Elvis Presley"s Hair Was My Responsibility
Consistently the superstar, Elvis Presley captivated audiences; he was the musical legend performing before their eyes,sending shockwaves of electrical charge, reaching into and inspiring every person. Elvis' classic looks and image are globally and instantaneously recognizable. His glossy jet-black hair combed into its notable pompadour, his damp tumbling curls complete with sideburns; all indicate a full, healthy head of thick hair. The faultless image Elvis delivered to his audiences was precisely what the multitude of Elvis fans came to expect of their superstar. Yet many people don't know that an appearance of perfection is simply that: an image, an illusion. Though Elvis was endowed with a healthy, full head of hair, it was lacking strength and demanded persistent attention.
To give pleasure to his ever-growing droves of admiring devotees, Elvis unfailingly performed harder and harder, exhausting himself and bankrupting his strength, all at the tremendous cost of his health. Alongside a plethora of prescribed drugs, a regular consumption of fast food and a deficiency of consistent workouts, his body suffered from the full stress of his lifestyle. Elvis was dedicated to give pleasure to his fans. If Elvis had looked after himself with just as much concern as he granted to his fans, we might be privileged to see Elvis perform today.
From the very beginning I explained my philosophy to Elvis:haircare requires a holistic approach, understanding that the external beauty of the hair comes from the internal health and wellbeing. Elvis responded emphatically, "Larry, you're in charge of my hair, do whatever you think is necessary, only one thing...just make sure I keep it."
I never took my obligation lightly, as the person responsible for Elvis' hair. I knew it always had to be healthy and styled just right, for his image in films, concerts, album covers and photographs. He was the most identifiable celebrity anywhere, and his hair was a hallmark. Never losing sight of that reality, I formulated and made use of exclusively the most wholesome, state-of-the-art shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays and thickening agents to meet Elvis' individual hair needs. Because of the black haircolor I used on Elvis' hair, I was extremely sensitive to the need to be especially sure that it always looked great - and that he kept it! I probably looked like a mad scientist,or at the very least an alchemist, pouring and mixing an assortment of bottles of organic components in Elvis' bathroom,designing specialized recipes that worked wonders.
I recall one afternoon at Graceland, Elvis was watching me pouring some aloe vera gel and squeezing the oil from a vitamin E capsule into one of my handmade shampoo recipes. I noticed a puzzled expression on his face, and then Elvis smiled mischieviously, "Larry, I don't know exactly what you're mixing there, but, if you're goin' to put that stuff on my hair it better not do anything weird." Of course he was putting me on, as he knew very well that my special homemade mixtures always worked like a charm.
To give pleasure to his ever-growing droves of admiring devotees, Elvis unfailingly performed harder and harder, exhausting himself and bankrupting his strength, all at the tremendous cost of his health. Alongside a plethora of prescribed drugs, a regular consumption of fast food and a deficiency of consistent workouts, his body suffered from the full stress of his lifestyle. Elvis was dedicated to give pleasure to his fans. If Elvis had looked after himself with just as much concern as he granted to his fans, we might be privileged to see Elvis perform today.
From the very beginning I explained my philosophy to Elvis:haircare requires a holistic approach, understanding that the external beauty of the hair comes from the internal health and wellbeing. Elvis responded emphatically, "Larry, you're in charge of my hair, do whatever you think is necessary, only one thing...just make sure I keep it."
I never took my obligation lightly, as the person responsible for Elvis' hair. I knew it always had to be healthy and styled just right, for his image in films, concerts, album covers and photographs. He was the most identifiable celebrity anywhere, and his hair was a hallmark. Never losing sight of that reality, I formulated and made use of exclusively the most wholesome, state-of-the-art shampoos, conditioners, hair sprays and thickening agents to meet Elvis' individual hair needs. Because of the black haircolor I used on Elvis' hair, I was extremely sensitive to the need to be especially sure that it always looked great - and that he kept it! I probably looked like a mad scientist,or at the very least an alchemist, pouring and mixing an assortment of bottles of organic components in Elvis' bathroom,designing specialized recipes that worked wonders.
I recall one afternoon at Graceland, Elvis was watching me pouring some aloe vera gel and squeezing the oil from a vitamin E capsule into one of my handmade shampoo recipes. I noticed a puzzled expression on his face, and then Elvis smiled mischieviously, "Larry, I don't know exactly what you're mixing there, but, if you're goin' to put that stuff on my hair it better not do anything weird." Of course he was putting me on, as he knew very well that my special homemade mixtures always worked like a charm.