Great interview. I met Red once back in the early 1990's. I was taken by his plain spoken truth, his love of Elvis, and the dislike of The Colonel. I agree with him fully.
I agree about that, but I can't forget that awful book he (the Wests & Hebler) wrote that made Elvis' final days miserable. It wasn't done to "help;" they admitted they wrote it out of spite. Maybe they regretted it later, but...
@@markbrown6066 The Wests and Hebler, not Parker. "Elvis, What Happened?" I think was the name. (Will try to edit my post to clarify the author.) Shared things that NO friend would ever publicly share, and spun some incidents to imply they were the rule, not the exception. Elvis was devastated; this was just weeks before he died. As for Parker, I can agree with West's comment on that. He helped Elvis become extremely successful in the early years, but in the later ones he totally dominated Elvis professionally and would not let him perform overseas, would not seek serious acting roles for him (which Elvis very much wanted, and could have done well), pushed him to get married before he wanted to, got a totally absurd percentage of Elvis' earnings, insisted Elvis tour when he was sick and exhausted, etc., etc. These things are well documented now, but weren't widely known back then.
Honestly i dont think elvis needed that colonial. Elvis's career would have been fine and more of what he wanted if he didnt have that greedy pig. Plus he would have went to Europe to perform.
@sluana1 Red was an expert at martial arts. Fierce and powerful!! Along w Ed Parker. And you are right ole Red pulled back on the mats to make Elvis look passable! E looked sluggish and slow in those documentary runs
This is one of the best interviews I've seen. I laughed so hard almost wet myself at the wig and toupee statements! I can just see Elvis going hysterical at seeing that. Thank you so much for posting this! It's priceless.
Where did the last 22 years go since this interview. Better yet, the 44 years since Elvis left us. I was almost 13 yrs old. It greatly affected me even at that young age.
I liked Red , he loved Elvis. Elvis was a powerful man and perhaps could have made his own plans for future shows. Did he really need that manager Parker , I don’t think so. Elvis did was Elvis wanted, I just wish things had been different from all I’ve learned. Nobody should be judged or blamed for what choices Elvis made with the drug use. I do believe the concern that people showed to Elvis about his drug use just made him more rebellious to continue his addictions. Very sad for all . Drugs killed Elvis and nobody put them in his mouth. His addiction changed him . Remember the humanitarianism not the demonds. RIP peace yall
RIP Red..... The World Loves You and We're Gonna Miss You. God Bless !! Thanks for being there. Gonna come to Memphis later today and try and find your grave site and bid you farewell. Peace and Love Brother
I disagree. Billy Smith was Elvis’ real best friend and his first cousin. Elvis trusted him completely and thought of him as his little brother. Billy was with him until the very end. No one was as devoted to Elvis as Billy.
Billy Smith stayed with him his whole life until Elvis passed away then he eventually left Graceland cause he said he couldn't do it no more hurt him more being there so he left maybe couple months after Elvis passed away he told Vernon he couldn't do it anymore
I have just finished reading his book again after 40+ years and in view of what has come afterwards (in particular the Albert Goldman tome) this is mild
I fancy my self a pretty good judge of character. Every time I see Red he seems genuinely honest thru and thru. Loved Elvis and was talented in his own right. Not to mention a real tough guy who was a golden gloves boxer. I liked his cousin sonny too. Just real good ol boys. RiP Red and Sonny
The balls of that woman to ask Red that question is ridiculous. Best I can tell Red and a couple others were the only ones being honest with Elvis, people if someone is addicted to narcotics unless they are willing to stop you can only watch them slowly kill themselves.
Thats right so why out them one must be in dire sraites to be in the mess they are in and the autopsy showed he was Drugs added to the conditions but where the thing offered to help at that point of the game
Hear is a thought ! If Red only did the book to make Elvis wake up about drugs .Then why did they talk about he's sex life ??? If it was not to hurt ELVIS !! BS
@geminidream61...have you read it? It doesn't have a lot of sex in it. The little it does have was no big deal. It's not like we all didn't know it anyway. If Elvis was worried about someone telling others about his affairs then he should have behaved better. He claimed to be religious but he slept with many, many women and did drugs. I love Elvis but his fans need to accept the truth. He treated the MM terrible, especially Red. Elvis was lucky they didn't tell all the other awful stuff.
George Klein tells in his book how Red spoke to Elvis when on his way to get medication how it killed another star... then the car went quiet and they returned without getting the pills .... this was very early in his career. Red wrote a few songs (re: separate ways ...). Red's big mistake was writting that book (you would have to be brain dead not to regret writing it given what transpired) . If not for that book friendship between him and Elvis coud have continued. Afterall he was dismissed but a friend is a friend you don't have to employ true friends... and Elvis alwaysrehired and/or forgave friends. p.s. Tony Curtis said kissing Marilyn was like kissing Hitler to shut the reporter up from asking dumb questions.
That was a different time. Elvis believed that as long as the doctor prescribed the medication, then it was all good. I doubt he had any idea he was an addict. Unlike today, where there are rehab programs available, back then there was very little help available, especially for someone who would be in denial . I remember when the book came out and in an interview Sonny reeled off some of the heavy duty painkillers Elvis was using, There was a collective gasp from the reporters in the room. Yet for years there has been denial that he had a problem. Even the autopsy wasn't very clear on this. It was very obvious seeing his performances in the last few months that something serious was going on. The colonel drove him into the ground, to raise money to pay his own gambling debts, and when Elvis finally died, his reaction was 'This changes nothing' . Elvis was The King, however there were parts of his life that he didn't take care of, and paid the ultimate price. RIP Red.
He certainly had a lot of nerve! Referring to Elvis' love of studying philosophy and religions and spirituality, he said: "These things should never have been brought to him. The people who brought them were strange. It got him off into another thing." Well yeah, maybe a thing other than just being a workhorse to pay off the Colonel's gambling debts. What does he mean, "should never have been brought to him?" Elvis was a grown man, not a child, and he was intensely interested in spirituality. So Red thinks "these things" should have been kept away from Elvis? That's disgusting! It's none of his business what Elvis liked to read.
katgirlblue Ppl used these things as a guise to insinuate themselves on to Elvis, exploiting, etc. It didn’t help him and they were using these tactics for power plays for their own vices, using his person for their own agenda not unlike the Col. There’s much more to it and it’s complex. His family didn’t appreciate his being taken advantage of in this manner either. Plus Elvis himself stated disdain for ppl feigning interest in things and pretending just to get in his inner circle. Putting it simply, ppl tried to lure him into things and he realized they were after his money and fame. A lot of it was unsolicited on Elvis’s part, and those who were actually related and close to him didn’t appreciate said ppl trying to seduce him away from his personal beliefs and upbringing, away from God during his toughest struggles. His health was failing him, and he had several things hit him hard leaving him in a vulnerable state. He had been disappointed and felt betrayed, law suits, etc. Cults - they couldn’t snare him, but what happened after he died? They got Priscilla in their cross hairs and then Lisa Marie. After years and years of them draining her financially, spiritually and impacting her health, she woke up and left Scientology. No doubt had her father been alive, she’d never went down that road.
@@aynsleighmalayne3558 Elvis would have probably been better off, just reading the Bible...keeping the same beliefs he grew up with. I heard he was a Christian and I'm hoping he was. He didn't need anyone trying to confuse him...not when he was at an all time low. RIP Elvis
Jessi Brunson Yes, and a certain person likes to put more emphasis onto themselves and their personal beliefs making them more important than they were and definitely exaggerated Elvis’ need, want it interests in them. Elvis was truly after the spiritual aspect of his life and searching for the Lord on the way, not other false idols. He needed someone walking a close walk with Jesus by his side that could understand his perspective. He truly needed a church family and sincere minister for him to have Bible studies. Even Bible college and scholars would have been a great interest to him. He truly was missing and needing what he was raised with, his family in church services and sharing his walk and faith. That’s what he was lacking and missing along with his mother. His faith never wavered in his belief, never. He was just a human man with temptation right at his fingertips, like all of us, sinned and fallen short in the flesh, but spiritually he remained in his faith and honestly stuck to those teaching and upbringing. The love of God in his heart and life was evident in how he always treated ppl, making time for them. Honestly concerned for others and we know his generosity, but it’s all he did that was done anonymously was at much if not more than known. When you truly comprehend how he had anything or anyone he wanted and the power, he actually was more self disciplined than ppl realize or give him credit for. He did believe in responsibility and accountability. The women he dated, even the brief romances he took care of and showed affection. He held women in high regard and believed they should be respected and taken care of. It’s sad that he couldn’t enjoy or attend a church bc he felt he would disrupt the services and furthermore shame on ppl for not letting him have that dignity. It’s easy for ppl to blame him, but the fans are inadvertently responsible for a lot too.
Jessi Brunson Yes. He was a Christian, never wavered in his belief and knowledge of Jesus. He was an avid reader and liked to understand other’s beliefs and religions. Reading was his greatest past time and relief of boredom. His mama was well grounded and firm in her beliefs and they both took Elvis to church faithfully. If they couldn’t attend for some reason then they sent him to church. He absolutely loved church and it speaks volumes regarding his love for the Lord that Gospel was his favorite music and what he most definitely what he sang and listened to the most at home. Many probably don’t realize this but that’s what he set out to be was a gospel singer, not rock n roll. Growing up, he’d go watch the gospel singers and quartets every chance he got. One guy would let him in for free as a kid:) However, I believe it was God’s will he came in through the back door as they say bc through the R&R he reached millions world wide and witnessed his faith, and brought gospel to many who had never heard it before. He also met it be known kindly that Jesus is the king of kings, not himself. God kept his hand upon him, and he definitely had the favor of God throughout his life. The guys, singers, family all have spoken of his strong faith. He actually prayed for one of the Sweet’s (his gospel female backup singers) after she was diagnosed with cancer. She said this herself along with those that witnessed it, after that prayer, when she went back the cancer was gone, God had healed her. God, not Elvis, in Jesus’s name. Their faith in asking, and believing, God moved for her. There’s more, he wasn’t perfect, none of us are but he knew who his Lord was, and he had that faith and belief. I believe he knew his time was nigh and had been praying up. God bless.
The story about Elvis in the early years on the Louisiana Hayride... waiting to go on stage and watching George Jones sing 3 of Elvis's own Hit Singles and than comes off stage and apologize to Elvis and explains that "he hasn't had a hit" and than walks away... than Elvis went on and performed three gospel songs and than tells Red West "Lets get the hell outta here." I never heard that story before.
The Original Members of The Memphis Mafia are all gone. Red West is Gone... Unbelievable! I thought that Red West would be around for a long time. I wonder what happened to Red West?
I live in Memphis and it was on the local news he died from a heart problem and I am sure that what it is because he was at the cardiolgist same day I was a year ago
Red was on the forefront of the dawn of rock n roll with Elvis! Great songwriter too. If everyday was like Christmas & Separate always a couple songs Elvis recorded
nice video but too bad its spliced. there were periods they were in the middle of a story and then the video is cut and begins anew at some point later (or maybe earlier) in the interview. Wish i could have heard the end of those stories.
Red West is a man who loved Elvis. If people cannot understand them writing the book, they are looking at it ONLY through idolized lenses. Elvis was a flawed man, like all men. He loved his life and it was lived with Red. Red had a right to write that book. Red loved Elvis.
If you know anything about addiction, then you know that no addict responds well to being betrayed, and having their private confidential matters put on display. No one responds well to being humiliated. Elvis deserved much better than that. Red had a right to write a book, but only if it was about himself.
Wow, great interview. I'm aways surprised when people ask them about the book. Have these people read it? Obviously not. I have and 90% of it is very favorable to Elvis. It's sad to me that the MM has to answer for his death. Elvis was a grown man. It's his fault that he took drugs and died. The MM did all they could and more. RIP Red.
@@carolbell8008 Elvis was betrayed !!!! Money was all they wanted ... They could have gotten jobs selling cars ! Elvis gave them a golden ticket for years and they pissed on him publicly . No excuses !!!!
I remember in Elvis's suite one evening when he sang a song TROUBLE during his concert. A line in the song is, what are you doing a-l-o-n-e mercy look at what just walked through the door. Elvis would only say loudly MERCY & all the bodyguards head's would jerk to look towards the front door of the suite because a pretty woman had just entered. They would laugh & laugh. It was their inside joke.
Dodged the question about did Elvis Have anyone to confide in, other then those on the payroll who were financially dependent on him. But so nice of Red to write a book to help his Friend!!!!!!
Red has a bit of a guilty conscience. The only time he got upset during the interview was when a woman asked why he wrote his book if, as he claimed, he loved Elvis. And if it was to try to help him, why didn't he donate the money from the book to charity. Red got mad and said "yeah I wrote for the money because I was broke and to help him." The fact that Red got mad leads me to believe he wrote to the book to get revenge on Elvis for firing him, and to get the money he felt Elvis owned him as severence pay that wasn't given to him. Over course Elvis was wrong to terminate him with no advance notice or warning and no serverence pay to support his family after 20 years of faithfull full service.
red west wrote "you'll be gone", "Separate Ways" and an Elvis chrostmas song thats on the 16 million selling Christmas album if I remember coorrectly " If everyday was like Christmas"...After Elvis death Red made considerable money on those songs.
We are all human, I liked Elvis , Red , & others , but they were all human and made mistakes, that's what life and being human is all about , but we sometimes we put people we like or love on a pedestal , just remember we fall short of the Glory of GOD ...
I think the reason Red got pissed at that lady is because he had already answered that question twice already. The way she asked by starting with you said you were a good friend and saying she wouldn't have done that to a friend didn't help. Anyone could tell Red was already upset. He's already said he did it for money and to make Elvis look at what he was doing to himself. He already said he tried to have conversations with Elvis about the pills. Elvis didn't want anyone questioning anything he was doing that's why only those 3 were fired. His dad was the one who messed everything up by giving them only 1 weeks pay and no notice after all those years. I think Red and his family were living in a motel when he and Elvis spoke to each other for the last time. I don't think it was all about the money for Red because Elvis had his lawyer offer those guys a lot of money and they turned it down. And why Dave Hebler was involved I'll never know. He was only around for a couple of years and didn't know Elvis in his prime. So what did he have it to compare it to? You never saw Red out promoting the book like the other 2 guys did. Even Elvis's cousin Billy could understand why they did it.
dear sweet loyal crazy friend. no other heart cries more for that coulda woulda shoulda. you are an honorable man. remember. because "we remember you". I swear when you tslk I can hear the bosses voice. much goodness to you and yours. all prays sent along to Sonny.
Red really loved Elvis. Did they both hurt each other...yes. Sorry, a true friend is honest and doesn't want to see you die.. Unfortunately, it didn't wake him up. I think in the end, they are both hugging each other up in heaven.
A chunk of this was cut out after 42:45. So how did Todd and his party get in to the Hilton Hotel in '73 to see Elvis after travelling from overseas and having their reservations cancelled by the hotel? Was it edited out because it was slanderous to the hotel?
You gotta love Red West. No BS. His love for Elvis is obvious. The book clearly came out of being hurt and being incredibly concerned. Elvis betrayed his closest friends trying to save his life. But that really wasn't Elvis, it was his addiction. Keep in mind, Red and the other guys needed the money because they had just been fired from a job they had for over 20 years. So, of course they kept the money from the book. As they should have.
Still spewing false info on all things Elvis, huh Saphire? Red West had ZERO to do with Goldman's book. You just talk out of your ass rather than do actual research and communicate honestly.
None of the Memphis Mafia had anything to do with Goldman's book. Yes, he quoted or maybe even misquoted things he heard them say over the years. But they in NO WAY colluded with Goldman, and in fact, Lamar Fike pleaded with Goldman not to publish the book. There are plenty of things I don't care for about the MM, but you're a real nutjob.
Hahaaa! I was thinking same here, lol.. Gosh, I hate interviews amongst public now,, you CAN,T hear half of whats said or must back-up/replay to understand! 😯 wth ... Lol!
Glad you enjoyed it. I have one with Charlie Hodge (already here). Also there is an interview with Kang Rhee that I need to locate. Likewise Scotty and DJ. My intention is to put all of my Elvis Festivals on UA-cam and Facebook. I have a group page set up for this on FB if you want to join it. It is called Elvis Holiday Festivals
foxholemusic76 those people consider about Elvis Presley those most of them or all just ride on name Elvise and they got fire by Elvise father before the death happen 2 years almost Elvise wasn't satisfy about them act at all they been written too many book about Elvis life but untrue that care for money only
Sorry fore that,but know is he together with Elvis and they have fun together again.He is with Jesus in heaven.Have some lost a part on your body?Sometimes can we feel the lost part,i belive the spirit live and the body try use?Red West was a honesome ,likely man.
That was a very enjoyable interview, thanks for sharing it. I was a member of the British Elvis fan club for many years right from 1977 to the late '90's & believe that was Todd Slaughter who introduced Red? Soon after Elvis passed away there was a lot of animosity & hatred from the fans towards Red, his cousin Sonny, & Dave Hebler for writing their infamous book 'Elvis, what happened?'. I remember reading it back then too & feeling a lot of disbelief & denial towards the negative parts. But as time has passed & I've read a lot more about Red etc. I can see he did have Elvis's best interests at heart. The most profound statement & home truth that Red said was at 32.09: 'The Colonel got him to where he was but also put him where he is'. 😔
Cowcharge he didn't have to be an asshole when he answered that question! Did he ever think that might be why the John q public has issues, questions, doubts, and concerns about where he really stood and what really mattered with and between him and Elvis? Has he stopped to think that the public might be smart enough to figure out that he speaks of the good times to save face and look good in the public eye for a PR STUNT??? JUST SAYING... THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM...
Friends like you...who needs enemies! You weren't trying to help Elvis...you guys were pissed that he fired you! The only thing you accomplished was hurting Elvis before he died!
didnt mention that phone conversation he had with elvis, he recorded it without elvis knowing about it, then sold it off to make more money out of elvis.
That is a short-sided and simplistic view. Recording it gave truth to the story they were about to tell. Otherwise they would have been called liars and much worse, and had no evidence to back up their claim of being fired due to trying to help him.
@@naughtyrascal7806 funny, i didnt here elvis agree to that..dead men cant speak for themselves. of course red said that, he knew the uproar the sniveling wheezel would cause by releasing the PRIVATE phone conversation.
Getting fired with just a weeks notice is not a good enough excuse to write a scathing tell all book about Elvis ! .....Red and his cousin Sonny proved to be disloyal. They can rave on now about how much they loved him , their actions proved otherwise at the time . In any case they are both gone now too . This was all about money and I will never believe that they wrote the book to help Elvis see the error of his ways . Oh please , it was always about the money . Having said that , let me also say this ........ Elvis Presley had the most loving and forgiving heart . I have no doubt they are all reunited in heaven , because there was always love there I believe , and yes , we can even betray those we love in this difficult life here on earth . It is not a good thing to do and it can be heartbreaking , but none of us are perfect . AS the decades rolled on perhaps they had their regrets .
@@timemerson4117 You are right on the first part. Red - Marines, Elvis - Army. Lamar and later Red joined them in Germany while Elvis was in the Army. In all, it was Lamar Fike, Red, Elvis' dad Vernon, and Elvis' grandmother Minnie Mae who lived with Elvis in Germany, in a house off base, while he was in the Army stationed in Germany.
I believe Red West was ( One ) of the inner Circle ie the Memphis mafia that really seemed to Love Care & admire Elvis well it seems that way but you could Not put your hand on your heart & say that for all of the other's that's for Sure !!!
Around 29:00 RED says; I need a cigarette. LOL!! I laughed... 😋 If anyone who loved & cared for Elvis, breathed the same air, he was one! Around 1:05 did i hear right? So,, the MM guys were fired, trying to say (cut-back expenses) but the Stanleys were hired!? Huh? 📣 ... Tks for sharing this interview , Great!! RIP Red, Elvis ect. 🌾🌺🌾
I'm sick and tired of "so called friends" making money off the back of Elvis..Red you and sonny betrayed Elvis when he needed you most...Some Friend...Most of them took advantage of Elvis's good nature..shame on you all...
Well, he was right about one thing: He was in on writing the book "Elvis, What Happened" for money. Many wondered how such a "supposed" great friend and confidant could write and reveal the nasty things they put in it. Did they really think after writing such a book that it would help Elvis? No! They were out for revenge. For years these guys lived off Elvis. But when the money ran out, the betrayal began. Notice how nasty Red was when he was asked if it would have been a better idea to donate the money just to show Elvis he was doing it just because he cared about him. He got instantly angry and admitted he did it for the money. If you watch the show "autopsy, the last 24 hours of Elvis Presley" you will see it wasn't the drugs that killed him in the end. If anything assisted in his death, it was probably the stress these guys induced with the knowledge this book was coming out. The truth is, most likely if Elvis had offered them a gazillion dollars not to publish it, they wouldn't have. It was all about money. They turned their backs on the one person that needed them most. The only close friends he had. The ones he trusted. Then he found out he could only trust them while he was paying them. Well, Elvis is gone. But so is Red now. I wonder how Red might have felt just before he died if someone he trusted wrote a book and revealed his secrets. RIP Elvis. You'll be remembered and loved. The only reason anyone ever heard of Red was because of you.
Elvis looked at him like a Brother TILL Red and Sonny Wrote a Book revealing Personal things about Elvis that E didn't want released to the Public. That was one of the main reasons why E Fired Re and Sonny and a couple of other Turn Coats
Yes, you are correct. E's Dad Vernon did the Downsizing and made the Announcement that the whole Gang would be out of work. Some thing new was in the works for E
I for one am sick of m m any of them saying that they were not in it for the money because there wasn't any given to them They leave out Elvis paid for everything for all of them all the time they were with him all those years No severence package What a f joke Dd
Cant believe that woman asking him that dumb question. And bis right we dont know elvis like he knew him i believe he wrote tbis book to sa e him tobad it didnt work.
To each his own. Red and Sonny West ate out for themselves. He was there but do was Elvis and Veron. When do we hear their sides of the story??? When they realized that do much hate comp g from fans they started to change their tune. Too much to say negative about him and hRsds crewnies Now nice nice. Why do fans storm to see him? Just because he was at one time employees by Elvis after what he did? He betrayed him just look at the timing of his book and circumstancesAgain, you can say anything when the other person has passed. I'm sorry but being a traitor is not love or friendship Even if Elvis did what ever he said . Red will never forgive you. I almost hate you. But Rip.
Just to play devil’s advocate to Red haters, imagine being a young man with an education from Humes high school, and nothing more. You’re suddenly sucked up into a tornado that is Elvis Presley. This whirlwind goes on for 18 to 20 years, then you’re suddenly spit out onto the streets of Memphis. That had to be a mind scramble. Your entire adult life has been a fast track of excess to the highest degree, and you probably thought it would never end, or at least not in the mid 70’s. As I understand it, Elvis did not pay these guys a fortune. I heard Joe Esposito once say Elvis paid “decent”. Granted, all expenses were taken care of, and there were bonuses and gifts, cars, etc.. I’m rambling, but my point is, the mafia didn’t have a 401K, I can see why Red and Sonny would’ve been in a daze about what was next for them. My guess is that for the rest of their lives they probably waffled between regret and self righteousness over that book.
Great interview.. The Presley’s should have thanked him for trying to help Elvis. The Presley’s (Vernon and Priscilla) did NOTHING to try to help Elvis, NOTHING!!!! So, shut up about the book!!! And, thank Red for at least having the courage to try help him, the best he knew how. Rip Red
Exactly! I mean i ain,t no crystal-ball teller but,, cilla did NOT help much, col parker or vernon! Vernon knew some things ahead of time, of Elvis,s health yes but still the shows went on & on? ... Talk about being close to some1 ill...?
I think he did the right thing by writing that book, hell even his own father wouldn’t do anything to help him. I think Red An Sonny both were concerned with his health and thought well let’s make him See this isn’t ok to keep doing this to yourself and if you won’t listen to us and nobody else is gonna try to really help you then writing this book would make him see that- no what he was doing is not ok- plus they were hurt- hell Red had been with him and been his friend since childhood. I don’t blame him for keeping the money from the book he was fired for telling Elvis he was gonna kill himself with those pills and even though he writes this book it still happened. It’s truly a shame and very sad. I never understood why his own Dad and family members didn’t try to help him?
His dad (Vernon) was afraid of Elvis and afraid of being fired. Without Elvis he was nothing. He was a BIG "Yes" man. Billy tried. He would take drugs, he would substitute drugs, he would empty some and fill them with something else. But he said, if Elvis didn't get his high OR the feeling he wanted he KNEW something was wrong. Then take more to get where he wanted to be. Watch "All the Kings Men". It's a VERY good interview with Lamar, Red, Sonny, Marty and Billy.
Great interview. I met Red once back in the early 1990's. I was taken by his plain spoken truth, his love of Elvis, and the dislike of The Colonel. I agree with him fully.
RIP Sonny West u r missed by many n will never be forgotten.
I`m sorry to have to tell you that Red West is also dead. He died at The Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis Tennessee in July, 2017.
A longer uncut interview version would be good. This is gold.
"The Colonel got him to where he was, but he also put him where he is" said Red West! And that is the TRUTH!
I agree about that, but I can't forget that awful book he (the Wests & Hebler) wrote that made Elvis' final days miserable. It wasn't done to "help;" they admitted they wrote it out of spite. Maybe they regretted it later, but...
@@abc-wv4in What book? What is the name of it?
@@markbrown6066 The Wests and Hebler, not Parker. "Elvis, What Happened?" I think was the name. (Will try to edit my post to clarify the author.) Shared things that NO friend would ever publicly share, and spun some incidents to imply they were the rule, not the exception. Elvis was devastated; this was just weeks before he died.
As for Parker, I can agree with West's comment on that. He helped Elvis become extremely successful in the early years, but in the later ones he totally dominated Elvis professionally and would not let him perform overseas, would not seek serious acting roles for him (which Elvis very much wanted, and could have done well), pushed him to get married before he wanted to, got a totally absurd percentage of Elvis' earnings, insisted Elvis tour when he was sick and exhausted, etc., etc.
These things are well documented now, but weren't widely known back then.
Honestly i dont think elvis needed that colonial. Elvis's career would have been fine and more of what he wanted if he didnt have that greedy pig. Plus he would have went to Europe to perform.
The only person who put Elvis where he is, is himself.
Red was a straight shooter. Said it straight and never pulled punches..RIP Red...
@sluana1 they were demonstrating not to go totally thru so they didn’t hurt each other.
@sluana1 Red was an expert at martial arts. Fierce and powerful!! Along w Ed Parker. And you are right ole Red pulled back on the mats to make Elvis look passable! E looked sluggish and slow in those documentary runs
Yep
Took no crap
I'T'S ALWAYS NICE TO LISTEN TO A PERSON THAT WAS FRIENDS WITH ELVIS FROM THE START THE WHOLE RIDE I ALWAYS LIKED RED AND SONNY AND CHARLIE !!!!!
The unvarnished truth. Red, you served Elvis Presley well.
Thankyou For taking Care of Elvis Red.R.I.P
RIP Mr. West. He loved Elvis and is now reunited with him.
This is one of the best interviews I've seen. I laughed so hard almost wet myself at the wig and toupee statements! I can just see Elvis going hysterical at seeing that. Thank you so much for posting this! It's priceless.
You are very welcome.
Where did the last 22 years go since this interview. Better yet, the 44 years since Elvis left us. I was almost 13 yrs old. It greatly affected me even at that young age.
That was a kick ass interview! so much better than hearing crap from people who were never there.
It can still be crap from people who were there! The fact he was there doesn't mean what he says is true.
@patriciaramsay5001...you clearly haven't read the book he wrote. His story has never changed.
Its so sad the way it ended between ELVIS SONNY AND RED. You can see SONNY and RED loved him. There. Together now. Rest in peace guys Love you. 💝💋💖
No one can stop a person from a drug addiction Elvis could not even admit it to himself and yes if he had to buy his own pharmacy he would of .
I liked Red , he loved Elvis. Elvis was a powerful man and perhaps could have made his own plans for future shows. Did he really need that manager Parker , I don’t think so. Elvis did was Elvis wanted, I just wish things had been different from all I’ve learned. Nobody should be judged or blamed for what choices Elvis made with the drug use. I do believe the concern that people showed to Elvis about his drug use just made him more rebellious to continue his addictions. Very sad for all . Drugs killed Elvis and nobody put them in his mouth. His addiction changed him . Remember the humanitarianism not the demonds. RIP peace yall
RIP Red..... The World Loves You and We're Gonna Miss You. God Bless !! Thanks for being there. Gonna come to Memphis later today and try and find your grave site and bid you farewell. Peace and Love Brother
I love this man’s honesty! You can tell he tried so hard to help Elvis. I’m glad he didn’t back down!!
Jerry Schilling was definitely another One that was Elvis's True friend !!!!
I disagree. Billy Smith was Elvis’ real best friend and his first cousin. Elvis trusted him completely and thought of him as his little brother. Billy was with him until the very end. No one was as devoted to Elvis as Billy.
Billy Smith stayed with him his whole life until Elvis passed away then he eventually left Graceland cause he said he couldn't do it no more hurt him more being there so he left maybe couple months after Elvis passed away he told Vernon he couldn't do it anymore
Rest in Peace Red.#TanyaADavis .
Deffinately!!! More so than the others. Jerry still owns that house that Elvis bought him. He was truly greatful for having Elvis for a friend.
Red was a
Horrible friend
I have just finished reading his book again after 40+ years and in view of what has come afterwards (in particular the Albert Goldman tome) this is mild
you are right, any one loving Elvis stays away from goldman's delirium
WHY do parents continuously insist on bringing babies / kids to adult events?!?!?!?! That is what Baby Sitters are for !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fabulous interview with the legendary Red West.
I fancy my self a pretty good judge of character. Every time I see Red he seems genuinely honest thru and thru. Loved Elvis and was talented in his own right. Not to mention a real tough guy who was a golden gloves boxer. I liked his cousin sonny too. Just real good ol boys. RiP Red and Sonny
Red was a legend in his own right 👍
The balls of that woman to ask Red that question is ridiculous. Best I can tell Red and a couple others were the only ones being honest with Elvis, people if someone is addicted to narcotics unless they are willing to stop you can only watch them slowly kill themselves.
Thats right so why out them one must be in dire sraites to be in the mess they are in and the autopsy showed he was
Drugs added to the conditions but where the thing offered to help at that point of the game
Hear is a thought ! If Red only did the book to make Elvis wake up about drugs .Then why did they talk about he's sex life ??? If it was not to hurt ELVIS !! BS
@@geminidream61 real fans know red was a piece of shit
@geminidream61...have you read it? It doesn't have a lot of sex in it. The little it does have was no big deal. It's not like we all didn't know it anyway. If Elvis was worried about someone telling others about his affairs then he should have behaved better. He claimed to be religious but he slept with many, many women and did drugs. I love Elvis but his fans need to accept the truth. He treated the MM terrible, especially Red. Elvis was lucky they didn't tell all the other awful stuff.
George Klein tells in his book how Red spoke to Elvis when on his way to get medication how it killed another star... then the car went quiet and they returned without getting the pills .... this was very early in his career. Red wrote a few songs (re: separate ways ...). Red's big mistake was writting that book (you would have to be brain dead not to regret writing it given what transpired) . If not for that book friendship between him and Elvis coud have continued. Afterall he was dismissed but a friend is a friend you don't have to employ true friends... and Elvis alwaysrehired and/or forgave friends. p.s. Tony Curtis said kissing Marilyn was like kissing Hitler to shut the reporter up from asking dumb questions.
That was a different time. Elvis believed that as long as the doctor prescribed the medication, then it was all good. I doubt he had any idea he was an addict. Unlike today, where there are rehab programs available, back then there was very little help available, especially for someone who would be in denial .
I remember when the book came out and in an interview Sonny reeled off some of the heavy duty painkillers Elvis was using, There was a collective gasp from the reporters in the room. Yet for years there has been denial that he had a problem. Even the autopsy wasn't very clear on this. It was very obvious seeing his performances in the last few months that something serious was going on. The colonel drove him into the ground, to raise money to pay his own gambling debts, and when Elvis finally died, his reaction was 'This changes nothing' . Elvis was The King, however there were parts of his life that he didn't take care of, and paid the ultimate price. RIP Red.
He certainly had a lot of nerve! Referring to Elvis' love of studying philosophy and religions and spirituality, he said: "These things should never have been brought to him. The people who brought them were strange. It got him off into another thing." Well yeah, maybe a thing other than just being a workhorse to pay off the Colonel's gambling debts. What does he mean, "should never have been brought to him?" Elvis was a grown man, not a child, and he was intensely interested in spirituality. So Red thinks "these things" should have been kept away from Elvis? That's disgusting! It's none of his business what Elvis liked to read.
katgirlblue Ppl used these things as a guise to insinuate themselves on to Elvis, exploiting, etc. It didn’t help him and they were using these tactics for power plays for their own vices, using his person for their own agenda not unlike the Col. There’s much more to it and it’s complex. His family didn’t appreciate his being taken advantage of in this manner either. Plus Elvis himself stated disdain for ppl feigning interest in things and pretending just to get in his inner circle. Putting it simply, ppl tried to lure him into things and he realized they were after his money and fame. A lot of it was unsolicited on Elvis’s part, and those who were actually related and close to him didn’t appreciate said ppl trying to seduce him away from his personal beliefs and upbringing, away from God during his toughest struggles. His health was failing him, and he had several things hit him hard leaving him in a vulnerable state. He had been disappointed and felt betrayed, law suits, etc. Cults - they couldn’t snare him, but what happened after he died? They got Priscilla in their cross hairs and then Lisa Marie. After years and years of them draining her financially, spiritually and impacting her health, she woke up and left Scientology. No doubt had her father been alive, she’d never went down that road.
Talking about Larry Geller, id say.
@@aynsleighmalayne3558 Elvis would have probably been better off, just reading the Bible...keeping the same beliefs he grew up with. I heard he was a Christian and I'm hoping he was. He didn't need anyone trying to confuse him...not when he was at an all time low. RIP Elvis
Jessi Brunson Yes, and a certain person likes to put more emphasis onto themselves and their personal beliefs making them more important than they were and definitely exaggerated Elvis’ need, want it interests in them. Elvis was truly after the spiritual aspect of his life and searching for the Lord on the way, not other false idols. He needed someone walking a close walk with Jesus by his side that could understand his perspective. He truly needed a church family and sincere minister for him to have Bible studies. Even Bible college and scholars would have been a great interest to him. He truly was missing and needing what he was raised with, his family in church services and sharing his walk and faith. That’s what he was lacking and missing along with his mother. His faith never wavered in his belief, never. He was just a human man with temptation right at his fingertips, like all of us, sinned and fallen short in the flesh, but spiritually he remained in his faith and honestly stuck to those teaching and upbringing. The love of God in his heart and life was evident in how he always treated ppl, making time for them. Honestly concerned for others and we know his generosity, but it’s all he did that was done anonymously was at much if not more than known. When you truly comprehend how he had anything or anyone he wanted and the power, he actually was more self disciplined than ppl realize or give him credit for. He did believe in responsibility and accountability. The women he dated, even the brief romances he took care of and showed affection. He held women in high regard and believed they should be respected and taken care of. It’s sad that he couldn’t enjoy or attend a church bc he felt he would disrupt the services and furthermore shame on ppl for not letting him have that dignity. It’s easy for ppl to blame him, but the fans are inadvertently responsible for a lot too.
Jessi Brunson Yes. He was a Christian, never wavered in his belief and knowledge of Jesus. He was an avid reader and liked to understand other’s beliefs and religions. Reading was his greatest past time and relief of boredom. His mama was well grounded and firm in her beliefs and they both took Elvis to church faithfully. If they couldn’t attend for some reason then they sent him to church. He absolutely loved church and it speaks volumes regarding his love for the Lord that Gospel was his favorite music and what he most definitely what he sang and listened to the most at home. Many probably don’t realize this but that’s what he set out to be was a gospel singer, not rock n roll. Growing up, he’d go watch the gospel singers and quartets every chance he got. One guy would let him in for free as a kid:) However, I believe it was God’s will he came in through the back door as they say bc through the R&R he reached millions world wide and witnessed his faith, and brought gospel to many who had never heard it before. He also met it be known kindly that Jesus is the king of kings, not himself. God kept his hand upon him, and he definitely had the favor of God throughout his life. The guys, singers, family all have spoken of his strong faith. He actually prayed for one of the Sweet’s (his gospel female backup singers) after she was diagnosed with cancer. She said this herself along with those that witnessed it, after that prayer, when she went back the cancer was gone, God had healed her. God, not Elvis, in Jesus’s name. Their faith in asking, and believing, God moved for her. There’s more, he wasn’t perfect, none of us are but he knew who his Lord was, and he had that faith and belief. I believe he knew his time was nigh and had been praying up. God bless.
The story about Elvis in the early years on the Louisiana Hayride... waiting to go on stage and watching George Jones sing 3 of Elvis's own Hit Singles and than comes off stage and apologize to Elvis and explains that "he hasn't had a hit" and than walks away... than Elvis went on and performed three gospel songs and than tells Red West "Lets get the hell outta here." I never heard that story before.
Red West passed away tues nite here in Memphis sadly
The Original Members of The Memphis Mafia are all gone. Red West is Gone... Unbelievable! I thought that Red West would be around for a long time. I wonder what happened to Red West?
I live in Memphis and it was on the local news he died from a heart problem and I am sure that what it is because he was at the cardiolgist same day I was a year ago
Hell his wife Pat has heart problems also,we all 3 went to Stern Clinic
@@josephhenry661 they all ain't passed on but most of em are Elvis cousin Billy Smith still around he was Memphis mafia too
This is the best interview I’ve seen.
I'm glad you enjoyed it
We love to hear Red talk about the early years when Gladys was here. Do you have a part 2 ? This was really good. 🌹🎼🎵🎵🎵🎵
Thanks for this video.
Red was on the forefront of the dawn of rock n roll with Elvis! Great songwriter too. If everyday was like Christmas & Separate always a couple songs Elvis recorded
The Christmas one was abysmal. Separate ways was great
@@rODIUMuk if you walk in your sleep & If you think I don’t need you a couple songs Red wrote and Elvis recorded
@@Youngpinevr talk in your sleep was good! The production really made it
nice video but too bad its spliced. there were periods they were in the middle of a story and then the video is cut and begins anew at some point later (or maybe earlier) in the interview. Wish i could have heard the end of those stories.
Red West is a man who loved Elvis. If people cannot understand them writing the book, they are looking at it ONLY through idolized lenses. Elvis was a flawed man, like all men. He loved his life and it was lived with Red. Red had a right to write that book. Red loved Elvis.
If you know anything about addiction, then you know that no addict responds well to being betrayed, and having their private confidential matters put on display. No one responds well to being humiliated. Elvis deserved much better than that. Red had a right to write a book, but only if it was about himself.
I was there thank you for sharing this.
You're very welcome
The protecter of. THE KING. Love you RED. R I P. T C B. CANADA
Wow, great interview. I'm aways surprised when people ask them about the book. Have these people read it? Obviously not. I have and 90% of it is very favorable to Elvis. It's sad to me that the MM has to answer for his death. Elvis was a grown man. It's his fault that he took drugs and died. The MM did all they could and more. RIP Red.
RIP Red. X
Great interview.
Easy you can see ,red (live)every word he speak about elvis,and every memory with elvis.
Vastly underrated individual
After all the years together it came to a book that hurt Elvis . Seemed to be about the money .
I am very grateful bc it is history. ❤️🎶🎸
@@carolbell8008 Elvis was betrayed !!!! Money was all they wanted ... They could have gotten jobs selling cars ! Elvis gave them a golden ticket for years and they pissed on him publicly . No excuses !!!!
I enjoyed the Elvis movies and still do , would loved to have seen more !
I remember in Elvis's suite one evening when he sang a song TROUBLE during his concert. A line in the song is, what are you doing a-l-o-n-e mercy look at what just walked through the door. Elvis would only say loudly MERCY & all the bodyguards head's would jerk to look towards the front door of the suite because a pretty woman had just entered. They would laugh & laugh. It was their inside joke.
Dodged the question about did Elvis Have anyone to confide in, other then those on the payroll who were financially dependent on him. But so nice of Red to write a book to help his Friend!!!!!!
@mikespurgeon3345...Elvis confided in all of them. He used to go on and on about religion, numerology, healing, etc. It must have been exhausting.
thanks for sharing~
You're welcome
R.I.P. Red, rest in peace.
Red has a bit of a guilty conscience. The only time he got upset during the interview was when a woman asked why he wrote his book if, as he claimed, he loved Elvis. And if it was to try to help him, why didn't he donate the money from the book to charity. Red got mad and said "yeah I wrote for the money because I was broke and to help him." The fact that Red got mad leads me to believe he wrote to the book to get revenge on Elvis for firing him, and to get the money he felt Elvis owned him as severence pay that wasn't given to him. Over course Elvis was wrong to terminate him with no advance notice or warning and no serverence pay to support his family after 20 years of faithfull full service.
red west wrote "you'll be gone", "Separate Ways" and an Elvis chrostmas song thats on the 16 million selling Christmas album if I remember coorrectly " If everyday was like Christmas"...After Elvis death Red made considerable money on those songs.
We are all human, I liked Elvis , Red , & others , but they were all human and made mistakes, that's what life and being human is all about , but we sometimes we put people we like or love on a pedestal , just remember we fall short of the Glory of GOD ...
@@icanfartloud Also,, (Holly Leaves) 🎼 👍
I saw no guilt more like he was insulted
If he had money why was sonny broke with a go fund me page
I think the reason Red got pissed at that lady is because he had already answered that question twice already. The way she asked by starting with you said you were a good friend and saying she wouldn't have done that to a friend didn't help. Anyone could tell Red was already upset. He's already said he did it for money and to make Elvis look at what he was doing to himself. He already said he tried to have conversations with Elvis about the pills. Elvis didn't want anyone questioning anything he was doing that's why only those 3 were fired. His dad was the one who messed everything up by giving them only 1 weeks pay and no notice after all those years. I think Red and his family were living in a motel when he and Elvis spoke to each other for the last time. I don't think it was all about the money for Red because Elvis had his lawyer offer those guys a lot of money and they turned it down. And why Dave Hebler was involved I'll never know. He was only around for a couple of years and didn't know Elvis in his prime. So what did he have it to compare it to? You never saw Red out promoting the book like the other 2 guys did. Even Elvis's cousin Billy could understand why they did it.
dear sweet loyal crazy friend. no other heart cries more for that coulda woulda shoulda. you are an honorable man. remember. because "we remember you". I swear when you tslk I can hear the bosses voice.
much goodness to you and yours. all prays sent along to Sonny.
Kathy Sharpe
Red is a gentle man.
What happened to the 250 fans at the Hilton?
Nice advice from lawyers to say wrote book to save him not not
Just heard the news that Red West has passed away
He’s right about all addictions 🚬 💨 Takes over focus over consideration for others.
RIP Red
Would it be possible to add closed-captioning for us older Elvis followers? Many thanks!
He got fired because of law suites against Elvis from the guys been crazy with stuff
Red really loved Elvis. Did they both hurt each other...yes. Sorry, a true friend is honest and doesn't want to see you die.. Unfortunately, it didn't wake him up. I think in the end, they are both hugging each other up in heaven.
Any chance there's an uncut version?
A chunk of this was cut out after 42:45. So how did Todd and his party get in to the Hilton Hotel in '73 to see Elvis after travelling from overseas and having their reservations cancelled by the hotel? Was it edited out because it was slanderous to the hotel?
Nope not edited out.......when i was filming the interview my battery ran out and had to be changed
Ahhh, that explains it! And it's easy to forget it was many moons ago when camera batteries would not go the distance.
@@IJohn1977 so how did that story end? im curious. Thanks
I liked his acting appearance in Roadhouse, with Patrick Swayze, 'Red Webster" ....
You gotta love Red West. No BS. His love for Elvis is obvious. The book clearly came out of being hurt and being incredibly concerned. Elvis betrayed his closest friends trying to save his life. But that really wasn't Elvis, it was his addiction. Keep in mind, Red and the other guys needed the money because they had just been fired from a job they had for over 20 years. So, of course they kept the money from the book. As they should have.
Saphire Blue
They're saving you a space
Still spewing false info on all things Elvis, huh Saphire? Red West had ZERO to do with Goldman's book. You just talk out of your ass rather than do actual research and communicate honestly.
None of the Memphis Mafia had anything to do with Goldman's book. Yes, he quoted or maybe even misquoted things he heard them say over the years. But they in NO WAY colluded with Goldman, and in fact, Lamar Fike pleaded with Goldman not to publish the book. There are plenty of things I don't care for about the MM, but you're a real nutjob.
E loved him till he wrote that Trashy Book
Joel Mc . Money defeated loyalty as always. An easy windfall, not easy to resist if sacked. Though not everone's way of doing things.
What can one say, Elvis and the guys.. history their history.. how sad Graceland is just a business today!!!
somebody is coughing like a pig in heat
Hahaaa! I was thinking same here, lol.. Gosh, I hate interviews amongst public now,, you CAN,T hear half of whats said or must back-up/replay to understand! 😯 wth ... Lol!
Red was the kinda guy you would want for your best friend.
Opposite . Read more
great! thanks alot!!!
do you have more interviews with Elvis-people? would be awesome!
Glad you enjoyed it. I have one with Charlie Hodge (already here). Also there is an interview with Kang Rhee that I need to locate. Likewise Scotty and DJ. My intention is to put all of my Elvis Festivals on UA-cam and Facebook. I have a group page set up for this on FB if you want to join it. It is called Elvis Holiday Festivals
+IJohn1977 thanks buddy! I ll find you on FB! cheers
foxholemusic76 those people consider about Elvis Presley those most of them or all just ride on name Elvise and they got fire by Elvise father before the death happen 2 years almost Elvise wasn't satisfy about them act at all they been written too many book about Elvis life but untrue that care for money only
rah Aklin its more complex than that.... Red is a good guy
Type in Memphis Mafia Kid and Spa Guy---you'll get GREAT stories
Who takes a baby to an event like this?
It's a family weekend / seven day event
I agree!
love you red you did youre best a great freind to elvis
tracey wilkins did you know that Red died July 18th?
Sorry fore that,but know is he together with Elvis and they have fun together again.He is with Jesus in heaven.Have some lost a part on your body?Sometimes can we feel the lost part,i belive the spirit live and the body try use?Red West was a honesome ,likely man.
RIP RED
That was a very enjoyable interview, thanks for sharing it. I was a member of the British Elvis fan club for many years right from 1977 to the late '90's & believe that was Todd Slaughter who introduced Red?
Soon after Elvis passed away there was a lot of animosity & hatred from the fans towards Red, his cousin Sonny, & Dave Hebler for writing their infamous book 'Elvis, what happened?'. I remember reading it back then too & feeling a lot of disbelief & denial towards the negative parts. But as time has passed & I've read a lot more about Red etc. I can see he did have Elvis's best interests at heart.
The most profound statement & home truth that Red said was at 32.09: 'The Colonel got him to where he was but also put him where he is'.
😔
I live in Cincinnati and the show before his last was in Cincinnati and the fan club of England were there in Cincinnati were you there in 77?
No, I was too young then. Since then, however, I have been to Graceland & some of his other homes etc. around the States.
:-)
Yes it is Todd conducting the interview
Red also put Elvis in the ground
What a perfect answer to the question about the book and money. "I wrote it to save him, and to make money."
Cowcharge he didn't have to be an asshole when he answered that question! Did he ever think that might be why the John q public has issues, questions, doubts, and concerns about where he really stood and what really mattered with and between him and Elvis? Has he stopped to think that the public might be smart enough to figure out that he speaks of the good times to save face and look good in the public eye for a PR STUNT??? JUST SAYING... THINGS AREN'T ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM...
Friends like you...who needs enemies! You weren't trying to help Elvis...you guys were pissed that he fired you! The only thing you accomplished was hurting Elvis before he died!
didnt mention that phone conversation he had with elvis, he recorded it without elvis knowing about it, then sold it off to make more money out of elvis.
Dean Edelsten
Red, Sonny, Dave tried to save the life of Elvis Presley.
That is a short-sided and simplistic view. Recording it gave truth to the story they were about to tell. Otherwise they would have been called liars and much worse, and had no evidence to back up their claim of being fired due to trying to help him.
@@naughtyrascal7806 funny, i didnt here elvis agree to that..dead men cant speak for themselves. of course red said that, he knew the uproar the sniveling wheezel would cause by releasing the PRIVATE phone conversation.
@@disingenuousfriend8511 And true fans are grateful! 🌹🎶
he did mention it you moron rewatch and listen!
Llevasteis una vida de lujo gracias a Elvis y le pagaistes cun una traicion. Si no hubiese sido por elvis estarías recogiendo patatas en un campo
No remorse for taking it public justified it in his own mind
Baby noise is annoying!!!!!
Roanoke Va here
Getting fired with just a weeks notice is not a good enough excuse to write a scathing tell all book about Elvis ! .....Red and his cousin Sonny proved to be disloyal. They can rave on now about how much they loved him , their actions proved otherwise at the time . In any case they are both gone now too . This was all about money and I will never believe that they wrote the book to help Elvis see the error of his ways . Oh please , it was always about the money . Having said that , let me also say this ........
Elvis Presley had the most loving and forgiving heart . I have no doubt they are all reunited in heaven , because there was always love there I believe , and yes , we can even betray those we love in this difficult life here on earth . It is not a good thing to do and it can be heartbreaking , but none of us are perfect . AS the decades rolled on perhaps they had their regrets .
Wasn't Elvis in the army...
He said marine Corp.
Red was in the marines.Elvis was In the army. Red was in the army with Elvis later.
@@timemerson4117 You are right on the first part. Red - Marines, Elvis - Army. Lamar and later Red joined them in Germany while Elvis was in the Army. In all, it was Lamar Fike, Red, Elvis' dad Vernon, and Elvis' grandmother Minnie Mae who lived with Elvis in Germany, in a house off base, while he was in the Army stationed in Germany.
Traitor.
I believe Red West was ( One ) of the inner Circle ie the Memphis mafia that really seemed to Love Care & admire Elvis well it seems that way but you could Not put your hand on your heart & say that for all of the other's that's for Sure !!!
What year?
I was there
Around 29:00 RED says; I need a cigarette. LOL!! I laughed... 😋
If anyone who loved & cared for Elvis, breathed the same air, he was one! Around 1:05 did i hear right? So,, the MM guys were fired, trying to say (cut-back expenses) but the Stanleys were hired!? Huh? 📣 ... Tks for sharing this interview , Great!!
RIP Red, Elvis ect. 🌾🌺🌾
sammy,..they were fired as fans sued Elvis as Red and Sonny was too rough on them
I'm sick and tired of "so called friends" making money off the back of Elvis..Red you and sonny betrayed Elvis when he needed you most...Some Friend...Most of them took advantage of Elvis's good nature..shame on you all...
so red west was the good fella who tried to save Elvis & the Stanley brothers were the "evil" and the colonel too...
Red and sunny passed away within 2 months of each other...😞
Sonny died on May 24 of 2017 and Red on July 18 of 2017. So it's like 7-8 weeks or 2-3 months of each other.
Red’s dad died same day as Glady’s in 58
Well, he was right about one thing: He was in on writing the book "Elvis, What Happened" for money. Many wondered how such a "supposed" great friend and confidant could write and reveal the nasty things they put in it. Did they really think after writing such a book that it would help Elvis? No! They were out for revenge. For years these guys lived off Elvis. But when the money ran out, the betrayal began. Notice how nasty Red was when he was asked if it would have been a better idea to donate the money just to show Elvis he was doing it just because he cared about him. He got instantly angry and admitted he did it for the money. If you watch the show "autopsy, the last 24 hours of Elvis Presley" you will see it wasn't the drugs that killed him in the end. If anything assisted in his death, it was probably the stress these guys induced with the knowledge this book was coming out. The truth is, most likely if Elvis had offered them a gazillion dollars not to publish it, they wouldn't have. It was all about money. They turned their backs on the one person that needed them most. The only close friends he had. The ones he trusted. Then he found out he could only trust them while he was paying them. Well, Elvis is gone. But so is Red now. I wonder how Red might have felt just before he died if someone he trusted wrote a book and revealed his secrets. RIP Elvis. You'll be remembered and loved. The only reason anyone ever heard of Red was because of you.
Mablethorpe????? Wow what a place to end up at
It's where the UK Fan Club were holding their annual convention
Elvis looked at him like a Brother TILL Red and Sonny Wrote a Book revealing Personal things about Elvis that E didn't want released to the Public. That was one of the main reasons why E Fired Re and Sonny and a couple of other Turn Coats
Nope, you have it backwards. They wrote the book AFTER they were fired. Completely WRONG.
Yes, you are correct. E's Dad Vernon did the Downsizing and made the Announcement that the whole Gang would be out of work. Some thing new was in the works for E
ua-cam.com/video/e3fWTgV0eXc/v-deo.html
Yes you are correct. Vernon broke the news to the Gang that Elvis was Downsizing BEFORE Red and his Cousin Sonny was let go
Read books it will help educate you about Elvis,you know nothing.
I for one am sick of m m any of them saying that they were not in it for the money because there wasn't any given to them
They leave out Elvis paid for everything for all of them all the time they were with him all those years
No severence package
What a f joke
Dd
Cant believe that woman asking him that dumb question. And bis right we dont know elvis like he knew him i believe he wrote tbis book to sa e him tobad it didnt work.
Why did the story cut out when the Brit was telling about the cancellation of the show in '72?
When i was filming it the battery ran out and needed to be changed
why you all passed away
To each his own. Red and Sonny West ate out for themselves. He was there but do was Elvis and Veron. When do we hear their sides of the story???
When they realized that do much hate comp g from fans they started to change their tune. Too much to say negative about him and hRsds crewnies Now nice nice. Why do fans storm to see him? Just because he was at one time employees by Elvis after what he did? He betrayed him just look at the timing of his book and circumstancesAgain, you can say anything when the other person has passed. I'm sorry but being a traitor is not love or friendship
Even if Elvis did what ever he said . Red will never forgive you. I almost hate you. But Rip.
Just to play devil’s advocate to Red haters, imagine being a young man with an education from Humes high school, and nothing more. You’re suddenly sucked up into a tornado that is Elvis Presley. This whirlwind goes on for 18 to 20 years, then you’re suddenly spit out onto the streets of Memphis. That had to be a mind scramble. Your entire adult life has been a fast track of excess to the highest degree, and you probably thought it would never end, or at least not in the mid 70’s. As I understand it, Elvis did not pay these guys a fortune. I heard Joe Esposito once say Elvis paid “decent”. Granted, all expenses were taken care of, and there were bonuses and gifts, cars, etc.. I’m rambling, but my point is, the mafia didn’t have a 401K, I can see why Red and Sonny would’ve been in a daze about what was next for them. My guess is that for the rest of their lives they probably waffled between regret and self righteousness over that book.
1:01:23 God Dam thing!
The coughing ruins the interview..shouldnt record when your family is sick..
what? what a weird comment.
Great interview.. The Presley’s should have thanked him for trying to help Elvis. The Presley’s (Vernon and Priscilla) did NOTHING to try to help Elvis, NOTHING!!!! So, shut up about the book!!! And, thank Red for at least having the courage to try help him, the best he knew how. Rip Red
Exactly! I mean i ain,t no crystal-ball teller but,, cilla did NOT help much, col parker or vernon! Vernon knew some things ahead of time, of Elvis,s health yes but still the shows went on & on? ... Talk about being close to some1 ill...?
I think he did the right thing by writing that book, hell even his own father wouldn’t do anything to help him. I think Red An Sonny both were concerned with his health and thought well let’s make him See this isn’t ok to keep doing this to yourself and if you won’t listen to us and nobody else is gonna try to really help you then writing this book would make him see that- no what he was doing is not ok- plus they were hurt- hell Red had been with him and been his friend since childhood. I don’t blame him for keeping the money from the book he was fired for telling Elvis he was gonna kill himself with those pills and even though he writes this book it still happened. It’s truly a shame and very sad. I never understood why his own Dad and family members didn’t try to help him?
His dad (Vernon) was afraid of Elvis and afraid of being fired. Without Elvis he was nothing. He was a BIG "Yes" man. Billy tried. He would take drugs, he would substitute drugs, he would empty some and fill them with something else. But he said, if Elvis didn't get his high OR the feeling he wanted he KNEW something was wrong. Then take more to get where he wanted to be. Watch "All the Kings Men". It's a VERY good interview with Lamar, Red, Sonny, Marty and Billy.
Yes . It killed him. Yes. The right thing
Rude people who kept asking him about the book at the end of the video.
Great people. Red needed to be reminded that he was a scum bag bastard