DOC Me and a Guy Named Elvis: My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley by Jerry Schilling; Chuck Crisafulli in Arts-Photography

Description

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; "Thatrsquo;s All Right;" had just debuted on Memphis radio. The two became fast friends; even as Elvis turned into the worldrsquo;s 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 capacities mdash; from bodyguard to photo double to co-executive producer on a karate film. But more than anything else he was Elvisrsquo;s close friend and confidant: Elvis trusted Jerry with protecting his life when he received death threats; he asked Jerry to drive him and Priscilla to the hospital the day Lisa Marie was born and to accompany him during the famous "lost weekend" when he traveled to meet President Nixon at the White House. Me and a Guy Named Elvis looks at Presley from a friendrsquo;s perspective; offering readers the man rather than the icon mdash; including insights into the creative frustrations that lead to Elvisrsquo;s abuse of prescription medicine and his tragic death. Jerry offers never-before-told stories about life inside Elvisrsquo;s inner circle and an emotional recounting of the great times; hard times; and unique times he and Elvis shared. These vivid memories will be priceless to Elvisrsquo;s millions of fans; and the compelling story will fascinate an even wider audience.