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— Scott Allison and George Goethals
Elvis is an interesting phenomenon. Definitely an icon. Hero? I don’t know. The rock’n’roll revolution was inevitable, so it’s really hard to say that Elvis paved the way for anything. Rock’n’roll itself was more emblematic of underlying social changes than a direct cause. And Elvis produced a huge amount of material, only a small fraction of which is truly memorable; and a lot of which is dreadful.
And, of course, his short life was terribly tragic. He was used and abused, and was hardly his own best friend. His physical and mental decline was, and is, horrible to see, and his death was the wasted life of a decent man who was overwhelmed by circumstance because he was ultimately alone. I always wondered what would have happened if his brother had lived.
Will he still be remembered fifty or a hundred years from now? I don’t think so, to tell you the truth.
Elvis is definitely an icon and a crucial influence in the development of music in American history. Without Elvis, where would American music be? The question seems foolish, but his impact is undeniable.
It’s great that you chose to focus on one of his ‘sidekicks’ – someone who helped pluck him out of oblivion and place him in the spotlight. Without Keisker’s recommendation, it might have taken Elvis longer to break into the industry, if he even broke into it at all. She was obviously an important influence on Elvis’ life and, by association, the development of American rock-and-roll. Definitely heroic – good choice Dr. Allison!
I’m glad that you point out the accidental nature of Marion Keisker’s heroic role. Most heroes do not conciously choose a heroic path, but are thrust into it by chance. While Keisker did not receive massive recognition for her role in creating Elvis as an icon, her unplanned contribution ended up changing the course of American musical history.
It is important that we recognize these small acts that create huge changes, and that we acknowledge those small – but pivotal – characters who create auspicious situations for our heroes.
Marion Keisler also discovered Sam Phillips. In the late 40’s and early 50’s marion was a star radio broadcaster with a daily talk show. The handsome Sam Phillips was her technician. They became lovers and she helped create the Sun recording studio.
does anyone know how long marion worked at sun ………. from when to when ?
I suppose all things happen for a reason and I’m sure glad there was a Sun Studios. Marion Keisler was the link that brought Elvis into the record business. In 1979’s TV Movie “Elvis” her role and Sam Phillip’s was brought out very nicely. There is a nice clip from that movie on a website called Elvis Presley Movies.