of female fans, 44, 51, 161
of femininity, 195–96
of image, 48–49, 51–52, 60–61, 176–77, 199, 299, 320
of marriage, 299–300
“Memphis Mafia” providing, 174–75
of musical style, 209–10
in NBC Comeback Special, 209–10, 212
obsession with, 242–43
possessiveness and, 161, 162, 181–82, 184–85
Presley, Gladys, and, 111–12
in relationships, 184–85, 187–88, 195–96, 237, 241, 247–48, 263, 264, 267, 284–85, 301, 304
of spending, 243
in stage performance, 40, 54, 268–71
autopsy, 11–15, 321–22
awards, 59–60, 250–51
awareness. See perception and perceptiveness
Axton, Mae Boren, 35–36, 37, 50–51
babysitting, teenage girls in, xvi–xvii
“Bad Elvis” image, 231–32
badges and credentials, 242–46, 247, 249, 250, 251–52
Bain, Jackson, 19–20
Baker family, 164
bank robbery, at birthplace, 72–73
Baptist Memorial Hospital, 9–14, 322
Bean, Orville, 65–66, 68–69, 71, 73, 101–2, 115
the Beatles, 247, 250
Beaulieu, Priscilla, 191, 256 control and femininity of, 195–96
drug use of, 193–94
family oversight of, 193–95
marriage to, 194–95, 199, 233
romantic relationship with, 179, 186–87, 192–96, 198–99, 220
sex games with, 196
sexual infidelity and, 198–99, 220, 235
sex with juvenile, 179, 186–87
beauty or attractiveness, as requirement, 181, 293–94, 304
Belafonte, Harry, 204–5
Belew, Bill, 211–12, 213, 223, 230–31
Bell, Reggie, 100–101
Berle, Milton, 54
betrayal, 279–81, 284–86, 287
Biggs, Delta Mae (aunt), 272, 317–18
Binder, Steve, 204–6, 207–11, 213, 215, 218–19, 230
biographies, x–xi
birth and birthplace, xvii, 70, 72–73, 233
Black, Bill, 150, 151–52, 154–55, 213–14
Black, Evelyn, 157
black culture, 105–6, 139, 140, 149, 217–18
Blue Moon Boys, 40 concert frequency for, 27–28, 40–41
formation of, 26, 155
management of, 26–28, 38
on NBC Comeback Special, 213
recordings of, 26, 38–39
road life for, 28–30
“Blue Moon of Kentucky,” 23, 24–25, 154–55, 156
Bobo, F. L., 81
Boccaccio’s tales, 252–54
body at death, 318–21
in gospel performances, 158
illness in, 45
musical style linked to, 30, 38
safety of, 43
sexuality of, xx, 25, 30
in stage performance, 24, 25, 26, 30, 45–46, 158, 218
women’s response to, 30
bodyguards, 275–89. See also tell-all book
Bova, Joyce, 236, 237–38, 243–44, 248, 252–56
“boys” or “guys.” See also “Memphis Mafia” costs associated with, 227
death threat fears of, 276
end of, 307
firing of bodyguard, 279–89
marriage and divorce for, 235
NBC Comeback Special and presence of, 210–11, 212–13, 214
physical assaults from, 275
self defined through, 170, 171–75, 257
self-esteem lacking and, 197
sex parties and, 234
on Thompson’s personality, 261–62
violence or aggression of, 173–74, 275–77, 284–85
women recruited by, 179, 262, 293–94, 304, 308, 311
bribery, 281
Brinkley, David, 18–19
Brown, Earl, 215
Brown, Estelle, 268, 269
Brownlee, Jo Kathy, 271–72
Buergin, Margit, 177
burial, 325, 326–27, 329
Camp 5, Parchman Farm, 82–84
Carnation Milk Company, 73
cars in childhood, 122, 123
gifts of, 28–29, 227, 242, 249, 270–71, 298
on tour, 28–29
Carter, Anita, 53
Carter sisters or family, 29, 30, 53
celebrity and fame, 157–63, 230, 293, 305
censorship, 50
Change of Habit, 220–21
character, of female fans, 30–32
charities and charitable contributions, 60
chickens, of Presley, Gladys, 166
car in, 122, 123
employment, 118–19, 121, 123–24
home or housing, 69–70, 101–3, 105–6, 110–16
itinerant, 96–97
musical inspiration in, 99, 100–101
musical talent in, 101, 104, 127–29
personality, 112, 113
popularity, 104, 128–29, 132
poverty in, 102–3, 107, 109, 110, 112, 113, 121, 125–26
Presley, Vernon, and relationship in, 121–22
rebellion in, 126
romantic relationships in, 131–32
violence or aggression in, 121–22, 126–27
children, for Presley, Gladys, 329
Circle G Ranch, 227, 233
civil rights, 204–5, 208, 215–16, 217–18
Clark, Petula, 204–5
Clarksdale, 143
class. See social hierarchy
clothing and outfits on dying day, 314
in high school, 120, 126
for Las Vegas shows, 223
in Nixon meeting, 246–47
at Parchman Farm, 82–83
rebellion through, 126
on television, 50, 211–12, 213, 216, 217
on tour, 35
women given, 160–61, 260, 263, 265
as young adult, 133, 150
Cocke, Marian, 272
Cold War, xix
command. See authority, command, or control
communication with Nixon, 246–48
with Smith, Billy, 308, 309
with women, 133–34, 137–38, 146, 179–80, 188–89, 239, 260
Como, Perry, 49–50
concerts or shows. See also Las Vegas and Las Vegas shows; television; tours, touring, or road Blue Moon Boys and frequency of, 27–28, 40–41
crowd size at, 41–42
female fans dominating, 39–40, 46, 48–49
film and television impacting number of, 48–49
illness and, 271, 275
karate during, 266–67
Las Vegas, 221–24
media on early, 36
Omaha, 330–34
other acts at, 34–35
outside South and early, 41–43
Overton Shell and first, 23–25, 157–58
personal safety and, 42, 164–65
racial South in, 40–41
radio in booking, 148
confidence. See self-esteem or confidence
conflict or fights, on tour, 52–53. See also violence or aggression
confrontation, 122, 285
control. See authority, command, or control
correspondence, 80–81, 89, 177
cost “boys” and associated, 227
of first recordings, 145
of Graceland, 227
of lawsuits, 277, 282
of Lisa Marie, 229
of Parchman visits, 81
of payroll, 227
country life, 29–30
cover-ups, 10–14
Cox, Jimmie, 73–74
creativity and creative figures, xvii, 143–44. See also musical creativity or talent
credentials. See badges and credentials
crime, criminals, and criminal activity, 65–66, 70–71, 72
–74, 79, 108
Crosby, Charles, 3, 4, 9, 321
“cross-over” people, xviii
crowds, 41–42. See also audience
Crown Electric, 136–38
cruelty. See anger or cruelty
Crumpacker, Chick, 37–38
culture. See also Southern culture black, 105–6, 139, 140, 149, 217–18
European, 186–87
popular, 19
dancers, 221–22
Dean, James, 57
death and dying activities before, 315–16, 318
autopsy and, 11–13, 321–22
at Baptist Memorial Hospital, 9–10, 11
body at, 318–21
cause of, 14–15, 321–22
drugs in, 5, 10–15, 17–18, 316–18, 321–22
at Graceland, 3–4
health and well-being on day of, 315
heart failure in, 13, 15
last day and night before, 314–18
love and mourning at, 19–20
media response to, 10, 12, 14–15, 18–20, 320
medical personnel at, 3–4, 320, 321
Nichopoulos’s involvement in, 7–9, 10, 12, 15–18, 316–17
physical appearance at, 4, 5
Presley, Vernon, and, 5, 8–9, 10, 16–17, 320–21
of Presley, Gladys, 163–69, 180–81, 183–84
public and theories for, 16–18
temperature at, 3–4
threats, 236–38, 276, 316
trial concerning, 5–6, 15–16
will after, 322–24
debt, Nichopoulos’s, 8–9, 271. See also finances, financial habits, and spending
decoration and furnishing, of Graceland, 167, 260–61
deference, 127, 290, 306
depression, 271–72, 306
desegregation, xix, 40–41
desertion, 256, 267–68, 272
desire, as object of, xii. See also sex, sexuality, sexual desire, and sexual life
discontent or unhappiness, 257, 300–301
diversity, in Las Vegas shows, 222–23
divorce, 258, 264–65, 303–5, 311–12
doctors or medical personnel, 3–4, 6–7, 320, 321. See also Nichopoulos, Dr. George; specific doctors
Dorsey, Jimmy, 49–50
Dorsey, Tommy, 49–50
Dougher, Paul, 118
Douglas, Donna, 198
drugs and drug use, 270 addiction, 7–8, 315
allergic reaction to, 244, 245
in autopsy, 14–15
Beaulieu’s, 193–94
cover-up of, 10–11, 14
in death, 5, 10–15, 17–18, 316–18, 321–22
employees instructed regarding, 5
illness or injury from, 286
Nixon and service regarding, 244–45
police investigation of, 305
prescriptions for, 5–6, 15–16, 316–17
recording and, 253
spiritual philosophy concerning, 255–56
in tell-all book, 288, 314
Thompson care during, 261–62
women and, 252–53, 254, 261–63
Dunleavy, Steve, 280, 312
Eastern thought, 291–92
East Tupelo Consolidated School, 99
economy and economics, of South, 112–13
The Ed Sullivan Show, 50, 54–55, 56
education elementary school, 99–101
employment versus, 123
high school, 110, 116–18, 123
junior high school, 103, 104
of Nichopoulos, 7
for Presley, Gladys, 99
of Presley, Vernon, 74–75
Southern culture and, 117
Edwards, Mike, 234
elementary school, 99–101
Elliott, Maurice, 12
Elvis and Me (Beaulieu), 194, 199, 256
Elvis in Concert, 330–34
“Elvis mania,” xx, 41, 44, 48–49
Elvis on Tour documentary, 257–58
Elvis: What Happened?, 312
emotions or emotional response at Assembly of God, 87
from family visits to Parchman, 82–83
of female fans, 30, 41–42, 49, 60
to mother’s death, 168
over Presley, Lisa Marie, 304–5
to Parker, Tom, 299
of Presley, Gladys, 124–25, 164–65, 166, 167
to Presley, Vernon’s, incarceration, 92
to Presley, Vernon’s, suspended sentence, 92–93
of public, ix
across race, 60
to religion, 289–90
empathy, xii–xiii
employment and employees bodyguards’ fired from, 278–89
childhood, 118–19, 121, 123–24
at Crown Electric, 136–38
drug use and instructions to, 5
education versus, 123
of family, 165–66, 307–9
fatigue from, 123–24
during Great Depression, 73–74, 90–91
home and itinerant, 96–97
illness or injury and, 120–21, 122, 135
in laundry, 90, 106
in Memphis, 96, 97–98, 109–10, 111
“Memphis Mafia” as, 173–74
physical appearance and, 136–37
for Presley, Gladys, 90, 106, 110, 111, 120, 122
for Presley, Vernon, 90–91, 95–98, 108, 109–10, 111, 118, 119, 120–21, 122, 328–29
reputation and, 90–91, 96
as singer, 145
tell-all book from, 279–89
treatment of, 280–81, 283–84
during World War II, 95–96
WPA, 65, 91, 96
as young adult, 129–30, 136–38
enjoyment or indulgence of gospel music, 133, 138
image based on, 231
of money and wealth, 52
of sex and sexual life, xii, 31, 43, 160, 177, 178–79, 180–81, 184, 190, 234, 235–36, 238
Esposito, Joanie, 234–35
Esposito, Joe, 210, 282, 319–20
Europe, 169, 177–80, 185–87
failure, xiii, 13, 15, 122, 135, 329–30
fame. See celebrity and fame
family. See also specific families; specific family members of Alden, Ginger, 295, 296–97, 301–2, 303–4, 305, 314
Beaulieu and oversight of, 193–95
closeness of, 137
divorce in, 311–12
employment of, 165–66, 307–9
Graceland for, 165–66, 167, 170–71, 310–11, 325–30
history, 67–69
illness in, 97, 120–21, 122, 124–27, 135, 163–69, 283, 311
of Locke, 134, 162
Locke on Presley, 135
management and relationship to, 39, 165, 166–67
marriage within, 97
memorial, 326–30
money and, 101–2, 107, 108–9, 122–24, 125–26, 136–37, 163–64, 303–4, 323–24
Parchman and visits of, 80–84
physical abuse in, 183, 329
Presley, Lisa Marie, and resemblance in, xx
Presley, Vernon’s, incarceration and impact on, 65–67, 72, 82–84, 91–92, 328–29
for Presley, Gladys, 328, 329
religion for, 84–88, 103–4
self defined through, 170–71
sexuality and, xvi–xvii
sleeping arrangements, 91–92
in social events, 89
in social hierarchy, 103, 113–14
success and home purchased for, 163–64
war impacting, xvi, xix
fans. See audience; female fans
fantasy, of female fans, 43
father and husband, 89–90, 92–94, 122, 135, 329–30. See also Presley, Vernon (father)
Faulkner, William, xvii, 140–41, 143–44
FBI. See Federal Bureau of Investigation
fear or fears, ix, 44, 172, 272, 276, 293
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 47–48, 250
; female fans. See also teenage girls character of, 30–32
control of, 44, 51, 161
defense of, 43
desegregation and impact on, xix
emotional response of, 30, 41–42, 49, 60
family and sexuality for, xvi–xvii
fantasy of, 43
first great audience in white, xviii–xix
marriage for, 162–63
media on, 46
performance of, 40
relationship to, xiii
religious morality in response to, 46–47
romantic relationships and, 162–63
safety concerns over, 42, 164–65
sexuality and sexual desire of, xix–xx, xxi, 30–32, 36–37, 42, 43, 44, 49, 158–59, 232
shows dominated by, 39–40, 46, 48–49
war impacting, xvi, xix, 46–47
female strippers, 45–46
feminine and femininity, xx–xxi, 195–96
fights. See conflict or fights
Fike, Lamar, 175–76, 180–81, 183, 185, 235, 261
films. See also specific films acting and screen test for, 57–58
audience and “Elvis mania” changed by, 48–49, 51–52
Dean and opportunity in, 57
leaving, 219
money from, 52, 196–97, 203–4
morality espoused in, 58, 59
musical talent showcased on, 57–58, 59
Parker, Tom, involvement with, 196–97, 203–4, 219, 257, 299
performance exclusive to, 56
quality of, 203–4
recording impact from, 203
serious acting and, 196–97
sex with costars of, 198
tour, 257–58, 330–34
finances, financial habits, and spending. See also cost on airplanes, 272
control of, 243
on gifts, 243, 270–71
money and, 226–28, 243, 248–49, 272, 277
tax shelters and, 227–28
will and, 323
Finstad, Suzanne, 194–95
“The First Elvis,” xx
“Flash,” 6
Florida, 35–37
Fontana, D. J., 38, 213–14
Forbess, Evan “Buzzy,” 118
Ford, Whitey, 29–30
Fortas, Alan, 190
Francisco, Dr. Jerry, 11–15
friends and friendships. See also specific friends betrayal of, 284–86, 287
after early success, 161–62
fear of desertion from, 272
gifts to, 8, 249
in high school, 117–18
military service, 169, 185, 187–88
personal demands in, 237
with police officers, 242
Presley, Priscilla in, 264–65
Fruchter family, 124