SAM THOMPSON INTERVIEW

Security guard at Graceland and one of Elvis, body guards in the 1970,s. Thompson was a former police officer and the brother of Linda Thompson. It was Sam who delivered to Elvis , Linda's "dear john" letter after the two had broken up.

Joe Krein: Where did you grow up?

Sam Thompson: Born and raised in Memphis, TN

 What did you do before Elvis ?

I was a deputy sheriff with Shelby County .

Where you a fan of his music?

actually, no...but I came to appreciate both the man and his music

 When did you first meet Elvis?

November, 1972.....at his invitation, extended through Linda, to meet me and my wife.                                                

When did you learn Linda was going out with Elvis Presley?

earlier that summer...Linda told me

How did you feel about this ?

Well, frankly, suspicious at first...that whole big brother thing, I suppose.  I always have had Linda's best interests at heart, even through the whole Elvis period.

How did it happen that you began to work for Elvis Presley?

I went on many tours with him from 1973-1976 and in 1976 he hired me on a full time basis to be his bodyguard.  Linda was instrumental, but he had known me for several years and I had been performing security work for him.

What job did you do?

Personal bodyguard.

 What kind of person was Elvis?

Probably the man who had the most profound effect on my life.....very giving and considerate....actually quite humble.....and always very awed by his own success.

Would you tell us your favorite Elvis story?

So many, but probably when he and Linda came by my house (the house he'd bought for us) in November of 1973, right after he'd been released from Baptist Hospital.  There is a famous recording of that event that I recorded myself in the den of that home.  Elvis playing a guitar he had given to me and telling jokes.  My mom and dad where there, along with me and my wife and Elvis and Linda and Ricky Stanley.  Just an intimate little gathering of friends having a good time.

 It is said that Elvis was very giving. Did Elvis ever give you anything?

He bought a house for my wife and I in 1973....a TCB for me and a TLC for my wife....a couple of cars....lots of jewelry, especially rings....and a couple of his guitars............great trips and memories, but mostly his loyalty and friendship....

 

 Can you tell me how do you give someone like Elvis  Presley Security?

Well, I was a trained law enforcement officer and was pretty well versed in crowd control and defensive tactics.  We moved Elvis around much like the Secret Service handles dignitary protection, and sometimes it was pretty tough with a high profile celebrity like Elvis.  In the end, unfortunately, it was as my old friend Ed Parker said...."You cannot protect a man from himself".

Where you also responsible for the security at Graceland?

Yes, there and at his homes in California....since I was one of the few guys to actually live in Memphis, I focused mostly on Graceland.

 Where there ever any security  problems?

Mostly just over zealous fans wanting to get a little to close for comfort....nothing malevolent, just loving Elvis so much.  This usually occurred on the road, but our mantra from Elvis was the fans always came first....that made the job a little tougher, protecting both Elvis and his fans.

When did you get your TCB? When and how

Christmas time of 1975...upstairs in his bedroom...he presented my wife and I with matching TCB and TLC....we had a little ceremony and all....Billy Smith was there, and Linda.

 Was there ever problems with you working for Elvis , when your sister was dating Elvis?

Well, again, I was the big brother and I always put Linda first.....but even Linda knew there were other women....I just kept that part of my life separate....work and personal....Elvis was kind enough not to involve me too much with the other women and thus I didn't get put into situations....after Linda and Elvis broke up in November of 1976, Elvis met with me and told me he wanted me to stay....and I did.  Probably the greatest affirmation of how he and I felt about one another...had he wanted to get rid of "Linda's brother", that was his best opportunity.  Instead I was with him until he died.

Was it hard to separate being an employee and a brother to your sister?

Oh sure....but I never really thought of myself as an employee...I could always go back to the Sheriff's Office (and I did when Elvis died) for a job....Elvis was my friend and I really felt a high loyalty to him.  Linda is my sister and I would never disparage her or put her in a bad spot.

 Did you think he would one day be your brother in-law?

Oh yes, particularly in the early days...and even until Linda and Elvis broke up in 1976....I always thought of him as that.

How did you feel and what did Elvis say to you when they separated?

We had a long heart felt talk in the bathroom of his suite at the Hilton in San Francisco....we both cried and it was a tough time....I will forever be grateful for the loyalty he showed to me that day, in asking me to stay with him, in spite of his breakup with Linda.

It must have been very hard on you both?

Very.

 

Can you tell us some fan stories?

Well, not to get too specific, I always remember Elvis chiding me while on stage to be careful with the fans....and he would tell the fans from the stage (during the scarf sequence songs) to "be careful"....he always had band aids on his fingers from the scratches of the fans....he loved them so much and never seemed to think of himself first....he would always get into the limo after a show, sweaty and tired and dehydrated....and the first thing he'd always ask is "how was the show....did the fans like it?"




Tell me about how you were feeling the last 6 months of Elvis life?

Well, I knew things were bad with him and tried to tell him so....he just didn't want to hear it...he truly felt he was ill and that the medication was okay since it was a prescription...he felt he needed the medication he took....I think it got to the point where he felt he needed it more than he needed some of the people who were the closest to him....that was the beginning of the end.

The fans on my site would like to know where were you and what were you doing when you heard of Elvis, death?

I walked into Graceland that day and was there when Dr. Nick came back from the ER and told Vernon that Elvis had died.  I was to take Lisa Marie back to her mother that day and we were going on tour, beginning in Portland, ME.  That's when Lisa ran back to her grandmother's room and called Linda.  I stayed at Graceland to set up the security arrangements and Dick Grob went to the hospital.

Looking back on Elvis, legacy ,how do you see his impact on the world today?

Simply put, as John Lennon said, "before Elvis there was nothing"....he changed the face of popular music and culture the world over.  I am honored to have known him and called him a friend.

 

what are you doing now?

I retired as a judge after 25 years with Shelby County government.  I was an equity owner and V.P. of Legal Affairs for a record company until 2001 when we sold it to the Warner Music Group.  I live in Las Vegas now and was recently appointed by the Governor of Nevada as a Commissioner on the Nevada Transportation Services Authority.

Mr. Thompson I cannot thank you enough for doing this interview for me. 

YOUR WELCOME JOE , SEE YOU IN VEGAS !