of Thompson, 261–62
as young adult, 129
persona or act, xv–xvi, xx, 26, 330
Phillips, Dewey, 153, 157
Phillips, Sam audience and role of, 25–26, 28, 157
background of, 138–39
black culture for, 139, 140, 149
Blue Moon Boys’ recordings with, 26, 38–39
illness of, 140–41
Keisker and relationship with, 141–42
lower-class musicians for, 145–47, 149
in Overton Shell concert, 23, 24
physical appearance of, 141
racial justice for, 144
racism experienced by, 140
in radio, 139, 141
in recording business, 139–40, 141–56
as sound engineer, 155
as Southern cultural figure, xviii
philosophy, 254, 255–56
photographs or photography, 65–67, 196, 249–50, 328–29
physical abuse or assault, 183, 275–77, 278–80, 329. See also violence or aggression
physical appearance, 239 at death, 4, 5
employment and, 136–37
in high school, 119–20
on last tour, 313
in Nixon meeting, 246–47
of Phillips, Sam, 141
of Presley, Vernon, 74–75, 79, 112
sexuality in, 31, 214
vanity concerning, 136
as young adult, 129
piano, 316
police and law enforcement, 10, 242–45, 247, 249–50, 305
politics, 207, 244–48
popular culture, 19
popularity, xx, 27, 50–51, 104, 128–29, 132
possessiveness, 161, 162, 181–82, 184–85
poverty, 102–4, 107, 109–13, 121, 125–26
Precision Tool, 119, 130, 133, 136
prescription drugs, 5–6, 15–16, 316–17
Presley, Annie, 96–97
Presley, Dunnan, Jr. (great grandfather), 68
Presley, Elvis. See specific topics
Presley, Gladys (mother), 70 alcoholism of, 125, 164, 167–68
authority and, 111–12
burial in Meditation Garden, 326–27, 329
chickens of, 166
death of, 163–69, 180–81, 183–84
education for, 99
emotions of, 124–25, 164–65, 166, 167
employment of, 90, 106, 110, 111, 120, 122
family and children for, 328, 329
in family photograph, 65, 67, 328
female fans and safety concerns of, 164–65
injury or illness to, 97, 124–27, 163–69
Locke for, 134–35, 162
management and relationship to, 39
marriage to Presley, Vernon, 67, 83, 167, 182–83, 329
Parchman visits from, 80–82
perceptiveness of, 112, 113–14
Presley, Vernon, correspondence with, 80–81
Presley, Vernon, release and, 88–90, 92
religion for, 84
Southern culture and father or husband’s role from, 89–90, 92, 93, 94
Wood, Anita, for, 189
Presley, Jessie (paternal grandfather), 67–69, 71–72, 106
Presley, Jessie Garon (brother), 70, 327–28
Presley, Lisa Marie (daughter), 289–90 attention paid to, 309–11
birth of, 233
death and involvement of, 320
emotions elicited by, 304–5
family resemblance of, xx
last visit of, 309–12
personality of, 310
in will, 323
Presley, Minnie Mae. See Hood, Minnie Mae
Presley, Noah (great uncle), 81
Presley, Priscilla (spouse), 251, 290–91. See also Beaulieu, Priscilla divorce from, 258, 264–65, 304–5
first meeting with, 179–80
friendship with, 264–65
karate for, 235
on love for audience, xx
as mother, 233
separation from, 255, 256, 265–66
on spending, 243
Presley, Rosella (paternal grandmother), 68
Presley, Sales, 96–97
Presley, Vernon (father), 70 arrest and incarceration of, 65–67, 71–72, 73–84, 91–92
autopsy presented to, 14
in bodyguard firings, 278–79
childhood relationship with, 121–22
criminal activity of, 65–66, 70–71, 73, 108
death and, 5, 8–9, 10, 16–17, 320–21
education of, 74–75
employment for, 90–91, 95–98, 108, 109–10, 111, 118, 119, 120–21, 122, 328–29
as failed father, 122, 135, 329–30
in family memorial, 326–28, 329–30
illness or injury of, 120–21, 122, 135, 283, 311
management and relationship to, 39, 166–67
marriage to Presley, Gladys, 67, 83, 167, 182–83, 329
Meditation Garden for, 325–26
money for, 98, 101–2, 108–9, 118, 119, 125–26, 166–67, 227, 243, 248–49, 283, 328–29
personality of, 69, 79, 98, 112, 166–67
physical appearance of, 74–75, 79, 112
Presley, Gladys, and release of, 88–90, 92
Presley, Gladys, correspondence with, 80–81
retirement of, 163–64
in Southern social hierarchy, 93–94
Stanley, “Dee,” marriage to, 193, 311–12
success for, 166–67, 328
suspended sentence for, 91–93
violence against, 78, 79–80
in will, 323–24
women and, 182–84, 311
World War II and impact on, 98
Presley, Vester (paternal uncle), 69, 97
prison, 74–84. See also Parchman Farm
product marketing, 99–100
public and public opinion death and theories of, 16–18
discontent or unhappiness expressed in, 257
emotions or emotional response of, ix
Graceland for protection from, 165
housing, 110–16, 118–24
love and image for, 300, 313
Pugh, Wynette, 151
race and racism in America, 206–7
in audience, xviii–xix
civil rights, television, and, 204–5, 208, 215–16, 217–18
concerts, South, and, 40–41
“cross-over” people regarding, xviii
emotional appeal across, 60
housing and, 105, 114–15
justice and, 144
musical creativity and, xviii
over musical style, 53
at Parchman Farm, 76–77, 83
Phillips, Sam, experiencing, 140
self on, 206, 208, 220–21, 268, 269
sexuality and, xix–xx, 40–41, 76
in Southern culture, xi, xix–xx, 25, 40–41, 75, 76, 117, 143–44, 206–7
on tour, 53
violence involving, 206–7
radio audience found on, 25–27
in concert bookings, 148
Fike in, 175
first recordings on, 153, 155
interviews, 153
Keisker in, 141
performances, 99–100
Phillips, Sam, in, 139, 141
The Rainmaker, 57
RCA, recordings with, 37–38, 39, 297
rebellion, 126, 232, 266
records, recordings, and recording business of African American musicians, 142–43, 147
for African Americans, 140
with American Sound Studio, 219–21
awards for, 59–60
of black culture and lower-class whites, 149
of Blue Moon Boys, 26, 38–39
drug use and, 253
films and impact on, 203
first, 144–46, 149–56
Keisker in, 141–42, 149
“Memphis Sound” in, 219–20
money from, 37–39, 303
performance exclusive to, 56
Phillips, Sam, in, 139–40, 141–56
with RCA, 37–38, 39, 297
religious or gospel, 59–60
of Starlite Wranglers, 147–48
Sun Records in, 142–56
television and, 205–6
youthful tolerance and, 149
relationships. See also friends and friendships accountability in, 281, 283, 286
authority, command, or control in, 184–85, 187–88, 195–96, 237, 241, 247–48, 263, 264, 267, 284–85, 301, 304
on NBC Comeback Special, 208–12
relationships, romantic. See also sex, sexuality, sexual desire, and sexual life Alden, Ginger, in, 293–304, 306, 307
Beaulieu in, 179, 186–87, 192–96, 198–99, 220
Bova in, 236, 237–38, 243–44, 248, 252–56
childhood, 131–32
female fans and, 162–63
innocence and, 189, 192, 195, 259–60, 263–64, 295
with juveniles, 192–96
of Keisker and Phillips, Sam, 141–42
Kerwin in, 304–7
with Locke, 131, 132–35, 137–38, 157–63
of Mansfield and Stefaniak, 187–88
sexual infidelity and, 190, 191–92, 198–99, 220, 234–36, 238, 239–41, 252–54, 255, 262–64, 265–66, 311
Southern culture and, 259
Thompson in, 258–62, 295–96
wholeness lacking in, 163
Wood, Anita in, 188–92
religion or spirituality at Assembly of God, 85–88, 103–4, 132–33
drug use and, 255–56
of Eastern thought, 291–92
emotional response to, 289–90
for family, 84–88, 103–4
Holiness movement and Pentecostal, 85–86
morality and female fans, 46–47
music or singing in experience of, 86–87, 88, 104
Parker, Tom’s, influence regarding, 292
personal beliefs regarding, 84–85, 290–92
poverty and, 104
recordings involving, 59–60
sex and, 253–54
social hierarchy and, 103–4
in South, 85–86
reputation, 90–91, 96, 126–27
Richardson, Jane, 110–12, 113
road. See tours, touring, or road
Ryan, Sheila, 262, 263–64, 267–68
safety, 42, 43, 164–65, 270
savior or messiah, 226, 252, 254, 255–56
Schilling, Jerry, 244, 245–48, 269
screen test, film, 57–58
Scrivener, Mildred, 123, 127, 128
self acting as, 58
“boys” for defining, 170, 171–75, 257
in Elvis on Tour, 257
erasure and perpetuation of, 309
family for defining, 170–71
feminine, 195–96
“institutions” in defining, 170
lawsuits and response of, 282–83
on musical style, 145
NBC Comeback Special and displaying, 205, 207–8, 214, 218
pity for, 283–84
race and racism from, 206, 208, 220–21, 268, 269
as savior or messiah, 226, 252, 254, 255–56
social hierarchy and awareness of, 93–94, 113
on social issues, 220
tell-all book and response of, 281–87
wholeness lacking in, 170
women in defining, 170, 180–81
self-awareness, 43, 93–94, 113
self-esteem or confidence, 197, 235–36, 265–66
self-pity, 283–84
sex, sexuality, sexual desire, and sexual life, ix in America, 51, 186
Boccaccio’s tales and relation to, 252–54
of body, xx, 25, 30
enjoyment or indulgence in, xii, 31, 43, 160, 177, 178–79, 180–81, 184, 190, 234, 235–36, 238
eschewing image of, 51–52, 55
European approach to, 185–87
family and, xvi–xvii
of female fans, xix–xx, xxi, 30–32, 36–37, 42, 43, 44, 49, 158–59, 232
with film costars, 198
games or parties, 196, 199, 234, 288
impact of, x–xi
innocence and, 179–80, 235–36, 248, 259–60, 263–64, 267
with juveniles, 179, 180, 186–87, 190–91, 193, 194, 288
marriage and, 233, 234–35, 238, 239–41, 253–55
masculinity and style of, 248, 258, 262, 263–64, 306, 308
as moral threat, 47–48, 51
motherhood and, 254
in musical style, 211
objectification of, 32
orientation in, 31
at Parchman Farm, 79–80, 83
in personality, xx–xxi, 32–33, 211, 265–66
physical appearance in, 31, 214
romantic relationships and infidelity in, 190, 191–92, 198–99, 220, 234–36, 238, 239–41, 252–54, 255, 262–64, 265–66, 311
self-awareness of, 43
self-esteem and, 265–66
in Southern culture, xi, xix–xx, 25, 32, 40–41, 76
stage performance and, xv, xx, 25, 31–34, 36, 44, 47–48, 158–59, 214, 232
on tour or road, 31, 35
for validation, 181
violence involving, 79–80
women’s, x–xi, 25, 30–34, 215
Sheperd, Cybill, 258
show business, doctors in, 6–7
shows. See concerts or shows; Las Vegas and Las Vegas shows
Sinatra, Frank, 281
singing, 86–87, 88, 104, 145, 169
slavery, 143–44
Smith, Billy, 182–83, 237, 261–62, 297, 305, 313 on attention paid to Presley, Lisa Marie, 309–10
communication with, 308, 309
death and involvement of, 314, 315–16
support from, 307–9
on will’s beneficiaries, 323
Smith, Frank, 104
Smith, Gene, 132–33, 137
Smith, Jo, 304, 305, 306, 307–8, 315–16
Smith, Myrna, 269
Smith, Travis, 71–72, 75, 79, 90, 109–10, 165
social corruption, 44–45
social hierarchy family in, 103, 113–14
Graceland’s purpose and, xviii
high school, 116–17
money, wealth, and, xvii–xviii, 103
public housing and impact on, 115–16
religion and, 103–4
self and awareness of, 93–94, 113
in Southern culture, xvii–xviii, 93–94, 113–14, 115–16, 117
social issues, Presley, Elvis, on, 220
“Softly as I Leave You,” 265
sound engineering, 155
South concerts in racial, 40–41
desegregation and response of, 40–41
early concerts outside, 41–43
early tours in, 28–30, 38
economic prosperity in, 112–13
gender relationships in, 152
housing and race in, 105, 114–15
integration and response of, xv
Las Vegas and gospel of, 222
modernity in, 90
populace of birthplace in, xvii
radio performances in, 99–100
religion in, 85–86
Southern culture creative figures in, xvii, 143–44
education in, 117
father or husband’s role in, 89–90, 92–94
Grand Ole Opry Show tour and, 29–30
marriage within family in, 97
of Mitchell, xxi
NBC Comeback Special in relation to, 230
Phillips, Sam, as figure in, xviii
public housing in, 114–16
race and racism in, xi, xix–xx, 25, 40–41, 75, 76, 117, 143–44, 206–7
romantic relationships and, 259
sexuality in, xi, xix–xx, 25, 32, 40–41, 76
social hierarchy in
, xvii–xviii, 93–94, 113–14, 115–16, 117
spending. See finances, financial habits, and spending
spirituality. See religion or spirituality
stage performance anger or cruelty in, 268–71
attention sought in, 34, 219
audience dictating, 53–54, 55
body in, 24, 25, 26, 30, 45–46, 158, 218
control in, 40, 54, 268–71
female stripper compared to, 45–46
in Las Vegas shows, 225–26, 236
morals threatened by, xii, 46, 47–48
musical style in, 37–38
at Overton Shell, 24–25, 158
personality in, 32–33, 37–38, 46, 128
sexuality and sexual desire from, xv, xx, 25, 31–34, 36, 44, 47–48, 158–59, 214, 232
on television, 53–55, 56, 214, 218–19
time frame for, ix
women and, xv, xx, 25, 31–34, 214–15, 232
Stage Show, 49–50, 53
Stanley, David, 306
Stanley, “Dee,” 184, 193, 311–12
Stanley, Ricky, 316, 317–18
Starlite Wranglers, 147–48
Steele, John (great grandfather), 68
Stefaniak, Elisabeth, 177–79, 180, 181–82, 184–85, 187–88
The Steve Allen Show, 50
Stone, Mike, 235, 256, 265–66
Strada, Al, 319–20
Strange, Billy, 209, 210
Strauss, Richard, 225–26
style. See clothing and outfits; musical style; specific topics
success failure and relationship to, xiii
family home purchased after, 163–64
of first recordings, 153
friendships after early, 161–62
of Las Vegas shows, 221, 223–24
military service impacting, 61
for Presley, Vernon, 166–67, 328
of Sun Records, 142, 153
of tell-all book, 312
suffering, 143–44
Sullivan, Ed, 50, 55, 56, 59
Sumner, J. D., 222
Sun Records, 142–56
suspended sentence, for Presley, Vernon, 88–89, 90–93
“Suspicious Minds,” 220, 221, 286
Sweet Inspirations, 222, 268, 269
Tamke, Beth J., 14–15
taxes, 98, 102, 122–23, 130, 226–28, 277
teachers, 129
teenage girls, xv–xvii, xx, 26, 36, 39–40. See also juveniles
television. See also NBC Comeback Special; specific shows audience and “Elvis mania” changed by, 48–49, 51–52
censorship, 50
civil rights, race, and, 204–5, 208, 215–16, 217–18
clothing or outfits on, 50, 211–12, 213, 216, 217
image and stage performance on, 53–55, 56, 214, 218–19