Who was Colonel Tom Parker really, and how much of Elvis Presley’s rise was shaped by the man behind the curtain?

In this episode of pplpod, we take a deep dive into the extraordinary and controversial life of Colonel Tom Parker (born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk) — the mysterious, self-invented manager who transformed Elvis Presley into a global phenomenon while building one of the most powerful and controlling management empires in music history.

We explore Parker’s hidden past, including his Dutch origins, his reinvention in America, his carnival and promotion roots, and the secrets he spent a lifetime trying to protect. From there, we trace his improbable rise from hustler and promoter to the architect of the Elvis brand.

This episode examines how Parker: