Sonny West

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

West met Elvis in 1958 at a roller skating rink. After discharge from the U.S. Air Force as an Airman Third Class (E-2), West, working as a washer and dryer repairman, went to work for Elvis as a bodyguard from 1960 to 1976, without being full time by Elvis' side such as during the '68 special. In December 1970, West married his wife Judy Jordan, an actress and an original "Away We Go" girl from The Jackie Gleason Show, with Elvis as best man, and Priscilla Presley, then wife of Elvis, serving as Matron of Honor. On December 21, 1970, Presley, West, and Elvis insider Jerry Schilling were photographed in the White House with Richard Nixon by Ollie Atkins. In July 1976, Presley bodyguards Sonny West, Red West, and David Hebler were fired by Elvis' father, Vernon Presley, in what was described as a cost-cutting measure, but was rumored to have been caused by concern over Presley's increased intake and dependence on various prescription drugs, and lawsuits against Presley due to security techniques which caused injury to fans.

In Their Own Story

In July 1977, the bodyguards, led by West, called a press conference coinciding with the release of their tell all book with tabloid writer Steve Dunleavy entitled Elvis: What Happened? which they claimed to be more of a friendly plea to Elvis to change his drug dependent behavior, rather than a mere money making exercise. The book sold over three million copies. Presley died only two weeks after the publication of the memoir, contributing to public interest, and sales of the book. Film clips from the original press conference promoting the book still exist. The press conference took place in 1977, shortly after Presley died. In a hospital interview in late 2016, West told Inside Edition "I don't want to leave my family behind, penniless, leave them with nothing. I just want to be back to where I can carry the love I need to carry." Before his last diagnosis, he said, "I felt good, ambitious, going around the world doing (my Elvis tribute) shows, entertaining people, standing up for hours [with] all my energy and everything." Medical bills, both his own and due to his wife's breast cancer, forced West to sell off some of his Elvis memorabilia as partial payment, but he and his wife still faced foreclosure and eviction from their home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. His son founded a Gofundme page to try to help.

Reader's Guide

West appeared in several Elvis movies as an extra. During the time West spent in Hollywood with Elvis, West stuck close to the directors and various other members of the movie crews, and learned about the production end of movie making. In the 1960s, West had a few acting roles under his belt, along with stunt work. West appeared in productions including Kid Galahad (1962), The Navy vs. the Night Monsters (1966), Daniel Boone TV Series (1967), A Matter of Blood (1967), The Hellcats (1968), Stay Away, Joe (1968), Bigfoot (1970), The Disc Jockey (1978), and E.S.P. (1983). He also worked as a stuntman on Harum Scarum (1965), Tickle Me (1965), and Live A Little, Love A Little (1968). West appeared in two Elvis concert documentaries while Elvis was alive: Elvis: That's The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972). After Elvis died, West and his wife ran a company which bred Arabian horses. West later designed and made Western jewelry. In 1982, West served as "Chief of Security" for the "Salem Country Gold '82" country music tour. West hosted a local Memphis radio show on WMRO. In his later years, West produced and starred in a show called, "Memories of Elvis: An Evening with Sonny West."

Did You Know?

• West's parents came from Pontotoc, Mississippi, not far from Tupelo, Elvis Presley's hometown.
• West was one of two sons and five daughters.
• West served in the U.S. Air Force and was discharged as an Airman Third Class (E-2).
• West was buried with full military honors in Crestview Memory Gardens in Gallatin, Tennessee.
• Less than two months after Sonny's death, on July 18, 2017, his cousin Red West died at Baptist Hospital in Memphis, aged 81, after suffering an aortic aneurysm.