Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley |  | Authors: Jerry Schilling, Chuck Crisafulli
Publisher: Gotham
Category: Book
List Price: $15.00
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Rating:  69 reviews
Sales Rank: 42612
Media: Paperback
Pages: 384
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 1592403050
Dewey Decimal Number: 782.42166092
EAN: 9781592403059
ASIN: 1592403050
Publication Date: July 19, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of Elviss death, an intimate memoir of a friendship with the greatest artist in rock and roll history, taking you from late-night parties at Graceland to the bright lights of Hollywood sets and glittering stages of Vegas.
On a lazy Sunday in 1954, twelve-year-old Jerry Schilling wandered into a Memphis touch football game, only to discover that his team was quarterbacked by a nineteen-year-old Elvis Presley, the local teenager whose first record, "Thats All Right," had just received its first play on Memphis radio. The two became fast friends, even as Elvis turned into the worlds biggest star. In 1964, Elvis invited Jerry to work for him as part of his "Memphis Mafia," and Jerry soon found himself living with Elvis full-time in a Bel Air mansion and, later, in his own room at Graceland. Over the next thirteen years Jerry would work for Elvis in various capacitiesfrom bodyguard to photo double to co-executive producer on a karate film.
Me and a Guy Named Elvis looks at Presley from a friends perspective, offering readers the man rather than the icon. Spanning Elviss meteoric rise to those later troubled years, Jerrys story offers never-before-told stories about life inside Elviss inner circle, and an insightful, emotional recounting of the great times, hard times, and unique times he and Elvis shared. Schillings vivid memories will be priceless to Elviss millions of fans, and his compelling life story will be fascinating to an even wider audience.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 69
 Yet Another "Best Friend" Remembers the King February 7, 2010
Pat Powell (St. Louis, Mo. USA)
To me, the most fascinating story from this book comes, not from Jerry Schilling's time with Elvis, but just a few years ago: Jerry just happened to be at some function with Bono- yes, from U2!- and Bono kept taking Jerry around to his friends, always, proudly, introducing Jerry as "the ONLY guy Elvis knew who never wrote a book!" This is untrue, of course, since Charlie Hodge (R.I.P. as of 2009) never wrote one, either. Finally, someone said, "Hey, Jerry- You mean you didn't tell Bono that you've got a book about Elvis coming out?" Jerry blushed crimson, and was uncomfortable, because he'd never once corrected Bono's admiration-filled intro. Jerry writes that Bono was so upset, he stormed out of the room in a huff; a sure sign that he felt this book was a betrayal. Later, though, he comes back and says (grudgingly) to Jerry, "Well, I guess you'd be the one to write it...", thus giving his tacit approval.
Priscilla and Lisa Marie gave their stamp of approval, too- and they actually wrote endorsements for it, which appear on the back cover. Lisa, in particular, says that Jerry did a great job of "capturing the beauty of my Father's spirit." Lisa told Jerry (when he asked her to read it)that, if she DID read it, it would only be the second book about her Dad that she'd ever read. The only other one, naturally, was her Mom's "Elvis and Me". She explained that she hadn't read the others(good girl!), because she never wanted her admiration of her Daddy to be tainted or distorted by other people's perceptions of Elvis. Lisa Marie (or "Memphis" as Jerry always calls her), read it, and made J.S. promise not to change a single word of the manuscript, which he didn't.
I wrote all of that, because, while J.S. seems like a nice guy, I DO wish that Lisa Marie had read a bio about Elvis that was a little better written( Peter G.'s "Last Train to Memphis", or Pat Broeske's faultless "Down At the End of Lonely Street", anyone?). Make no mistake- "slow-moving" plot line aside,ANY book about Elvis is much appreciated by me. No matter who writes it, I always carry away something wonderful about Elvis, some long buried gem, that I never knew- and this book contains dazzling little glimpses. Jerry was the first person Elvis talked to that fateful Vegas night, after Priscilla told Elvis she wanted out of their marriage. Elvis, ever the gentleman, ever the man with the tender heart, called Jerry into the hotel room after he and his wife had agreed to separate, and asked Jerry to please walk Priscilla back to her room. Even in his excruciating emotional pain, Elvis still showed concern for Priscilla's safety. What a wonderful man!
As true Elvis fans know, there are two distinct camps in the Elvis World: there are the Memphis Mafia members who say (or write), that Elvis was in love with Priscilla, was just dying to marry her, and didn't cheat nearly as much as has been asserted. Think Esposito, Patsy Presley (Elvis' double first cousin), and now, J.S. himself. THEN, there's the other side, who say (or write), that Elvis didn't want to marry Priscilla, she made him miserable, and he cheated on her like Highway #70, going East. This camp includes Sonny and Red (the West cousins), Lamar Fike, and Billy Smith (Elvis' first cousin). If you look at the two sides, the ones who said the former, that he was in love with Pris, were invited to the wedding, and still associate with EPE and are welcome at Graceland . The OTHER camp, barred from the ceremony (save Billy Smith) are all persona non grata. "The Wedding",( tactlessly executed by "Colonel" Tom Parker) caused hurt feelings, bitterness, and animosity that still exists to this day. Schilling writes about Elvis and Priscilla in a positive way, and I understand why. However, he holds NO HOLDS BARRED when describing the times he fell out with "E". He even relates to us that Elvis slept with his girlfriend, one night, while Jerry was down the hall, fast asleep! Elvis avoided Jerry for a week, then told him the truth. Jerry forgave him, because the girlfriend was the woman he'd left his wife for; therefore, there was really no high moral ground that anyone could take.
Jerry spends alot of time writing of his childhood, his family history, and his dreams and accomplishments. Unlike Joe Esposito's tales, which basically just dive headfirst into the "juicy" stuff,(yay!) J.S. builds his life for you, step by step. If you like life stories, from people in general, you will probably like that. If you do not care, like 99% of us, you may want to skip ahead.
Pet Peeve time: I don't know what Elvis individually told his "boys", but, I've read all of the bios, and each one of these guys seems to think that the whole operation was on his shoulders alone- that, were he disposed of, it would collapse in chaos- a theory that Elvis himself disproved, on wheels, in the year before his passing. J.S. writes of encouraging Elvis to take on projects, editing the movie "Elvis On Tour" (with just a little help from a guy named Martin Scorcese), and flying to Washington to orchestrate Presley's historical meeting with Pres. Nixon. Each "Mafioso" paints Elvis as a lost, helpless little man who leaned heavily on their big, strong chests. I just want to scream "You guys-- Elvis was the coolest, handsomest, most talented man that's ever lived. He needed no help to be that way! Stop portraying him as a helpless soul!"
Aside from all of that: Elvis fans will appreciate this book, because we're interested in anyone who shared the inner court with the King. I love being sprinkled with Elvis dust, no matter who's hand is doing the sprinkling. With a little abridgement magic, a stream-lined version of this book would make a fascinating read.
 A good Elvis bio for young people February 3, 2010
Elizabeth Freeman (Portland, Oregon)
I was an Elvis-era teen, but I was not a fan because of parental disapproval. Anyone of any age can know Elvis, his charm and his rough edges from this very empathetic biography. I read it right after I had read Peter Guralnick's definitive two-volume biography. It is not as objective, being one person's memoir. Yet it is no less true. I would read it again in a minute, and because it is so kind and gentle to Elvis, I would give it as a gift to a young person.
 Political and Social "views" May 21, 2009
Readin' and Rockin' (USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I would like to respond to the reviewer who describes as an "ommission" Elvis' political and social views. Firstly, listen to the music. From 1968 to mid-August 1970, Elvis recorded a steady stream of "topical" (if you must) type songs. "If I Can Dream" was sung, in the version on the single, while Elvis was curled up in a fetal position on a concrete studio floor. After that, he had a hit record with "In The Ghetto" as everyone knows, and then he combined a lovely "Luke the Drifter" commentary (making it STRONGER thank Williams' original in saying "no matter where HE starts, which takes the focus off the "helper" and on to society's victims, and says to extend compassion to absolutely ANY human being) with "Walk a Mile in My Shoes" (I don't think Joe South has heard or seen this version because he comments on a bad version in a bad book called "Writing for the King" which is mostly about SONY protecting its Tree Publishing assests and perhaps others, and South's song is among many included on the "Elvis sings 'em" disc, and it's not the worst, but close. He should hear the other versions, especially the combo with Hank Williams, which is beautiful. He recorded a religious/topical song for his last film about THREE times because it struck such a strong chord in him. There are at least 5 more, all during this time.
The problem with many biographers is that they tend to have tunnel vision on Elvis, while ignoring the world around him. By late 1970, Nixon, under pressure from those around him (not just Agnew, who Elvis "interviewed," in my take on it: he lived right down the street, but Art Linkletter and his daughter who died, and Linkletter blamed it on a BAD TRIP: well, you know Elvis did Acid, but we'll never quite know how many times: the stories keep changing, for obvious reasons: they can't remember it all that well {grin} and others), and started a "Was On Drugs." Elvis read ALL the newspapers: believe it. And then, in between the first two tours, first Jimi Hendrix (who Elvis admired, and who saw Elvis in concert in '57: the admiration was mutual), then shortly thereafter, Janis Joplin, a white blues singer from Texas. Say that again to yourself, and then think back to when an adolescent Elvis barnstormed across Texas when Janis was just the right age to be affected by SOMETHING that would get her out of her town, which she loathed. "Elvis is My Man," she once gushed. Elvis kept track of such gushings. Well, not only was he disturbed to hear of their early deaths, but they happened within less than two weeks of one another. The media went nuts. Just nuts. For those too young to remember (I was a child at the time, but I was old enough to remember the media hysteria). So, you can imagine that Elvis' family (his father mainly, his wife, too [though they were having a lot of problems anyway], and for everyone in the business who did drugs, it was a terrifying time. Elvis was a street kid: face it. And he was not going to be pushed around. So, Elvis' Most Excellent Adventure happened in D.C. at the very end of the year. But he was acting strangely - boasting, even, at an L.A. concert! Elvis NEVER boasted: something was terrribly wrong.
Anyway, listen to the music, ok?
And, in 1956, he made the biggest mistake of his life. He endorsed Stevenson, said "there should BE NO draft," and the next thing he knew, he was on a bus to nowhere. His mother died while he was in Basic Training. Do you think he FORGOT????????? Jerry was too close to him to take it all in objectively. He was, along with G.K. (and, surprisingly, Lamar at times! Yeah.), a real friend with a real life. Elvis had so few. Or he was a close as Elvis was ever gonna get, I guess. (Even if he had people he knew in the business, Elvis' instinct was generally to flee in fear. Excepting, say, Jackie Wilson . . ., etc.)
But wait up. I'll have more to say about this somewhere else. If I'm lucky, you might be able to buy it here on Amazon. (No, not a vanity book.)
As far as his racial views, Guralnick wrote an article in a major newspaper that's all around the web. Best thing he ever did. Usually, he likes to practically "waterboard" his witnesses rather than listen to them, but this article is beautiful, respectful and true. Oh, and read what B.B. King has to say in recent years. Elvis was a beautiful person. Just mixed-up and very alone. Jerry left, and returned sporadically. G.K. became a D.J. and so on. He was left with a lot of guys who felt like they couldn't do anything else and glommed on to him. Elvis sang about it.
My God, I think Esposito has about THREE books by now. And now Sonny is a "friend" and we can forget all about August, 1977. Hey, you don't help somebody by scaring them to death. Literally. Elvis needed scaring back in 1970/71: not when he was so physically ill, he should have been in intensive care. No matter the cause. He needed TLC, ok? Jerry was a decent sort. He would never do that.
Best to All,
Dr. M.
"A must read for Elvis fans" February 11, 2009
Scott N. Burton (Fairfield,CT USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I just finished Jerry Schilling's book today-To say it's fascinating is a mere understatement-Schilling was there when Elvis' career was about to take off-Schilling provides the reader with a lot of interesting anecdotes-My favorite was when Elvis met Richard Nixon in December 1970-Talk about a photo op!-Buy this book,you won't be disappointed.
Me and a Guy Named Elvis January 5, 2009
Ramsey Anne Hodges
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I was also a bit disapointed in this book it wasn't what i expected from a friend of Elvis. I don't like for close friends of Elvis like one reviewer said a goody two shoes and some what in the book that's what he struck me as trying to be. No one was as goody goody as they have claimed to be after Elvis died. If you want to read a good and honestly researched book buy the The Secret Files Of Elvis Presley i just started reading it and so far it has blown me away.
Anne
Showing reviews 1-5 of 69
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