Delbert Bryant West Jr. (July 5, 1938 Aged 1 year when the Census was made in 1940. – May 24, 2017), known professionally as Sonny West, was a friend and bodyguard of the singer

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

along with his cousin

Red West Robert Gene "Red" West (March 8, 1936 – July 18, 2017) was an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter. He was known for being a close confidant and bodyguard for rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. Upon his firing, West wrote the contro ...

for sixteen years, as part of the Elvis entourage at the Elvis Memphis home Graceland, which became known as "The

Memphis Mafia The Memphis Mafia was the nickname given by the media to a group of Elvis Presley's friends, associates, employees and cousins whose main functions were to accompany, protect, and serve Presley from the beginning of his career in 1954 until his de ...

". His parents came from

Pontotoc, Mississippi Pontotoc is a city in, and the county seat of, Pontotoc County, Mississippi, located to the west of the much larger city of Tupelo. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 census. Pontotoc is a Chickasaw word that means, “Land of the Hanging Gra ...

, not far from Tupelo, Elvis Presley's hometown. West was one of two sons and five daughters. Both West and Elvis grew up in different lower income projects in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the County seat, seat of Shelby County, Tennessee, Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 Uni ...

and, although living near to one another, never actually met in childhood. Before and after Elvis' passing, West wrote several books, and made public appearances at Elvis related conventions and gatherings, speaking out about his time working for Presley and their relationship.

Working with Elvis

West's cousin,

, worked for Elvis as a companion, driver and bodyguard from 1955 onwards. 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. In December 1970, West married his wife Judy Jordan, an actress and an original "Away We Go" girl from ''

The Jackie Gleason Show ''The Jackie Gleason Show'' is the name of a series of American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970, in various forms. ''Cavalcade of Stars'' Gleason's first variety series, which aired on the DuMon ...

'', with Elvis as best man, and

Priscilla Presley Priscilla Ann Presley ( Wagner, changed by adoption to Beaulieu; born May 24, 1945) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the former wife of American singer Elvis Presley, as well as co-founder and former chairwoman of Elvis Presley ...

, then wife of Elvis, serving as Matron of Honor. 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.

Meeting with Richard Nixon

On December 21, 1970, Presley, West, and Elvis insider

Jerry Schilling Jerry Schilling (born February 6, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American talent manager, best known for his association with Elvis Presley and as a member of Presley's Memphis Mafia from the latter part of the 1960s. His other clients ha ...

were photographed in the White House with Richard Nixon by Ollie Atkins.

''Elvis: What Happened?'' Tell all book

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.

As an actor

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 the following productions, sometimes uncredited: * 1962 - ''Kid Galahad'' * 1966 - ''The Navy vs. the Night Monsters'' (Airplane Guard / Fireman) * 1967 - ''Daniel Boone''...TV Series * 1967 - ''A Matter of Blood'' ... Brave #2 (uncredited) * 1968 - ''The Hellcats'' (Snake) * 1968 - ''Stay Away, Joe'' (Jackson He-Crow) * 1970 - ''Bigfoot'' (Mike) * 1978 - ''The Disc Jockey'' * 1983 - ''E.S.P.''

As stuntman

* 1965 - ''Harum Scarum'' * 1965 - ''Tickle Me'' * 1968 - ''Live A Little, Love A Little''

Documentaries and other appearances

West appeared in two Elvis concert documentaries (listed below) while Elvis was alive, and as himself in many Elvis Presley documentaries after Elvis died, in some cases in archival footage. West also gave many print and film interviews to the press. * 1970 - ''Elvis: That's The Way It Is'' * 1972 - ''Elvis On Tour'' * 1981 - ''This is Elvis'' * 1999 - ''Mr. Rock & Roll: Colonel Tom Parker'' * 1999 - ''E! True Hollywood Story: The Last Days of Elvis'' * 1999 - ''Elvis: All The King's Men - Legend Lives On'' * 2002 - ''The Definitive Elvis: Elvis and Priscilla'' * 2002 - ''The Definitive Elvis: Elvis and the Colonel'' * 2002 - ''The Definitive Elvis: The Hollywood Years - Part II'' * 2005 - ''Elvis by the Presleys'' * 2007 - ''Kingdom: Elvis in Vegas'' * 2016 - ''

Inside Edition ''Inside Edition'' is an American news broadcasting newsmagazine program that is distributed in first-run syndication by CBS Media Ventures. Having premiered on January 9, 1989, it is the longest-running syndicated-newsmagazine program that is no ...

'' (television hospital interview)

Life after Elvis

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”.

Illness and death

In April 2012, West was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the tonsils, which was successfully treated, but later recurred. He later also suffered from

lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, malignan ...

, heart trouble, and

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severit ...

. He was hospitalized in October 2016, and remained there until he died eight months later on May 24, 2017, two months shy of his 79th birthday. In a hospital interview in late 2016, West told

“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

ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediate ...

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. West was buried with full military honors in Crestview Memory Gardens in

Gallatin, Tennessee Gallatin is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Tennessee. The population was 30,278 at the 2010 census and 44,431 at the 2020 census. Named for United States Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin, the city was established on ...

. He was survived by his wife, Judy, his son Bryan, his daughter Alana, and his grandson Tristen. Less than two months after Sonny's death, on July 18, 2017, his cousin

died at Baptist Hospital in Memphis, aged 81, after suffering an aortic aneurysm.

Books by West

* 1977 - '' Elvis: What Happened?'' with Sonny West, Red West, and Dave Hebler, with Steve Dunleavy * 2008 - ''Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business: Memories and Insights About Elvis Presley From His Friend and Bodyguard Sonny West'', with Marshall Terrill

References

External links

* * 2005 Sonny West clip on what Elvis was like when he wasn't performin

{{DEFAULTSORT:West, Sonny 1938 births 2017 deaths American stunt performers American male film actors 20th-century American male actors Male actors from Tennessee Deaths from cancer in Tennessee Deaths from lung cancer Elvis Presley People from Memphis, Tennessee