Col. Tom Parker

Dutch-born manager of Elvis Presley

Thomas Andrew Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk; June 26, 1909 – January 21, 1997), commonly known as Colonel Parker, was a Dutch-born musical entrepreneur, best known for being Elvis Presley's manager.

Born in the Netherlands, Parker emigrated illegally to the United States at the age of 20. He changed his name and claimed to have been born in the United States.

His Dutch birthplace and immigrant status were not revealed for many years. A carnival worker by background, Parker moved into music promotion in 1938, working with one of the first popular crooners, Gene Austin, and then country music singers Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow, and Tommy Sands in his early career.

He also assisted Jimmie Davis's campaign to become Governor of Louisiana. As a reward, Davis gave him the honorary rank of "colonel" in the Louisiana State Militia.

Parker encountered Presley in 1955, and by 1956 had become his sole representative. Within months, he had won him a recording contract with RCA Victor.

This contract led to Presley having a commercial breakthrough in 1956 with his first single "Heartbreak Hotel" and rising to become one of the most popular and commercially successful entertainers in the world.

Parker was able to receive more than half of the income from the enterprise, an unprecedented figure for a music manager.

He negotiated Presley's lucrative merchandising deals, TV appearances, and acting roles in films. He influenced Presley's personal life, including Presley's decisions to accept military service in 1958 and to marry Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967.

Parker encouraged Presley to make film musicals which became the focus of his career during his commercial decline in the 1960s until his 1968 comeback and return to touring.

Parker rarely saw him after that but continued in his management role until Presley's death in 1977. For the rest of his life, Parker managed the Presley estate, but having sold the rights to Presley's early recordings to RCA Records, he struggled to secure a steady income, while also suffering significant gambling losses.

In 1980, a judge ordered an investigation into Parker's management practices and found that Parker's management had been unethical. Parker's final years were spent living in Las Vegas, in increasingly poor health before his death in 1997.