The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

November 1, 2009 by Frank Gannon | Filed Under Soundtrack Of Our Lives 

The Soundtracker has been on the road this week — in fact in Yorba Linda, where the Nixon Library was looking particularly  fine under balmy blue skies.

As on each visit to the Library, the Soundtracker joined other visitors watching the film and examining the exhibits before moving outside into the warm sunshine.  The surface of the Reflecting Pool mirrored the soaring Queen Palms as we walked to the Pat Nixon Rose Garden, which is in fragrant bloom.

We went through the Presidential Helicopter and then visited the Birthplace — the small house Frank Nixon built in 1909 where RN was born in 1913.  And, in the shadow of that house, we stood quietly before the simple black granite stones marking the last resting places of the President and Mrs. Nixon.

One of the highlights of this visit was Sonny West’s lecture and book signing.  Mr. West is a warm and engaging fellow who knows his way around a good story.   Recruited by his cousin Red West, Sonny joined Elvis’ entourage shortly after the three of them were fresh from the service (Marine Corps, Air Force, and Army, respectively).  And aside from his still obvious physical prowess, it’s easy to see why Elvis enjoyed his bodyguard’s company.

Sonny was with Elvis during the memorable meeting with RN in the Oval Office on 21 December 1970.  His account adds some fascinating —and very amusing— details to that well known story.  He covered some of them in  his interview with Sandy Quinn, which was posted here on TNN.

A YouTuber called Dr. K. —and I’m pretty sure it’s the other Dr. K.— made a clever time-lapse video of the photographs of the famous President-King encounter.

Thanks to David Stokes’ dedication and work, TNN will now have a podcast presence — and the first TNN podcast is Sonny West’s speech at the Nixon Library.

Lightning fast: Sonny West talked with Elvis fans and signed copies of his new book Still Taking Care of Business after his speech at the Nixon Library.

Oh yes — what I started out to say is that The Soundtrack Of Our Lives will return here next week with the Number One song forty years ago in 1969.  And that song was —and what could be more fitting?— was Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds.”

FYI to TNN readers:  In 2010 the Nixon Foundation plans to republish Bud Krogh’s book The Day Elvis Met Nixon. Bud, of course, was the staff assistant who drew the assignment when Elvis showed up unexpectedly at the Northwest Gate to deliver a letter he had written to RN.

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