The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley and the Partnership that Rocked the World
Peter Guralnick
Aug 2025 · White Rabbit · Narrated by Jim Meskimen
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20 hr 31 min
Unabridged
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INCLUDED IN TIME'S 100 MUST READ BOOKS OF 2025
The concluding volume of Peter Guralnick's critically acclaimed Elvis Presley biographies
'Guralnick knows the intricacies of this story more than anyone, except perhaps the Colonel and Presley themselves' GUARDIAN
In early 1955, Colonel Tom Parker discovered a teenage Elvis Presley and declared him destined for greatness. What followed was one of the most extraordinary partnerships in music history and the creation of a bond built on loyalty, ambition and an unshakeable belief in each other.
From the meteoric rise that reshaped popular culture to the struggles that shadowed their final years, this concluding volume of Peter Guralnick's acclaimed trilogy reveals the full complexity of their relationship.
Drawing on previously unpublished letters and telegrams from Parker's own archives, it offers an intimate, unflinching portrait of two American originals: the visionary manager who invented the modern superstar and the artist who became one. Brilliant, flawed and inseparable, Elvis and the Colonel changed the music world forever.
'Guralnick's view of Parker is both clear-eyed and sympathetic, but best of all, it's persuasive' TIME
'A riveting and revelatory read' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The concluding volume of Peter Guralnick's critically acclaimed Elvis Presley biographies
'Guralnick knows the intricacies of this story more than anyone, except perhaps the Colonel and Presley themselves' GUARDIAN
In early 1955, Colonel Tom Parker discovered a teenage Elvis Presley and declared him destined for greatness. What followed was one of the most extraordinary partnerships in music history and the creation of a bond built on loyalty, ambition and an unshakeable belief in each other.
From the meteoric rise that reshaped popular culture to the struggles that shadowed their final years, this concluding volume of Peter Guralnick's acclaimed trilogy reveals the full complexity of their relationship.
Drawing on previously unpublished letters and telegrams from Parker's own archives, it offers an intimate, unflinching portrait of two American originals: the visionary manager who invented the modern superstar and the artist who became one. Brilliant, flawed and inseparable, Elvis and the Colonel changed the music world forever.
'Guralnick's view of Parker is both clear-eyed and sympathetic, but best of all, it's persuasive' TIME
'A riveting and revelatory read' SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
INCLUDED IN TIME'S 100 MUST READ BOOKS OF 2025
The concluding volume of Peter Guralnick's critically acclaimed Elvis Presley biographies
'Guralnick knows the intricacies of this story more than anyone, except perhaps the Colonel and Presley themselves' GUARDIAN
In early 1955, Colonel Tom Park...
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About the author
Peter Guralnick is a journalist and author who has written extensively on American music and musicians. His other books include the prize-winning two-volume Elvis Presley biography, Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love; the acclaimed trilogy on American roots music, Sweet Soul Music, Lost Highway and Feel Like Going Home; the biographical inquiry Searching for Robert Johnson; Looking to Get Lost: Adventures in Music & Writing, and the novel Nighthawk Blues.
Peter Guralnick is a journalist and author who has written extensively on American music and musicians. His other books include the prize-winning two-volume Elvis Presley biography, Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love; the acclaimed trilogy on American roots music, Sweet Soul Music, Lost High...
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