Colonel Tom Parker

Tom Parker
Parker in 1969
Born
Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk

(1909-06-26)June 26, 1909
Breda, Netherlands
DiedJanuary 21, 1997(1997-01-21) (aged 87)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Occupation(s)Talent manager, concert promoter
Years active1938–1984
Spouses
  • Marie Mott
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1935; died 1986)​
  • Loanne Miller
    ​
    (m. 1990)​
AwardsHonorary colonel (Louisiana)

Colonel Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997)[1] was a Dutch-American talent manager and concert promoter, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley.

Parker was born in the Netherlands and entered the United States illegally when he was 20 years old. He adopted a new name and claimed to have been born in the United States. With a background working in carnivals, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, working with one of the first popular crooners, Gene Austin, and country music singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands. He also assisted Jimmie Davis's campaign to become governor of Louisiana, for which he was awarded the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Guard.[2][3]

Parker encountered Presley in 1955 and by 1956 had become his manager. With Parker's help, Presley signed a recording contract with RCA Victor, which led to a commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his sixth single "Heartbreak Hotel" and a career as one of the most commercially successful entertainers in the world. Parker received more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager. He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals and media appearances and is said to have influenced Presley's personal life, including his decision to accept military service in 1958 and his marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967. Parker encouraged Presley to make musical films, and they became the focus of his career during his commercial decline in the 1960s until his 1968 comeback and return to touring. Parker's influence waned in later years, but he continued in his management role until Presley died in 1977.

Parker managed the Presley estate for the rest of his life. Having previously sold the rights to Presley's early recordings to RCA he struggled to secure a steady income, and his financial situation worsened after he sustained significant gambling losses.[4][5] Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in declining health, until his death in 1997.[1]

  1. ^ a b Strauss, Neil (January 22, 1997). "Tom Parker Is Dead at 87; Controlled Presley's Career". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  2. ^ Yardley, Jonathan (June 8, 2001). "Colonel of Lies". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Dash, Mike (February 24, 2012). "Colonel Parker Managed Elvis' Career, but Was He a Killer on the Lam?". Smithsonian Magazine. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Victor, Adam (2008). The Elvis Encyclopedia. Gerald Duckworth. ISBN 978-0-7156-3816-3.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Gaar240 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).