The Colonel

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1 THE LITTLE DUTCH BOY

2 BEHAVIOR MOST STRANGE

3 “ALL GREAT NEPTUNE’S OCEAN”

4 MISSING IN ACTION

5 TURNING THE DUKE

6 DANCING CHICKENS, TOOTHLESS LIONS, AND RODEO COWBOYS

7 ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE

8 DEEPER INTO AMERICA

9 NASHVILLE’S NASAL WHINE: JAMUP AND HONEY, EDDY ARNOLD, AND HANK SNOW

10 THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS

11 “ELVIS MAKES PITCHAS”

12 DIRECTIONAL SNOWING

13 FRIENDLY PERSUASION: MOGULS, MILITARY MEN, AND MOBSTERS

14 “MISTAKES SOME-ONE MAY HAVE MADE”

15 TROUBLE IN THE KINGDOM: THE COLONEL TIGHTENS HIS GRIP

16 BLACK LEATHER BLUES: THE ’68 SPECIAL

17 LAS VEGAS: GLITZ, GREED, AND RUINATION

18 GEEK FEVER

19 “WE THINK HE OD’D”: THE DEATH OF ELVIS

20 LIVING TOO LONG: LITIGATION AND LONELINESS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS