Revelations from the memphis mafia is an essential addition to the presley lexicon. Elvis mother, gladys stated that elvis had the energy of. Ill be sharing stories of growing up living at graceland, the ranch. Feb 01, 2012 elvis and the memphis mafia ebook written by alanna nash. More recently, fike himself published elvis and the memphis mafia 2005 and, helped by the writer mark bego, his own memoirs of life with elvis, titled an uncommon journey 2008. A charter member of the memphis mafia, lamar toured with elvis starting in 1957. But it is full of elvis shenanigans with his best friends and such things.
Fike was among five members of the group dubbed the memphis mafia who incorporated the name in the early 1990s. The initiation elvis presley was born with talent and tragedy etched into his destiny. I am basically retired now but i still do some entertainment consultancy from time to time. Once a man came up to elvis and said elvis i dont want a kiss from you, but would like an autograph. A monumental oral biography filled with raucous joy, ac. Through revealing interviews with three of elviss closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers. Elvis and lamar fike while on furlough in paris, june 1959. 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. Memphis mafia princess living in the elvis presley world. This was the day elvis presley came to my wedding, on 11 december 1973. Interview with the elvis presley memphis mafia members. The core group of original guys sonny west, red west, billy smith, marty lacker, and lamar fike was considered to be the.
Late in elvis life, the boys performed many of the services that betterknown presley insiders had done for years. Elvis and the memphis mafia thoroughly deserves its reputation as one of the best ever books written about the king. This book contains the recollections of three memphis mafia members. Jerry shilling still finds it hard to discuss all the time he spent with elvis memphis mafia gang. Like royalty of ancient times, the king of rock and roll need a court. The memphis mafia throughout the early 1960s, elvis spent a lot of time with his fans at the gates of graceland. It illustrates the joy elvis got from giving to his friends and family over many years and his genuine love and delight he experienced when he gave gifts. Are you currently involved in any elvis related projects. The memphis mafia was the nickname given by rock n roll icon elvis presley to a group of friends, associates, employees and cousins whose main functions were to accompany, protect, and serve elvis from the beginning of his career in 1954 until his death in 1977. Memphis mafia princess living in the elvis presley world by. Buy elvis and the memphis mafia by nash, alanna isbn. Our book elvis and the memphis mafia has just been released in the uk and australia and will be released in the us this spring. Many believe that this book put elvis on a downward spiral from which he never recovered.
Sort of a riseandfall tale that substitutes the pelvis for. Fike became an intimate member of the memphis mafia, whose. These three were fired from the memphis mafia in july 1976. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash goodreads. If not for marty lacker, elvis might never have gone to american studios in 1969 to record the landmark from elvis in memphis record. It broke the true story about his excessive druge use, and painted a very unflattering portrait of him. The unmaking of elvis presley, reputed elvis biographer peter guralnick says about elvis and the guys from the memphis mafia, every night they went to the shows, elvis and his guys, dressed identically in their dark glasses and dark mohair suits.
Through revealing interviews with three of elvis s closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, nash achieves the first true mapping of. A group of elvis buddies red west, joe esposito, charlie hodge, and lamar fike morphed into what became known as the memphis mafia. Nicknames of elvis presleys memphis mafia elvis history blog. It also looked kind of weird and confusing, until you spent some time breaking it down and figuring out everything. This book, memphis mafia princess by shirley deiu does not fit into any of those categories. When i found out their relationship was more than just necking, i was afraid we were all going to prison. Elvis and the memphis mafia elvis information network. The men who made up the memphis mafia were all those things and more. Remembering red and sonny west, members of elvis famous memphis mafia red and sonny west, friends of elvis who spoke out about the singers drug problems, both died this year. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nashbilly smithmarty. Elvis and the memphis mafia kindle edition by nash, alanna. Ill be sharing stories of growing up living at graceland, the ranch, and perugia way with elvis.
He gave out autographs, posed for pictures, and kissed every girl. See more ideas about memphis, memphis mafia and memphis tennessee. Ap george klein, the deepvoiced radio personality who became friends with elvis presley in high school and stayed close to the king of rock n roll throughout his career, has died. Elvis and the memphis mafia kindle edition by nash.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It consists of interviews with three of elviss closest friends and confidantes, a. In addition to fortass book, some of the following information comes from the 1995 volume, elvis aaron presley. A monumental oral biography filled with raucous joy, aching loss and terrible poignancy. One chapter also contains rememberances from billys wife, jo smith. This book is the best, most honest and heartfelt book i have ever read on the irreplaceable elvis presley. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash books on. See more ideas about elvis presley, elvis, memphis mafia. Elvis death brought together the members of elvis inner circleknown as the memphis mafia. Elvis and the memphis mafia alanna nash, billy smith. Steve dunleavy contacted them shortly thereafter, and this book was published on august 1st 1977. As a nashville music company executive, he found numerous songs for elvis to record in the 60s and 70s.
It is an outstanding book, it is honest and shows the true life of elvis. Elvis presley had nicknames for members of his memphis mafia. Marty lacker to be honored by receiving a beale street blues note, the equivalent of a hollywood walk of fame star lacker. I was fascinated by it, and came away feeling quite sorry for the folks caught up in elvis world. He and elvis first met in high school and remained close in. Remembering red and sonny west, members of elvis famous. Presleys former wife, priscilla presley, told the associated press that klein died tuesday at hospice in memphis, tennessee. Fikes tales were a mainstay of the controversial 1981 book elvis by albert. How elvis presleys sacked memphis mafia bodyguards exploded his clean image in a tellall book days before he. Alanna nash is also responsible for the best elvis book to date uncut magazine. The memphis mafia is the nickname given to the group of men who were with elvis presley everyday from 1956 until the day he died on august 16, 1977 there were eight original members. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash quarto knows.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read elvis and the memphis mafia. Aug 01, 2005 this book is the best, most honest and heartfelt book i have ever read on the irreplaceable elvis presley. I did some further research on elvis and the men from the memphis mafia. Jul 19, 2017 robert red gene west was a friend of elvis presley and was a member of the memphis mafia. After elvis was discharged in 1960, lamar returned with him to graceland. His twin brother jesse died at birth, leaving a lasting effect on elvis personality. Elvis and the memphis mafia ebook written by alanna nash. 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. Memphis mafia gang marty lacker to be honored by receiving a beale street blues note, the equivalent of a hollywood walk of fame star lacker started his entertainment career in radio in 1957 and a few years later his former high schoolmate, elvis presley, asked marty to work for him. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash overdrive. It covers everything from the new age groupie who tried to. He accompanied elvis on his army deployment in germany in 19581960.
Several members filled practical roles in the singers life. 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. Scandalous tellall book revealed elvis presleys drug addiction just. Elviss bodyguard dick grob remembers the day the king came to his wedding in 1973. For instance, they were employed to work for him as bodyguards or on tour logistics and scheduling. He and elvis first met in high school and remained close in the years that followed. And more as told by elvis presleys stepbrother i was 14 years old when led zeppelin came to memphis in 1969.
Being a born again believer myself, i always hoped elvis was too. Elvis and the memphis mafia by alanna nash, billy smith. Elvis and the memphis mafia alanna nash, billy smith, marty. It covers everything from the new age groupie who tried to turn elvis into a religious. Marty lacker to be honored by receiving a beale street blues note, the equivalent of a hollywood walk of fame star lacker started his entertainment career in radio in 1957 and a few years later his former high schoolmate, elvis presley, asked marty to work for him. 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, and vacationing, or just hanging out at graceland. In these cases elvis paid salaries, but most lived off fringe benefits s. The best of the indepth attempts to understand elvis as all things to all people, guralnicks twovolume, 1600page monster the postarmy being the second half offers painstaking and sometimes painful detail on what life the king was, in fact, leading while worshiped from afar. And while you might think this episode is going to be crimeridden with lots of shootemup drama, we regret to inform you that it isnt.
Without going into too much detail, all i can say is that this book taught me more about elvis than i could ever hope to know. I guess i thought this book would be a tribute to the elvis i thought i knew. 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. Through revealing interviews with three of elviss closest friends, who were also his protectors and rescuers, nash achieves the first true mapping of elviss psyche. Robert red gene west was a friend of elvis presley and was a member of the memphis mafia. Revelations from the memphis mafia, by billy smith, marty lacker, and lamar fike. Mark james wrote suspicious minds while married to his 1st wife, but dreaming of his childhood sweetheart, who was now married and living in houston where james and his wife also lived. Marty lacker, lamar fike, and billy smith, who was elvis cousin. 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. The stanley brothersbilly, rick, davidwere never part of the memphis mafia, according to marty lacker, a long time presley aide and friend. We do not want any profanities on this page or finger pointing or hate directed at members of the original memphis mafia. The memphis mafiaelvis is an original project astral series that focuses on the obscure tales of elvis. The memphis mafia organizational chart was an item for sale at the august 12, 2017 auction at graceland.