Frank Matrazzo

Frank Matrazzo was a mountain of man, loud and boisterous. At the same time kind and ready to lend a hand. Frank's past was clouded in much mystery and was subject to outrageous rumors. One rumor was he was a shot putter on the 1972 U.S. Olympic Team and was one of several athletes who, inadvertently, helped the Palestinian terrorists into the Olympic Village. Another rumor was he was a champion Funny Car driver in the Sun Belt Circuit. These rumors were of course not true. However Frank's past is a checkered one. Frank was born in Corinth, Mississippi in 1942. His father Herucle was a brick layer and his mother was a homemaker. Frank was quite the cad when growing up. He stole cars, farm equipment, and committed several after-hours grocery store burglaries. His talents were noticed by local crime boss Jack Hathcock. Hathcock owned and operated the Forty-Five Grill and was the reputed leader of the Dixie Mafia. Frank seamlessly fell into the roll of debt collector and excelled at this role. After Hathcock was murdered and Sheriff Buford Pusser's crackdown on their operations, Frank relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 1967. It was at this time when Frank was working as a security guard at the Grand Ole Opry he met Red West, famously of Elvis Presley's entourage the Memphis Mafia. Frank fell right in with Presley's crew, he was known throughout the group for his ability to drink tequila by the bottle and eat 5 whole chickens in one sitting. It was one night in Las Vegas when Frank was on one his tequila binges that he donned a cape and began inpersonating Elvis, Presley so liked the performance he himself would wear a cape the rest of his career while performing. Frank was also the inspiration for the group's motto "TCB", which stood for "Taking Care of Business". Originating from when Frank was asked to perform a task or was given an assignment he would respond with "TCB boss". Elvis even had this painted on the tail section of his private plane, and even gave out "TCB" gold necklaces as gifts. Frank would stay with the group until Elvis' death in 1977. It was at this time he and his wife, Julia who he met while she was visiting Graceland from Saratoga, NY, moved to Saratoga. Frank began a landscaping business and began to raise a family. Frank at the time of Elvis' death was a suspect in at least 17 extortion cases involving him and Red West bribing Memphis area DJ's to play songs of bands they were managing, one band was rumored to be a up and coming southern rock band known a Lynrd Skynrd. Today Frank is retired and is often consulted on landscaping related matters. He designs the floral patterns and rose garden configurations at the Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY. Frank patrolled White Street as a giant among men and was well liked and respected.......