# KT:Elvis Presley 8th Dan under Parker?



## Clark Kent (Apr 18, 2007)

*Elvis Presley 8th Dan under Parker?
By nelson - Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:37:33 GMT
Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk*
====================

Dear Kenpo brothers and sisters:

I've heard the story of Ed Parker's connection with Elvis for years.
I've also heard that Parker promoted Elvis to a high rank. In a book that I'm reading called "Bruce Lee, Fighting Spirit" the author Bruce Thomas claimed that EP promoted Elvis to 8th Dan! He also claimed that EP got 50 grand and a new cadilac for the promotion! In fairness to EP Elvis was also reported to have "purchased" a 7th Dan in TKD for about the same amount.

How much of this story is true? Did anyone ever question the old man as to why he would do such a thing? How badly did this incident damage EP's credibility and standing in the arts? Was Elvis a "honorary" BB or the real thing?

Back to the book, the book seems to portray Bruce Lee's life quite accurately for what I've been able to determine so far. Has anyone else read this account of BL's life? Are their any other biographies out there worth reading?

One interesting note, supposedly Elvis's wife Priscilla was trained by Bob Wall and Chuck Norris. She was promoted to Green belt and was reportably able to kick Elvis's fat behind up one side of the block and down the other. Has amyone else heard or read about this?

Nelson


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 18, 2007)

Clark Kent said:


> *Elvis Presley 8th Dan under Parker?*
> *By nelson - Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:37:33 GMT*
> *Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk*
> ====================
> ...


Since when is promotion to eighth degree not a business decision? The last part sounds like a load of crap.
Sean


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## arnisador (Apr 18, 2007)

Touch Of Death said:


> Since when is promotion to eighth degree not a business decision?



That's a bit harsh. Not everyone sells rank.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 18, 2007)

arnisador said:


> That's a bit harsh. Not everyone sells rank.


Promotion of the art of kenpo does not exactly have to involve selling belts.
Sean


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## Tames D (Apr 18, 2007)

Priscilla was trained by Mike Stone.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 19, 2007)

QUI-GON said:


> Priscilla was trained by Mike Stone.


Elvis could have beat her.:mst: 
Sean


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## Em MacIntosh (Apr 25, 2007)

I'm of the understanding that Elvis EARNED his shodan.  I've never heard of him being an 8th dan "master" or purchasing rank.  Bob Barker too.  I'm guessing he earned his, not bought it.  I don't know though, I wasn't there.


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## kosho (Apr 25, 2007)

from things i have read and what not, Elvis was a 1st degree under Ed parker. and a good 1 at that. later he was given a Honoray 8th degree. 
Not the Full rights as a 8th degree.  as far a $$$ given  elvis  gave cars  and cash out to close personal buddys  all the time. 
my 2 cents
kosho


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 25, 2007)

kosho said:


> from things i have read and what not, Elvis was a 1st degree under Ed parker. and a good 1 at that. later he was given a Honoray 8th degree.
> Not the Full rights as a 8th degree. as far a $$$ given elvis gave cars and cash out to close personal buddys all the time.
> my 2 cents
> kosho


Also, he put the crest on his guitar, and did kenpo on stage. If thats not giving back to the Art, what is?
Sean


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## DavidCC (Apr 25, 2007)

kosho said:


> from things i have read and what not, Elvis was a 1st degree under Ed parker. and a good 1 at that. later he was given a Honoray 8th degree.
> Not the Full rights as a 8th degree. as far a $$$ given elvis gave cars and cash out to close personal buddys all the time.
> my 2 cents
> kosho


 
have you ever seen an Ed Parker certificate that said "Honorary"?  Conversely, what are the requriements for a non-honorary 8th?


Over on KT I linked a number of photos that showed Elvis with an increasing number of stripes, he didn't jump from 1 to 8.


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## HKphooey (Apr 25, 2007)

Some info I came across while dowing some searches on Elvis...

http://members.tripod.com/beyondthereef__1/tigerman.html

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=286

Video footage...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIOiLbB-y50&NR


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## HKphooey (Apr 25, 2007)

ANd another...
 (some repeat footage)


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## HKphooey (Apr 25, 2007)

And somehting new on the way...

News article:

http://www.kungfucinema.com/news/2007/041901.html


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## ArmorOfGod (Apr 25, 2007)

Here's an intersting addition to this thread:
http://www.tracyskarate.com/Stories/was_elvis_really_a_black_belt.htm

That says that a guy named Hank Slamansky promoted Elvis to shodan in 1960.

AoG


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## Rich Parsons (Apr 25, 2007)

Some other discussion occured in this thread:

http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23842&page=2&highlight=elvis+8th+degree


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## kosho (Apr 26, 2007)

*have you ever seen an Ed Parker certificate that said "Honorary"? Conversely, what are the requriements for a non-honorary 8th?*

Myself i like Elvis  and his music,  if he was a 1st or 8th  I do not really care. I was just adding to the topic. 
Kosho


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 26, 2007)

kosho said:


> *have you ever seen an Ed Parker certificate that said "Honorary"? Conversely, what are the requriements for a non-honorary 8th?*
> 
> Myself i like Elvis and his music, if he was a 1st or 8th I do not really care. I was just adding to the topic.
> Kosho


You are going to get different answers per organization on this one. LOL
Sean


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## PatMunk (Apr 26, 2007)

Yes Elvis was promoted to 8th Dan by Parker .... So What ..... Was he worthy of that rank ... I don't know ... I wasn't there. But here is something to ponder. 

If the GrandMaster of a system, in this case Parker, decides that someone should be promoted to a certain level who are we to challenge it. There is a BIG difference between a high ranking black belt promoting someone to a rank and the GRANDMASTER of the system doing it. After all he will have the final authority of the promotions.

Whether Elvis was as good as those holding the same rank today or not isn't something we should concern ourselves with since the HEAD of the system was the one who made the promotion. I'm sure that if Mr. Parker were still alive the arguments over Elvis holding that rank would not be happening.

We should be more concerned with our training and our progression than what the heads of our systems are doing.


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## Touch Of Death (Apr 26, 2007)

PatMunk said:


> Yes Elvis was promoted to 8th Dan by Parker .... So What ..... Was he worthy of that rank ... I don't know ... I wasn't there. But here is something to ponder.
> 
> If the GrandMaster of a system, in this case Parker, decides that someone should be promoted to a certain level who are we to challenge it. There is a BIG difference between a high ranking black belt promoting someone to a rank and the GRANDMASTER of the system doing it. After all he will have the final authority of the promotions.
> 
> ...


I think you underestimate are ability to argue. 
Sean


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## PatMunk (Apr 26, 2007)

Touch Of Death said:


> I think you underestimate are ability to argue.
> Sean



No I don't .. I feel that is the problem with most martial arts systems ... too many willing to argue ... and not learn ..


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## ArmorOfGod (Apr 26, 2007)

PatMunk said:


> We should be more concerned with our training and our progression than what the heads of our systems are doing.


 
By that thinking, we should shut down martialtalk and all other discussion boards if we are not allowed to discuss things.
Just because someone is a "grandmaster" does not mean they are so holy that we are not allowed to discuss the things they are doing or have done.

AoG


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## kosho (Apr 27, 2007)

*(By that thinking, we should shut down martialtalk and all other discussion boards if we are not allowed to discuss things.
Just because someone is a "grandmaster" does not mean they are so holy that we are not allowed to discuss the things they are doing or have done.)*

True  there are Grandmaster alive that I do not agree with*...*
 Kosho*



*


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## AmericanTangSooDo (Sep 8, 2008)

Clark Kent said:


> *Elvis Presley 8th Dan under Parker?
> By nelson - Wed, 18 Apr 2007 23:37:33 GMT
> Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk*
> ====================
> ...



True Priscilla did train at one of Chuck Norris' schools because Ed Parker's school was too far for her to drive to several days a week. However Mike Stone was technically her main instructor which as we all know led to their affair.

I'm not sure about him being an "8th dan" in American Kenpo but I had always heard of him being a 7th dan. Exactly how well deserved or legitimate that ranking was well only Mr. Parker can say for sure and of course he's no longer with us. But on the video that I linked below at around the 1:42 mark it shows an IKKA certificate to Elvis promoting him to 7th dan. Whether that image on this video is real or not I don't knows.


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## Doc (Sep 9, 2008)

QUI-GON said:


> Priscilla was trained by Mike Stone.



Correct. In fact, he did such a good job, there was a physical contract placed on Mike for awhile.


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## Doc (Sep 9, 2008)

For the record; Ed Parker promoted Elvis to 8th DEGREE, not "dan." Anyone that knows the intricacies of the development of the various arts and organizations will recognize the distinction is a significant one. After the IKKA was born, Parker no longer issued "dan" ranks, which fell under the auspices of his former yudanshakai. 

Parker never gave anyone an "honorary" rank to my knowledge, although he would sometimes "recognize" a rank of some from other styles with a diploma. Some would have expiration dates.  Elvis went through the rank progression just like everyone else, and none of the ranks were anymore "honorary" than anyone else's ranks. Elvis came to Ed Parker already a black belt, and according to Parker, "A dam good one." While it is true that Elvis didn't study what some would call "the system," (which didn't wholly exist at the time), he had significant skills that he used in reality on more than one occasion.

Some mistakenly understand that Parker worked for Elvis. This is not true, Parker went with Elvis as a traveling companion, offered his services to train, and protect him when necessary.

While it is true Parker received many gifts from Elvis, this was not unusual. Elvis was very generous and often gave extremely expensive gifts to employees, friends, family, and even strangers.


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## celtic_crippler (Sep 9, 2008)

Suggested reading: "Inside Elvis" by Ed Parker. 

Not a bad read actually...


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## stickarts (Sep 9, 2008)

The subject of Elvis came up at one of Huk Planas's seminars and Huk spoke very highly of Elvis and his martial arts skills.


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## Doc (Sep 9, 2008)

stickarts said:


> The subject of Elvis came up at one of Huk Planas's seminars and Huk spoke very highly of Elvis and his martial arts skills.



He was the real deal, and I venture to say at the time he received his 8th, he was considerably better than a bunch of guys wearing that rank right now.


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## KenG (Sep 9, 2008)

well i think when someone with doc's standards says someone's the real deal there the real deal...


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Sep 11, 2008)

Doc said:


> He was the real deal, and I venture to say at the time he received his 8th, he was considerably *better than a bunch of guys wearing that rank right now*.


 
Prolly not that hard to do, unfortunately. I see guys wearing the double bars who look like they haven't yet figgered heiny from hole in ground.


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