"Key Member of Elvis Presley's "Memphis Mafia"

He Was Elvis's Road Manager and one of his closest friends being co-best man at the wedding of Elvis & Priscilla on May 1, 1967

(1938-2016) Nicknamed "Diamond Joe Esposito," he was born in Chicago, Illinois, and his first face to face meeting with Elvis Presley was when they were both serving in the U.S. Army together in 1958 at an Army base in Friedberg, West Germany.

They quickly became lifelong friends with Esposito becoming the right hand man of Elvis in 1960. After Elvis completed the movie contracts he had signed through Colonel Tom Parker in the 1960's, he returned to active live touring bringing his stage band on the road with him and Joe Espositio became his road manager.

Esposito served as co-best man, with Marty Lacker at Elvis's 1967 wedding in Las Vegas, while Esposito's wife, Joanie, served as the matron of honor, and Priscilla’s sister Michelle was the maid of honor.

After the death of Elvis Presley, on August 16, 1977, at Graceland, the home of Elvis in Memphis, Tenn., Joe was a main consultant on multiple Elvis projects, and was considered to be one of the most respected sources on Elvis Presley in the world. His home movies are featured in many projects including the CBS Primetime Special, "Elvis By the Presleys."

Esposito had three children; daughters Debbie and Cindy and son Anthony. Joe Esposito died on November 23, 2016, after a year of declining health. His daughter mentioned that the cause of death was complications caused by dementia.

Joe published a half dozen books on the life of Elvis Presley and he also made numerous appearances in the motion picture films of the King, Elvis Presley. The films Joe Esposito appeared in include: Kid Gallahad, It Happened at the World's Fair, Kissin' Cousins, Viva Las Vegas, Roustabout, Spinout, Clambake, Stay Away Joe, Live a Little, Love a Little, The Trouble With Girls, Elvis That's The Way It Is, Elvis on Tour, and This Is Elvis.

8 x 10, black and white photograph, of Elvis Presley standing side by side with Joe Esposito. The photo is beautifully signed in black sharpie pen by Joe: "To Lenny, Keep Rockin' To "Elvis," TCB (Taking Care of Business), Joe E., 2008. "TCB" was the famous catch phrase used by Elvis, "Taking Care of Business," and the lightning bolt indicated in a flash. The signed photo was obtained by me in person.

He had some very special pieces of jewelry made up by his friend, Memphis jeweler, Lowell Hays, with the "T.C.B." logo within a lightning bolt design which added the meaning, "Takin' Care of Business in a Flash." These were prized possessions by all that received them directly from from Elvis who personally put them around the neck of the gift's recipient making them all lifelong memories.

The "T.C.B." necklace and ring shown below are from my own personal collection which were gifted to me by my very dear friend, the late Joe Moscheo, one of the leaders of Elvis Presley's back up gospel group, "The Imperials." The "Imperials" were part of the original live touring band that accompanied Elvis in his comeback residency at The International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969, and they also traveled with him on the road doing many live performances around the country, doing some 500 shows in total including "The Houston Astrodome." where they accompanied Presley during his six record breaking attendance concert appearances at the Houston Astro Dome in the fall of 1970.

They also recorded with Elvis at RCA studios in Nashville and Los Angeles on his gospel albums and his Christmas albums. I was extremely fortunate enough to be taken on personal tours of these studios by Joe, a dream of a lifetime for me.

This one was made directly by Lowell Hays himself from the original molds so that whenever Elvis wanted to order more of them to give out as gifts. Lowell had the original molds. I was very fortunate to be in the right place at the right time, and know the right people. and I was gifted a gold "TCB" necklace, and ring.

Elvis also had Lowell make him some "TLC" necklaces for his lady family and friends which of course stood for, "Tender Loving Care." These were also extremely precious gifts that Elvis enjoyed giving out to some of the most beautiful ladies in his life. He loved to give them out and he personally put the necklaces around these ladies necks!
Joe Moscheo, gave me one of the Elvis "TLC" necklaces to my wife Joanne whom he adored for Christmas one year after spending time with him at his home in Nashville.

During one Christmas I gave Joanne's "TLC" necklace to a very special lady and dear friend of mine who literally saved my life. She became my personal care giver for well over a year and gave me all of the kindest "TLC" that I could ever need to get through the most devastating days, and darkest nights that ever filled my heart with the rawest depression, and emotions that I had ever experienced in my entire life when Joanne passed away from Alzheimer's disease.
Joanne was my absolute everything, and we worked together in my War Between The States business for well over 25 years. Being with her at work, and traveling all over the country meeting all kinds of wonderful people from ever corner of America was a great blessing that I can't put into words. She was even a big New York sports fan and we always watched the Mets, Yankees, Giants, Jets and Knicks on television, and we also took in many games in person when our schedule would allow us to.

One year she surprised me with a tremendous birthday gift, box seats in the 3rd row right behind the Yankees dugout at Baltimore against the Orioles. It was a very close low scoring game in which the Yankees won with Alex Rodriquez hitting the game winning home run, and Mariano Rivera getting the save.

As an unplanned, unexpected bonus we sat right next to Brian Cashman, the Yankees General Manager at the time. He was very pleasant to us and we talked baseball all night. It was just one of those perfect nights we are sometimes all very lucky to experience.

The other cool thing about watching the Yankees play in Baltimore which I did many times is that there were just as many Yankees fans there as there were Orioles fans. We were all decked out in our Yankees gear and did not have to worry about being jumped by the home town faithful.

I saw many Orioles games in old Memorial Park, and the newer Camden Yards Stadiums, and I say this with all due respect, what a difference in the very comfortable, laid back feeling there are at the Orioles home games compared to say New York.

After Joanne died, I struggled like never before, and I lost my will to live not having any family or close friends left near by me. By this time time my spinal disease crippled me and I could no longer travel or do much at all. This very dear young lady that I hired as my care giver was very perceptive and she sensed how brokenhearted I was, and how difficult it was for me to carry on alone without Joanne, so she adopted me as her "Grandfather." What a huge thrill of a lifetime.

On my birthday one year she came over to visit me on her day off and gave me this very special card that said, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA" with a lovely handwritten note in the card that said I never had a grandfather, but if I could hand pick one man in this whole world I would choose you, and she became the only family I ever needed. She was a perfect companion, and treated me with the utmost respect, compassion, and acted like a complete lady at all times! I could not have ever expected to be with a more caring young woman in my life. I too felt very strongly, that since I never was blessed with children or grandchildren, I did not have to look any further to find the absolute best there ever was!

She gave me a singular purpose to live and carry on the fight, and never give up on life. I sincerely hope she knows that she is totally responsible for giving me another chance at life, and I owe you my life. I hope I can prove worthy of what a tremendous blessing our Lord bestowed upon me, through you, and I truly hope that I can make you proud of what I do with whatever God has left on this earth for me to accomplish. I do not think he would have kept me around unless he had plans for me.

Never having had children or grandchildren of my own this loving gesture by this young lady was one of the greatest gifts I ever have received in my life, and she was directly responsible for giving me a special reason to live and keep fighting.

This beautiful, kind, caring and lovely young lady literally saved my life without a doubt not asking anything in return. She ended up giving birth to her first child, a beautiful girl, and she quit the care giving company she worked for to stay home and raise her baby.

I have since lost touch with her, which saddens me greatly, but if she happens to read this message I will never forget your unselfish actions, and how you saved this grieving old man's life from misery, doom and gloom. I was on death's doorstep until you walked into my life out of the blue, and answered my humble prayers, and gave me a reason to fight back which ultimately saved my life!

Where ever you are my sweet young lady friend, I will be forever, and eternally grateful to you. May God always protect you, keep you, your baby, and your family safe, and please know that you will have a special, loving place in my heart forever. I sincerely hope that our paths cross again some day, and if not, please know that you did a wonderful thing for this lonely old man. GOD bless you!

The necklace and the ring pictured here are from my own personal collection and are NOT FOR SALE.