# Help! (Can't find list of Parker 7th Dans.)



## IWishToLearn (Aug 26, 2006)

K - I searched MT and I'm brain fried atm so I'm probably not using the right search criteria. Here's the list I can recall - can anyone correct or add anything I missed please? 

Chuck Sullivan
Dave Hebler
Ron Chap'el
Larry Tatum
Joe Palanzo
Tom Kelly
Steve Labounty
Huk Planas
Bob White
Frank Trejo
Mike Pick

Hope I didn't miss too many


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## Ronin Moose (Aug 27, 2006)

*ELVIS?*


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## BallistikMike (Aug 27, 2006)

John McSweeney (Deceased)


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## IWishToLearn (Aug 27, 2006)

I believe Elvis was elevated to 8th, not 7th. Also, what about Arturo Petit?


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## Gentle Fist (Aug 27, 2006)

Elvis was an Honorary 8th.

Nick Cerio earned his 9th from Parker but it was not in EPAK.

Who else earned an 8th or higher from Parker that was outside of EPAK?


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## IWishToLearn (Aug 27, 2006)

Doc Chapel mentioned Kalihi Griffin (sp) and another woman he can't recall the name of.


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## hector (Aug 28, 2006)

Hi
My list :
Dave Hebler, Steve Labounty, Thomas Kelly, Larry Tatum, Chuck Sullivan, Frank Trejo, Bob White, Huk Planas, Joe Palanzo, Ron Chapel,Arturo Petit, John Conway.

Hector


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## Kenpojujitsu3 (Aug 28, 2006)

For all the talk of Elvis being honorary, in Memories of Ed Parker Mr. Parker is quoted as saying that there was nothing Honorary about it....

Related to the original question I don't see any names missing so far, but I'll dig a bit and come back...


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## IWishToLearn (Sep 10, 2006)

Thanks for the help everyone


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## Doc (Sep 11, 2006)

IWishToLearn said:


> K - I searched MT and I'm brain fried atm so I'm probably not using the right search criteria. Here's the list I can recall - can anyone correct or add anything I missed please?
> 
> Chuck Sullivan
> Dave Hebler
> ...



The American Kenpo Senior Council has their 'official list' on their website.
http://www.geocities.com/ikkorg/11111akAKSCtest2.htm


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## BallistikMike (Sep 11, 2006)

John McSweeney isn't on the list? Any reason why not?


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## Zoran (Sep 11, 2006)

BallistikMike said:


> John McSweeney isn't on the list? Any reason why not?



Hello Mike,

That is because John McSweeney was no longer doing or teaching EPAK. Those that are listed in AKSC are those that where still doing Ed Parker's system in one form or another. So the AKSC lists official Ed Parker's American Kenpo 7th blacks only.


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## donald (Sep 30, 2006)

Woud'nt the list just include anyone Mr.Parker Sr. promoted to 7th black? What about Jay T Will?  I recall reading that Mr.Will was one of the few that was personally promoted by Mr.Parker Sr..


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## IWishToLearn (Sep 30, 2006)

Jay T. Will is listed as an 8th Black under Al Tracy on the TK website.


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## Randy Strausbaugh (Oct 1, 2006)

IWishToLearn said:


> Jay T. Will is listed as an 8th Black under Al Tracy on the TK website.


Yes, but he was promoted to Seventh by Ed Parker.


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## IWishToLearn (Oct 1, 2006)

I did some web searches and couldn't locate that information. Can ya point me in the right direction?


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## Randy Strausbaugh (Oct 6, 2006)

Jay was my instructor. I saw the diploma.
Hope this helps.


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## IWishToLearn (Oct 6, 2006)

Not really. But thanks anywho.


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## Flying Crane (Oct 6, 2006)

Kenpojujitsu3 said:


> For all the talk of Elvis being honorary, in Memories of Ed Parker Mr. Parker is quoted as saying that there was nothing Honorary about it....


 

I remember reading somewhere that Dave Hebler was part of Elvis' bodyguard, or something.  In this article (or whatever it was, I wish I could remember where I read this), it sounded pretty clear that Elvis' martial abilities were pretty marginal.  I guess he would like to do martial arts demos and stuff to impress the people around him.  One of Mr. Hebler's duties was to make sure Elvis looked good during these demos, and sometimes that was quite a challenging duty.

If Elvis was once a skilled martial artists, at least it sounds like he lost a lot later on.  I don't know about his rank with Mr. Parker, but it just sounds a lot like it couldn't be anything but honorary, at least for that high a level.

Really, does anyone think that Elvis could have legitimately outranked all the other guys on the list, guys who have dedicated their lives to the martial arts, while it was probably not much more than a hobby for Elvis?  Do you think he could ever have legitimately outranked Mr. Chapel, or Mr. Tatum, or Mr. Trejo, or these other senior guys?  I don't buy it...


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## Kenpojujitsu3 (Oct 6, 2006)

Flying Crane said:


> I remember reading somewhere that Dave Hebler was part of Elvis' bodyguard, or something. In this article (or whatever it was, I wish I could remember where I read this), it sounded pretty clear that Elvis' martial abilities were pretty marginal. I guess he would like to do martial arts demos and stuff to impress the people around him. One of Mr. Hebler's duties was to make sure Elvis looked good during these demos, and sometimes that was quite a challenging duty.
> 
> If Elvis was once a skilled martial artists, at least it sounds like he lost a lot later on. I don't know about his rank with Mr. Parker, but it just sounds a lot like it couldn't be anything but honorary, at least for that high a level.
> 
> Really, does anyone think that Elvis could have legitimately outranked all the other guys on the list, guys who have dedicated their lives to the martial arts, while it was probably not much more than a hobby for Elvis? Do you think he could ever have legitimately outranked Mr. Chapel, or Mr. Tatum, or Mr. Trejo, or these other senior guys? I don't buy it...


 
"..at that time *I thought he really deserved it. It was not honorary.*  I've been all over the country and seen a lot of Black Belts, and let me tell you, *Elvis was a damn good Black Belt.*  I have an International Kenpo Karate Association constitution - a manual, which contains by-laws and the basic philosophy of my orgainization.  Elvis knew that thing backward and forward.  *Elvis was a very good Black Belt*." -- Ed Parker

Pages 51 and 52 of Memories of Ed Parker

Mr. Parker's own words....buy it.  also don't forget that the Kenpo system's rank structure is such that the system stops at 3rd dan and everything ater that is time in grade, improvement and/or contributions to the art.  At that time who did more to promote Kenpo than Elvis funding several kenpo projects and displaying the Kenpo crest at every pubilc apperance and concert?


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## Flying Crane (Oct 7, 2006)

Well, if that is truly what Mr. Parker said, and if he really meant it, OK, but I just personally remain skeptical.  Just finding it hard to believe that Elvis was that committed and dedicated to kenpo.  Did he teach?  Did he somehow contribute to the art?  If higher rank is given due to contributions to further the art, as I have seen others mention, then what did Elvis contribute, other than his famous name, to Kenpo?

Maybe he was a legitimate black belt, but eighth degree?  That, to me at least in my limited experience, seems overboard.  Seems to me like an eighth degree would be someone who has taught many students over many years, giving the art to the next generation.  Did Elvis do anything like that?

If this was Mr. Parker's decision, so be it, but I wonder upon what it was based?  And how long did he train, to earn eighth degree?


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## Kenpojujitsu3 (Oct 8, 2006)

Flying Crane said:


> Well, if that is truly what Mr. Parker said, and if he really meant it, OK, but I just personally remain skeptical. Just finding it hard to believe that Elvis was that committed and dedicated to kenpo. Did he teach? Did he somehow contribute to the art? If higher rank is given due to contributions to further the art, as I have seen others mention, then *what did Elvis contribute, other than his famous name, to Kenpo?*
> 
> Maybe he was a legitimate black belt, but eighth degree? That, to me at least in my limited experience, seems overboard. Seems to me like an eighth degree would be someone who has taught many students over many years, giving the art to the next generation. Did Elvis do anything like that?
> 
> If this was Mr. Parker's decision, so be it, but I wonder upon what it was based? And how long did he train, to earn eighth degree?


 
Lots of money and advertising for Kenpo and Kenpo competition teams.  Helped make Kenpo a worldwide "commodity" instead of "just" a national one.  I'd read "Memories of Ed Parker" and "Inside Elvis" for the answers to your questions from Mr. Parker's point of view.  But on a different level any rank is only worth what the instructor says it's worth.  Mr. Parker said 8th and it was his art.  Not a lot of room for skepticism....it was HIS art, HIS decision, and HIS ranks being awarded.  It's basically his word and only his word as he was the only Grandmaster of American Kenpo...well at least then but that's already on another thread


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## Mills Crenshaw (Oct 8, 2006)

IWishToLearn said:


> K - I searched MT and I'm brain fried atm so I'm probably not using the right search criteria. Here's the list I can recall - can anyone correct or add anything I missed please?  Chuck Sullivan
> Dave Hebler
> Ron Chap'el
> Larry Tatum
> ...


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## jazkiljok (Oct 8, 2006)

Mills Crenshaw said:


> IWishToLearn said:
> 
> 
> > K - I searched MT and I'm brain fried atm so I'm probably not using the right search criteria. Here's the list I can recall - can anyone correct or add anything I missed please?  Chuck Sullivan
> ...


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## Doc (Oct 8, 2006)

Verified that I know of off the top of my head

Chuck Sullivan
Dave Hebler
Ron Chap'el
Larry Tatum
Joe Palanzo
Tom Kelly
Steve Labounty
Huk Planas
Bob White
Frank Trejo


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## Bob White (Oct 9, 2006)

Doc said:


> Verified that I know of off the top of my head
> 
> Chuck Sullivan
> Dave Hebler
> ...


 

I have the same list.
Respectfully,
Bob White


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## IWishToLearn (Oct 10, 2006)

Thank you very much Gentlemen.

*Bow*


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## hector (Oct 12, 2006)

Arturo Petit was promoted to Seventh by Ed Parker.







Hector


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## Kenpsy7 (Dec 16, 2006)

I believe that Sandy Sandavol was also promoted to 7th dan by Mr. Parker. I met him in 1990 when he came by our school and worked out with us. Several of his former students joined our school after he stopped teaching for a whilt. then he got in some legal trouble for some crimes that he had done and went to prison. Lost track of him after that.


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