Your thoughts

[EP4MEUK]

The colonel managed Elvis' career but do you think Elvis would have been so successful if he had not?


I asked this question on my Yahoo group sometime ago and the vast percentage said yes he would have been just as successful even without the colonels help. I think maybe Elvis certainly had the talent to take him to the top but was it just the colonel that could have done it? Either way this is something we will never know. The reason I asked the question was I had been reading alot about the colonel in books and web sites and it seems not all Elvis fans were quite as keen on the Colonel as Elvis seemed to be. Must we believe everything we read or hear or is it safe to say as the saying goes behind every great man is a great woman in Elvis' case manager!


Love and peace,
Susan

[buttonhead]

In some point , I think elvis will be more succesful without the colonel.., wasn't that time when elvis was almost fired his manager ? i dont remember the story, ...

I think that the colonel was the example of old fashioned kind of manager...where he could tell his boy what to do without considered his health or willingness..

i believe if elvis could voice more of his thought into action..he wouldn't do much longer of his movie career,..and elvis might went out of the USA doing his world tour, meeting more of his fans in europe, asia , australia and many places , that would be a great thought for elvis and all of his fans..

[Jungleroom76]

GREAT QUESTION SUSAN!!!

In my opinion, I think The Colonel was very beneficial to Elvis' career in the beginning! The Colonel was able to book Elvis on several of the most popular and most watched TV programs of the 1950's, thus ensuring Elvis' exposure to as many people as possible. The Colonel negotiated the movie deals for Elvis, to begin his career on the big screen! The Colonel was behind all of the mass marketing of products featuring Elvis' name and/or likeness to the fans in the 50's, and probably most importantly, kept Elvis' career alive while he was serving in the Army, by ensuring that new albums and singles were released during the time Elvis was in Germany. NOW, could someone else have managed Elvis' career as effectively in the early stages? Probably....but in all aspects of Elvis' career during the early years, it really is hard to find fault with too many of the decisions that The Colonel made, in my opinion.

ONCE ELVIS RETURNED HOME FROM THE ARMY, HOWEVER...THAT is another story!! Locking Elvis into all of those movie contracts was BY FAR the first clear indication that The Colonel was shifting his focus from Elvis' well being to his own. And, then of course, most fans know how things went from there....the '68 SPECIAL that ALMOST WASN'T, if The Colonel had his way with his original plans for a bland Christmas special...the month long engagements in Las Vegas, where The Colonel was getting 50% of everything...the constant touring even when Elvis was clearly ill and in need of a rest...the selling of Elvis' entire RCA back catalog in 1973 for a fee, which The Colonel received 50% of....and on and on and on!

IN MY MIND...by the time Elvis returned home from the Army, Elvis had clearly outgrown The Colonel's way of thinking and promotion. Of course, The Colonel had his own agenda in trying to make as much money off of Elvis as he could....and The Colonel, in my opinion, TOOK CLEAR ADVANTAGE of Elvis' loyalty to him! In Elvis' mind, he would have not been the superstar that he was without The Colonel's guidance (even though just about any other manager that was worth his weight in salt could have done for Elvis what The Colonel did). The Colonel knew this, I believe, and exploited it to the fullest with the ludricious contracts that he convinced Elvis to sign, such as splitting profits 50/50!! NO MANAGER was worth 50% of everything Elvis made!!! Of course, I also believe that Vernon might have had something to do with the way things turned out in Elvis' career....NOT INTENTIONALLY, OF COURSE....but considering Vernon wasn't well educated, I think it was quite easy for The Colonel to slip things past Vernon that a better educated person might have been able to recognize and put a stop to! A CLASSIC EXAMPLE of this is during Vernon's interview on the CBS Special ELVIS IN CONCERT...Vernon states that The Colonel "is an honest man"....and by 1977, it was certainly clear to most people (or it should have been) that The Colonel was, by no means an "honest man". So, I have a feeling that if Vernon had been better educated, I think things would have turned out differently for Elvis as well!!

Sorry to kind of ramble on there....just wanted to offer my opinion!!

TCB!
Mike

[Captain Elwood David]

EP definitely needed The Col. in the beginning. It was The Col. that gave Elvis nationwide exposure (TV and later RCA) ............... Hollywood, ................... and kept Elvis' career on track while in the Army.

Later on, ............. EP outgrew his need for The Col.'s carny / limited artistic approach to things.

EP stuck with him out of loyalty, ........... and the fact that deep down, ............. he was a very insecure individual about his talent (forever grateful and believing that The Col. was just as much a part of his success as he himself was).

For good & bad, their fate was destined to be tied together throughout ........ for they actually needed each other throughout.

Bottom-line: point out even one single artist-manager relationship that has been more successful / set more lasting entertainment precedents than that of EP & The Col.. IMO, one doesn't exist that even comes close.


- Capt. "EL."

[EP4MEUK]

Thankyou for your thoughts on this subject it is almost safe to say that whatever the case Elvis would have made it big and the way he did it suits me just fine

love and peace,
Susan.

[Albert]

The colonel did wonders to Elvis' carreer in the 50s and early 60s. Besides the horrible movies and bad promotings, the Hollywood years placed Elvis in a timecapsule and made the '68 special, the '69 sessions and the return on stage happen.

But from that very point the colonel was the wrong manager for Elvis. Elvis could have been bigger and more important in the 70s. If Elvis would have toured more and did less Vegas, it would have been an improvement. Also less shows per year. Let Elvis record music from other composers, work with different producers. Forced Elvis to work on his setlist. Keep him motivated and in shape (physicly and mentally). Listened to Elvis' needs (doing good movies in the 70s). Introduced Elvis to interesting people (who shared Elvis' love for music, innovation and spirituality).

In short: someone who brought Elvis back in contact with the real world. Something Las Vegas and Hollywood are not.

[TCE]

I think it was mr. Parker who helped Elvis in the beginning of his carreer, afterall Elvis didn't know a thing about the showbusiness. So he needed his guidance. However I think Mr. Parker became gready later on and lost track of "his boy". He didn't mind about Elvis's needs anymore or his health, as long as he brought in the money.

Be safe and take care,

Christel (TCE)

[P.S. Annie]

Well nothing new from me. I think he did a good job in the beginning, the 50's, and after his return from the army. But quickly after that I think he should have looked for someone more interested in him and his career then only making money on a short notice.

[NightRider]

I would generally agree with most things said....good in the early days for certain....not so good through the 70's.....

I think the biggest shock came when i read some......years ago now....that Parker was taking a staggering 50%. I guess Elvis must have thought he was worth that sort of cut...i believe that was from 1967 onwards...thats a hell of a lot of dosh.....

Mind you....thats all Parker was ever interested in anyhow.....as has already been stated....had he had a little more concern about his star.....well....we will never know Can't help but think that a more concerned manager would have looked after the health of his boy a little more in the later years.

And i don't mean physically obviously...but surely he could have done more than he did. Putting tours on hold....or even making Elvis take a year off. Sadly though, i guess Elvis himself should have taken that decision himself.