Red west book on elvis

Why did elvis presley fire three of his body guards answers. Published by balantine nonfiction 27215 three of the kings closest companions tell a shocking, bizarre story. When you wrote the book discrediting elvis and he died a few weeks. The trio went on to write a controversial tellall about the kings downward spiral, titled, elvis. Marine, west played football for his high school and junior college teams and was a boxer in the golden gloves championships. Four months later red west, sonny west and dave hebler were sacked from presleys entourage and the trio worked with steve dunleavy on. The book is an astoldto affair written by australian writer steve dunleavy of publisher rupert murdochs world news corporation with the help of three former presley bodyguards red west, a.

I believe that ginger alden, as any human would, and her family have at times been subjected to terrible commentsthreatsname calling about her relationship with elvis and that is sad. Scandalous tellall book revealed elvis presleys drug addiction just. He first met elvis in high school and went on to work for elvis as a bodyguard until 1976. Cousins red west and sonny west had known elvis since highschool, and dave hebler was a part of elvis entourage from 19721976. It was published by ballantine books and has a total of 332 pages in the book.

As elvis s career went on, red an sonny west were fired by the singers dad. He was known for being a close confidant of elvis presley. Red and sonny west and dave hebler explained elvis behavior another way. Elvis presleys close friend red west wrote a tellall book about the singers drug use image. Sparks has opened up on a few details with the book to be release later this year. Red west was born robert gene west in memphis, tennessee in 1936. To the contrary, elvis is just as popular as ever, even 35 years after his death.

Red said elvis summoned him to his room, where he had a huge arsenal of. Red west was working on an autobiography before his death last july. Gary james interview with elvis bodyguard sonny west. If you think you know sonny west and his motivations over the years, you may want to think again after reading this interview. West is probably one of the four persons who truly know what living with and working for elvis presley was like and the book provides a balance view of presley. West has since continued his acting and songwriting careers. Interview with red west elvis articles elvis australia.

Elvis presley pushed aside childhood friend and bodyguard red west, who tried to save the king from drugs, but was banished from his inner circle instead. The book, which is based on the personal accounts of three of elvis former bodyguards, went into detail on the singers dangerous drugdependence. Sparks red west and elvis presley were friends ever since the day in high school when red broke up a plan by some punks in the boys room to give shy outsider elvis an. Red, a burly athlete standing 61, told the bullies, youre gonna have to give me one first. Remembering red and sonny west, members of elvis famous. Elvis presley phone call with red west in october 1976. Vier wochen lang sprachen elvis presleys letzten sommer gefeuerte. Red west and elvis presley were friends ever since the day in high school. They contend this is what kept elvis holed up in his bedroom. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. West played football for the memphis tigers high school football team, boxed in the golden gloves and played football for the jones county junior college. He and elvis first met in high school and remained close in the years that followed.

He was never threatened, in fact when he had his home in bel air, and i guess everybody knows about when the beatles came to his house. Now in those days many of us used to follow elvis in popping those damn amphetamines just to keep us high. The following interview between sonny west and scott jenkins took place in sydney australia, on may 4th, 2005. Sonny and red west had known elvis since high school.

The book was released two weeks before elvis death on aug. Robert red gene west was a close friend of elvis presley and a member of presleys inner circle, known as the memphis mafia. Sonny west he was a close friend, a trusted confidant and bodyguard for elvis from 1960 until 1976. His death, only two weeks after the books publication in july 1977, made it highly topical and helped boost its sales to over 3 million. The people that put us down before they read it, then theyre wrong, jeff. Robert gene red west march 8, 1936 july 18, 2017 was an american actor, film stuntman and songwriter. I believe that it was one of elvis regrets that he did not take advantage of an opportunity to speak with. The book talks about his womanizing, his need for absolute control, and his down fall from prescription drugs. The book, which is based on the personal accounts of three of elvis former. The three of them collaborated on a book about their lives as elvis bodyguards, which was published just two weeks before elvis death in 1977.

Elvis presley friend red west on saving the king from. Red west and elvis presley were friends ever since the day in high school when red broke up a plan by some punks in the boys room to give shy outsider elvis an unwanted haircut with a pair of scissors. Red west funeral tribute to his life and legacy elvis. Red west and two other members of thememphis mafia, sonny west and david hebler, were ultimately fired by elvis father, vernon presley, in 1976. The volumes origin dates to july 1976, when the three men were fired, supposedly for financial reasons, by elviss father, vernon. See all 7 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. All photographs courtesy pat and red west, except where noted red west and elvis presley were friends ever since the day in high school when red broke up a plan by some punks in the boys room to give shy outsider elvis an unwanted haircut with a pair. Red west, now a regular on the tv series baa baa black sheep, was on location and absent from the conference. Customers who viewed this item also viewed these digital items.

The book came out 10 days before elvis was found dead on the toilet in graceland. Getty images thats the heartbreak red took to his grave when he died of a heart attack on july 18 at the age of 81. What happened red west, sonny west, dave hebler, steve. Red west, sonny west and dave hebler got fired in 1976, so they wrote a book about elvis called elvis what happened. Elvis and red west became close friends when red volunteered to help drive elvis, scotty moore, bill black and dj fontana around the southern us states for their early tours of. Red west was born in memphis, tennessee in march 1936 and passed away in july 2017. Robert red gene west was a friend of elvis presley and was a member of the memphis mafia. It must have been a very shocking book when it was written in 1977, by 3 of his former bodyguards. Elvis legend has it that west protected presley from bullies a. This particular edition is in a mass market paperback format.

These three were fired from the memphis mafia in july 1976. This book was published 15 days before elvis passed away. Elvis presley with bodyguard red west on right on july 28th, 1976. The epilogue and final chapter is a transcript of a recorded phone conversation between elvis and red west several months after the firings.

Events in the book, as detailed by former elvis employees red west, sonny west and dave hebler as told to steve dunleavy, fired up the coverage of elvis death, said reporter william thomas. Equally as sad are the vitriol hatred blaming red and sonny west for elvis death. They had started speaking out about elvis s drug problems, eventually publishing a book about it called elvis. The title of this book is elvis and it was written by steve dunleavy, red west, sonny west. The book compiled the experiences of former presley bodyguards red west, sonny west, and dave hebler, as told to steve dunleavy. I think it offers a compelling insight into what the authors were thinking and feeling when they collaborated this book, and it answers a lot of questions. I am not defending red west, but i do believe that friends and family often say and do things out of desperation when trying to help a loved one that is addicted to drugs. In my opinion, the most useful books on elvis are by jerry schilling, billy stanley, dr. Red west was a close longtime elvis friend who penned a controversial book about the king. Red west, a boyhood friend and member of elvis presleys memphis mafia who appeared in many of the singers movies as well as in road house, black sheep squadron and goodbye solo, has died. A look at a forthcoming book about one of elvis oldest friends. While it is not on the level of the two volume biography of presley by peter guralnick, it does provide a slice of presleys life. Is priscilla, lisa marie, or elvis presley enterprises responsible for the demise of this book. Truly one of the nicest guys i ever interviewed, we talked about everything elvis.

Red west, elvis presleys boyhood bestie and longtime co. Again and again, elvis is described as humble, shy, respectful, hard. Red west was born robert gene west in memphis, tennessee in 1936, the son of lois and newton thomas west. Steve dunleavy contacted them shortly thereafter, and this book was. Bobby red west bobby west red west combo real name robert gene west born march 8, 1936 died july 18, 2017 country united states ipi 00032765389 00032765487 00032769769 00032769867 comments actor and songwriter related elvis presley friend and employer. Elvis bodyguards sonny and red west published elvis. I love elvis and have read 5 or 6 other books that cherry coat everything. See more ideas about elvis presley, memphis mafia and elvis presley photos. Elvis and red in the backyard of the house at 14 goethestrasse in bad nauheim, germany, in 1959. He first met elvis in high school, where he was a year behind him. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the enter key is pressed. He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer elvis presley. Elvis and red west became close friends when red volunteered to help drive elvis, scotty moore, bill black and dj fontana around the southern us states for their early tours of 19551956.