Song Hits March 1960-Tops In Tenn with Marty Lacker.

[Domino]

Just a small mention of Marty's friend Elvis.

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[drjohncarpenter]

Just a small mention of Marty's friend Elvis.

Thank you for a very interesting share.

So Presley friend Marty Lacker was the program director of WKGN Radio in Knoxville at the age of 22? That makes him one of the few of the Memphis Mafia who had some kind of career going before signing on to be with Elvis. Notice that every featured disc jockey in the article is a teenager. And Marty was called "the old man," at the age of 22. Those were different times in radio.

It appears he began work at WKGN in July 1958. By January 1961, he was noted by Billboard as a DJ in the 8pm-12mid slot at WDXB Radio in Chattanooga, and then running an "all night 'Jazz Show'" on WHHM Radio in Memphis by September 1961. The magazine continued to report Marty's continuous job adventures, landing at WNOE Radio in New Orleans in April 1963 as DJ and promotions director Marty "Spanky" Lacker. Sometime soon after he was working full-time for Elvis as foreman or co-foreman of his personal group. By October 1967, he was at Pepper Sound Studio and Talent Agency in Memphis as general manager. Pepper hooked up with Scepter Records a year later, just about the time B.J. Thomas was starting to get some hits.

Billboard Nov 02 1968 p87.JPG

Billboard - November 2, 1968



As of June 1969, Marty was president of Fantastic Features, Inc., a publishers rep working to place their material with Memphis producers and artists. Come March 1970, he was noted as "vice president in charge of administration and promotion for the Chips Moman-Tommy Cogbill labels" (aka American Recording Studios). In May 1970, he was vice-chairman in the formation of the Memphis Recording Association, and all members were highlighted later that year.

Billboard Dec 12 1970 p78.JPG

Billboard - December 12, 1970



In October 1971, Lacker formed Mempro, Inc., an all-purpose music firm, with Don Burt, a promotions manager at Epic Records. By February 1972 Mempro was working to see construction of a ten-story Memphis "Music Center" in June, with completion in early 1973. In November 1972, he had "been named chairman of the newly formed Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission."

What a busy guy!

[Domino]

Just a small mention of Marty's friend Elvis.

Thank you for a very interesting share.

So Presley friend Marty Lacker was the program director of WKGN Radio in Knoxville at the age of 22? That makes him one of the few of the Memphis Mafia who had some kind of career going before signing on to be with Elvis. Notice that every featured disc jockey in the article is a teenager. And Marty was called "the old man," at the age of 22. Those were different times in radio.

It appears he began work at WKGN in July 1958. By January 1961, he was noted by Billboard as a DJ in the 8pm-12mid slot at WDXB Radio in Chattanooga, and then running an "all night 'Jazz Show'" on WHHM Radio in Memphis by September 1961. The magazine continued to report Marty's continuous job adventures, landing at WNOE Radio in New Orleans in April 1963 as DJ and promotions director Marty "Spanky" Lacker. Sometime soon after he was working full-time for Elvis as foreman or co-foreman of his personal group. By October 1967, he was at Pepper Sound Studio and Talent Agency in Memphis as general manager. Pepper hooked up with Scepter Records a year later, just about the time B.J. Thomas was starting to get some hits.

Billboard Nov 02 1968 p87.JPG

Billboard - November 2, 1968



As of June 1969, Marty was president of Fantastic Features, Inc., a publishers rep working to place their material with Memphis producers and artists. Come March 1970, he was noted as "vice president in charge of administration and promotion for the Chips Moman-Tommy Cogbill labels" (aka American Recording Studios). In May 1970, he was vice-chairman in the formation of the Memphis Recording Association, and all members were highlighted later that year.

Billboard Dec 12 1970 p78.JPG

Billboard - December 12, 1970



In October 1971, Lacker formed Mempro, Inc., an all-purpose music firm, with Don Burt, a promotions manager at Epic Records. By February 1972 Mempro was working to see construction of a ten-story Memphis "Music Center" in June, with completion in early 1973. In November 1972, he had "been named chairman of the newly formed Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission."

What a busy guy!

Cool added info.Thanks.I've always wondered what some of the mafia did outside of working for Elvis.
I got a stack of old Song Hits mags from my brother as a present so I'm sharing whatever there is in them that's about THE MAN.Maybe I'll put some articles in the Classic Artists topic too.
One thing I've wondered for years is why is Alan Fortas on stage banging the back of a guitar in the 68 Special ? They had D.J. doing the drumming so why couldn't they find another musician ?

[drjohncarpenter]

Cool added info.Thanks.I've always wondered what some of the mafia did outside of working for Elvis.

I got a stack of old Song Hits mags from my brother as a present so I'm sharing whatever there is in them that's about THE MAN.Maybe I'll put some articles in the Classic Artists topic too.

One thing I've wondered for years is why is Alan Fortas on stage banging the back of a guitar in the 68 Special ? They had D.J. doing the drumming so why couldn't they find another musician ?

Alan Fortas was doing the same thing in front of the cameras that he'd been doing backstage at NBC Burbank, and probably at countless parties at Elvis house. Director Steve Binder wanted some of that friendly camaraderie as part of the experience.

Glad you enjoyed the extra information about Marty Lacker. He's a very smart, quite funny man. Those who accuse him of being nothing but a hanger-on don't know what they're talking about.

[jurasic1968]

That's right. Red and Jerry also had careers outside Elvis circle.

[PiersEIN]

Marty Lacker RIP.
Marty was a good friend of mine and would email me several times a week.
His stories were always enlightening and he had a very fine and dry sense of humour.

EIN has a spotlight about his career.. He confirms some of the dates as discussed above..

In December 1954 Marty enlisted in the army and served two years of service in Germany.

He was honorably discharged in December '56 at which point he enrolled in radio broadcasting school in Memphis.

Marty Lacker continues the story ...

"In early '57 I was invited to go to Graceland to see Elvis. Surprisingly he remembered me and also knew I had just got out of the army, before I left that night he told me I was welcome to come up whenever I wanted. I was there almost every night he was in town and became friends with the guys like Lamar, Gene and Billy Smith, Arthur Hooten and my old schoolmate and football teammate Red West who was just getting out of the Marines.

After a month and a half my Broadcasting teacher, a well known Memphis DJ named Don Stevens, recommended me to the owner of a small station in a small city north of Memphis and was hired where I really learned how to do everything at a station and on the air. On the weekends when Elvis was in Memphis I would hang out at Graceland and go to the Fairgrounds or Rainbow Skating Rink with Elvis and the guys. By then Alan Fortas and Sonny West joined the group.

In late '57 when I was home in Memphis I was approached by George Mooney who owned the radio station WKGN in Knoxville and he asked, to my surprise, if I would like to come there and be the Program Director for what was the #6 rated station in the local Metro market. It was a big step up for me. I went there in late '57,changed the format,hired new DJ's and in six months we were the #1 station in the market. While there I met and married my wife Patsy and our oldest daughter was born there. When I left in 1960 to move back to Memphis the station was far out front of all our competition.

When I got back Elvis had just come back from the army. I had seen him him in June of 58 before he went to Germany and he played me the dubs from the session he had just done in Nashville while he was at home on leave. Hits like 'I Got Stung' and many more. In Memphis I was the Production Director and nighttime DJ for the now defunct WHHM Radio.

One night while shooting pool at Graceland in '61, Elvis said to me,"Why don't you come with us tomorrow?"

I was stunned and said, "Elvis you're going to Hollywood to make Kid Galahad." He answered, "Hell I know where I'm going and I want you to come with us and work for me." I then said, "Elvis,I need to think about it." He got a bit angry and went into the other room and at the same time Lamar said, "ooohhhh, you said the wrong thing."

I went in the other room where Elvis was sitting and it turned a bit comical but not at first. He was sitting in a chair against the wall with a newspaper flat against his face pretending to be reading it, Elvis didn't like to be told no. He also couldn't understand why a young guy would turn down working for him and going to Hollywood to make a movie. What he also failed to realize that unlike the other guys who were single, I had a wife and a child.

for the whole detailed story go here.
>>
http://www.elvisinfonet.com/Marty_Lacker_Elvis-Presley-American-Studios.html

I truly miss Marty.

Cheers
Piers

[drjohncarpenter]

Marty Lacker RIP.

Marty Lacker passed away 13 months ago, and we discussed it here:
https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=96358

This is his official obituary page:

Martin "Marty" J. Lacker
January 3, 1937 - February 13, 2017
http://www.canalefuneraldirectors.com/obituaries/Martin-Marty-Lacker/#!/Obituary

[UniqueDog12]

I heard that Elvis grew tired and annoyed with Marty and gave him a large sum of money to leave Memphis. Once he was gone, Elvis hoped to never see him again.

[drjohncarpenter]

I heard that Elvis grew tired and annoyed with Marty and gave him a large sum of money to leave Memphis. Once he was gone, Elvis hoped to never see him again.

"I heard"

You are mistaken, and your hearsay makes both Marty and Elvis look bad.