A Memphis Press-Scimitar newspaper clipping showed Elvis attending Pat and Red West’s wedding in July 1961 UM SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Pat and Red West
In the early 1950s, of course, not a soul could even beyond attending the same school. Elvis’ have imagined that Red would become the folks had come from Tupelo, Mississippi; Red’s sharecropping family from Bolivar, first member of what would become the Memphis Mafia, that ElTennessee. The families vis would become a globsettled in Memphis pubal phenomenon, and that lic housing — Lauderdale their relationship would Courts for Elvis, Hurt have the ups and downs Village for Red. Red was of the Zippin Pippin. more into sports but had a Soon after graduatmusic background. There ing from Humes High wasn’t anything they School, Elvis was purcouldn’t talk about. suing his singing career, Those days were remarkable, even if they touring high school audidn’t quite realize it. ditoriums, taverns, and Usually, it was just the baseball fields around the South — wherever two of them, with Elvis’ he could make his music. band taking their own car This was before fame had — Bill Black slapping the taken over, of course, and bass and Scotty Moore one day, during a chance on guitar, and later, D.J. meeting with Red, Elvis Fontana on drums. Red Elvis and Red make music asked him if he’d like to made sure Elvis had what come along. Red agreed he needed — guitars at to the spontaneous request, looking forward the ready and a car for a quick getaway. From to the company and helping out on the road. the very start, there was a need for Red to use The two teenagers had plenty in common his fists to keep the peace.
Red in 1961 UM SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Red and Elvis were always friends, although they had serious disagreements from time to time. On a few occasions Red would leave the fold to follow his own dreams. He always came back, until that last split a year before Elvis died when Vernon Presley, Elvis’ father, told Red he was fired, along with two other bodyguards, Sonny West (Red’s cousin), and Dave Hebler. Elvis didn’t want anyone interfering with his drug dependence and when Red had roughed up a supplier, that was the last straw. But even after that, the two could never deny their friendship. And Red was always quick to acknowledge that Elvis changed the course of his life. Red met Elvis’ secretary, Pat Boyd, and they wed after a few short weeks in 1961. Their long marriage was an extraor-
ALL PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY PAT AND RED WEST EXCEPT WHERE NOTED
Elvis and Red relax in Biloxi, Mississippi, in the 1950s
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