Colonel Tom Parker

Power, greed, and rock 'n' roll: the life of the legendary Elvis manager

Who knows if the world would have ever heard of Elvis Presley if it weren't for Colonel Tom Parker, one of the most ruthless and enigmatic managers in rock history. He made Elvis a star while simultaneously exploiting his protégé mercilessly, ultimately jeopardizing his own work through gambling addiction and shady business connections. Elvis' career is unimaginable without him—this is why Warner Bros. chose James L. Dickerson's biography as the basis for Baz Luhrmann's film Elvis, in which Parker is portrayed by Tom Hanks.

Parker was already a colorful figure as a young man. Born in the Netherlands in 1909, he immigrated illegally to the USA in 1929 and lived in fear of deportation for the rest of his life. In the following years, he learned the entertainment trade as an assistant with traveling shows that toured the American countryside with their curiosity acts. Since 1938, he managed singers and musicians until he achieved his masterpiece in 1955: he discovered the young Elvis Presley and convinced his naive protégé and his family to let him make all the decisions regarding his career.

James L. Dickerson conducted extensive research for his biography and takes a hard but fair look at Parker. Colonel Tom Parker paints a captivating portrait of a ruthless power player who, with his manipulative genius, opened new avenues for marketing artists and was the first to turn his star into a brand. By being at Elvis' side and controlling every step of the singer, this book also reveals many new details about Elvis Presley's life—a must-read for fans of the "King" who want to see their star from a new perspective.