Elvis and the memphis mafia thoroughly deserves its reputation as one of the best ever books written about the king. Memphis mafia princess living in the elvis presley world. He gave out autographs, posed for pictures, and kissed every girl. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash, billy smith. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash books on. I dont agree with books of the memphis mafia, because a lot is fabrication.
And more as told by elvis presleys stepbrother i was 14 years old when led zeppelin came to memphis in 1969. It traverses shirleys time within elvis circle from 1974 to 1977. Elvis and the memphis mafia elvis information network. It is not her life story and consequently there is minimal back story to the broader shirley dieu biography. He was personal secretary and bookkeeper among other things. Dallas ap lamar fike, a member of elvis presleys famed inner circle called the memphis mafia who had a long career in the music industry, has died. Elvis, in a 1965 interview with the commercial appeal, just months after turning 30. The book is about the positive side of elvis and how he and the memphis mafia and the girlfriends and the wives all vacationed and toured and played together as shirley brings you into the story while writing about all of the fun that they had while on tour. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nashbilly smithmarty. Alanna nash is also responsible for the best elvis book to date uncut magazine. Davis never wrote a book because theres never been a book written about elvis yet thats totally truthfull. How elvis presleys sacked memphis mafia bodyguards exploded his clean image in a tellall book days before he dropped dead in the bathroom. Through revealing interviews with three of elvis s closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, nash achieves the first true mapping of elvis s psyche.
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