The Colonel - visionary genius or master of exploitation?

[franny]

The Colonel - visionary genius or master of exploitation?: Music historian Peter Guralnick argues that the answer is both. Parker was the mysterious, controversial manager who guided Elvis Presley’s career from 1955 on. Before he ever met Presley, though, he had revolutionized the art of management and promotion, particularly in his long association with Eddy Arnold. In this hundredth-anniversary year of the Colonel’s birth, Guralnick will show rare early images and play the only song Parker ever asked Presley to record. Guralnick has written extensively on American music. His books include the prize-winning two-volume biography of Presley, Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love, as well as Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke.

The lecture is on Saturday, April 18, 1:30 p.m. Country Music Hall of Fame - Nashville, TN

After the program, Guralnick will sign books in the Museum Store. Included with museum admission. Free to museum members. For more details, contact the Country Music Hall of Fame at 615-416-2001.
Go here for EIN's exclusive interview with Alanna Nash, author of The Extraordinary Story of Colonel Tom Parker. (News, Source:EIN/EPE)

[SleepyJack]

Tom Parker...a visionary???

[molokai123]

very tricky subject! he did do good but he also did a lot of bad! but then again some of the things that EPE do are they any different from waht Co. Parker Did?

[Brian]

Colonel Parker actually did things with Elvis in the begining of his career that a lot of people consider revolutionary. Mainly his promotion skills and merchandising along with using t.v. as a vehicle to launch Elvis career 25 years before MTV.

Also later in Elvis career he came up with Aloha from Hawaii which was a good idea.

[rickb]

A visionary genius would book Elvis a leading role in Harum Scarum or Paradise Hawaiian Style or send him out on a two-week tour without a night's rest when he is aged 42 and obviously unwell?
No, i don't think so.
Sure he was strong on exploitation, particularly in the early years, but the only exploitation he did in the mid 60s and 70s was of his cash cow

[Dino78]

Not easy to answer on this question.
I think he was something in between. He was a visionary genius in the way of selling the product "Elvis". It was him who created that merchandising industry around one singer. It was him who saw the possibility of TV as a platform to increase your artit's popularity and being paid for in an acceptable way.
On the other hand he wanted to take the easy route. Always after the quick dollar. Without any long term view.
It's difficult to see the whole situation with our today's point of view. Today nobody would do two concerts per day over two weeks, etc. When you want to judge him you'll find enough arguments for, when not you do it either.

[Getlo]

Of course the answer to this is both.

[beckelvis]

I agree with you Dino.

[Tony Trout]

Of course the answer to this is both.

Agreed, Getlo. In the beginning he was an absolute genius by using the 'less is more' approach but by the time the touring years resumed, Parker did all he could to exploit Elvis and forced him onstage when he should've been in a hospital. Parker didn't give a **** about anything other than the almighty $$$ by that time/point in Elvis's career.

[easyrider]

The Colonel Parker was a visionary genius and master of exploitation.

[*MOODY BLUE*]

BOTH - no doubt about it

[elvia7]

Tom Parker...a visionary???

I think that, master of exploitation

[Jumpsuit Junkie]

Categorically, both. Will there ever be another manager who almost gets the same notoriety as their act? The Colonel is guilty of putting the product before the person. Elvis is guilty of putting the person before the product. Either way you look at it both were guilty of not looking after each others needs....

[Diane]

I see master and genius of manipulation and exploitation but visionary???...not really, his vision for Elvis' future was very limited.

Diane

[Getlo]

I see master and genius of manipulation and exploitation but visionary???...not really, his vision for Elvis' future was very limited.

In 1955, The Colonel was the only one with the vision to launch Elvis Presley to the entire world.

[KPM]

In 1955, The Colonel was the only one with the vision to launch Elvis Presley to the entire world.

Well Parker had been keeping tabs on Elvis when Oscar Davis told him that he had seen a kid who took over the audiences he performed to.
Parker made sure to help Bob Neal with bookings-but truthfully IMO he knew he wanted Elvis.
Parker knew Elvis was going to be the a huge star-so did Phillips, so did Hank Snow so did practically everyone who saw him perform. I think Parker knew the explosion would happen and he wanted to be in on it. But IMO it is performances by Elvis which caused the world wide explosion.
The explosion was already happening-5-13-55 concert at the Gator Bowl in Fla.
14,000 fans and a riot. Here is an excerpt from Scotty Moores website about that night:

...Jimmy Rodgers Snow said the stage was setup in the middle of the field facing the bleaches with rows of chairs in front of the stage. He said the girls in the chairs in the front are the ones that pursued him. When asked if it happened on more than one occasion, he said, "Yes, just about everywhere we played it happened. Sometimes it would be more people then other times. It would depend on how large the crowd was. I know that Elvis did not invite the girls back stage anymore. I think he learned that it was not a good idea."

This was the point that according to the Colonel's advance man, Oscar Davis, Parker was irrevocably sold on the growth potential of Elvis Presley. Scotty, in his book "That's Alright Elvis" recalled that almost from the beginning the Colonel started trying to separate Elvis from the band. He had tried to get Hank's band to back him and both they and Elvis refused to do that. He felt that it was because he "had Elvis' ear". The following July when they performed at the ballpark again appearing with Andy Griffith, Ferlin Husky and Marty Robbins, the fans (girls) apparently rioted and again relieved Elvis of most of his clothing. A fan, Ardys (Bell) Clawson who had recently moved to Jacksonville from Boca Grande was in attendance both days and after the performance on the 28th saw him hiding shirtless eating ice out of one of the drink boxes under the grandstand. Her brother took pictures.
This was not a reaction which any other entertainer had ever sparked.
Parker saw all this and kept moving closer and closer into Elvis's career circle-till he finally got him signed.
Parker saw that he had to get Elvis onto Allen, Berle, or Sullivan (he got him on all three) that national TV exposure and the performances/controversy lauched the international explosion. IMO Elvis's voice and talent sustained the momentum of the initial explosion.
Was Parker the only manager who would have tried to get Elvis national TV exposure if they had managed Elvis-of course not. But was he closest to the initial explosion in the south-yes. Did that give him inside track compared to quality managers in New York and Hollywood-of course.
Crosbys manager did the same thing for Crosby-Crosby began to sing, he made records-his manager booked him on popular national radio shows to get him exposure then into films......
Sinatras management followed the same pattern performances, great interest, records, national radio shows, films.......
This was not a new pattern- but TV was an easier medium because you could see the artist.
So I agree Parker helped launch the explosion-but it did not take much to do so.

[renapap05]

Tom Parker...a visionary???

[Brian]

Was Parker the only manager who would have tried to get Elvis national TV exposure if they had managed Elvis-of course not. But was he closest to the initial explosion in the south-yes. Did that give him inside track compared to quality managers in New York and Hollywood-of course.
Crosbys manager did the same thing for Crosby-Crosby began to sing, he made records-his manager booked him on popular national radio shows to get him exposure then into films......
Sinatras management followed the same pattern performances, great interest, records, national radio shows, films.......
This was not a new pattern- but TV was an easier medium because you could see the artist.
So I agree Parker helped launch the explosion-but it did not take much to do so.

of course it takes a talented artist for a manager to make him successful but I truly believe Parker was the right guy for the time. If Parker hadn't of come along when he did Elvis would've stayed on Sun and finished out his contract there thus it either would've took longer for him to break out on the national scene or not at all. Remember Sam Phillips had Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich on Sun but didn't know what to do with either of them.

For some reason I don't think Sinatra's manager of Croby's manager would've been interested in managing Elvis because they were older guys who would'n't have understood Elvis appeal as a lot of people from the older generation thought rock n'' roll would last a couple of years and fade. I believe the Colonel understood Elvis appeal and the popularity of rock n' roll in the begininng and knew just how to promote.

After Elvis got so big anybody could've managed him but in the begining it was the Colonel.

[KPM]

of course it takes a talented artist for a manager to make him successful but I truly believe Parker was the right guy for the time. If Parker hadn't of come along when he did Elvis would've stayed on Sun and finished out his contract there thus it either would've took longer for him to break out on the national scene or not at all. Remember Sam Phillips had Roy Orbison and Charlie Rich on Sun but didn't know what to do with either of them.

For some reason I don't think Sinatra's manager of Croby's manager would've been interested in managing Elvis because they were older guys who would'n't have understood Elvis appeal as a lot of people from the older generation thought rock n'' roll would last a couple of years and fade. I believe the Colonel understood Elvis appeal and the popularity of rock n' roll in the begininng and knew just how to promote.

After Elvis got so big anybody could've managed him but in the begining it was the Colonel.

I do not think Elvis would have stayed at Sun, other than RCA-other labels were interested in Elvis's contract in 55 according to Elvis Day by Day and the fact that Phillips needed cash was a prime reason for Phillips making any deal.
Phillips was smart- he would have eventually taken one of the offers from someone for the contract. Also Phillips knew Elvis was headed for superstardom-he did care about Elvis and knew that Elvis needed a bigger company to record for.
I was not suggesting that Crosby or Sinatras managers would want to promote Elvis-I was pointing out the natural progression of a major star of their level. They did for their clients-the same thing in the same way that Parker did for Elvis.

[Brian]

I do not think Elvis would have stayed at Sun, other than RCA-other labels were interested in Elvis's contract in 55 according to Elvis Day by Day and the fact that Phillips needed cash was a prime reason for Phillips making any deal.
Phillips was smart- he would have eventually taken one of the offers from someone for the contract. Also Phillips knew Elvis was headed for superstardom-he did care about Elvis and knew that Elvis needed a bigger company to record for.
I was not suggesting that Crosby or Sinatras managers would want to promote Elvis-I was pointing out the natural progression of a major star of their level. They did for their clients-the same thing in the same way that Parker did for Elvis.

I have heard from Sam Phillips that when Colonel Parker first started managing Elvis in 55 the Colonel started a rumor that Elvis contract was for sell without Sam's permission that started other labels interested in Elvis
When Sam Phillips confronted Parker about this saying ''Why are you doing this'' Parker replied ''never mind about that can we sell Elvis contract to another label'' Sam said ''maybe if I can get enough money and then he said $35,000 would be enough.'' Sam later said he didn't really want to sell and tried to come up with a figure that he thought nobody would pay but RCA came up with that much. Elvis sun contract was for 3 years so if the Colonel hadn't came along and got the ball rolling Elvis would have stayed at sun for another year. The deal worked out for the best as Elvis got a major record label to promote him and Sam Phillips got $40,000 to promote his other artists