Colonel Tom Parker

"Colonel" Tom Parker (June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997), the pseudonym of Andreas Cornelius van Kuijk, was best known as the manager for Elvis Presley.

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Parker's involvement in the music industry began as a music promoter in the late 1940s, working with musicians such as Minnie Pearl and Eddy Arnold and the film star Tom Mix. During this time he received the honorary title of "Colonel" in 1948 from Jimmie Davis, the governor of Louisiana.

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Parker's affiliation with Presley began when Parker booked Presley as an opening act for another Parker client, the Canadian country singer Hank Snow. Parker took over Presley's career by contract on August 18, 1955. In 1956 he convinced RCA Records to buy Presley out from Sun Records for $35,000, which at the time was a huge amount of money.

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Parker's subsequent influence over Presley was criticized as Svengali-like, though without Parker, Presley might have never become the superstar that he became. He held the reins of Presley's singing and acting career for the rest of Presley's life. He was said to be instrumental in virtually every business decision that Presley made, including his decision to quit recording and touring after returning from his stint in the United States Army in 1960 and to concentrate on a lucrative movie career that many fans believed almost smothered Presley's musical creativity.

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