Red West was born in Tennessee, outside of Memphis. He met Elvis in 1949 at Humes High, and they began a lifelong friendship during which they toured and made movies together for many years, a real life role not dissimilar to the one he plays with Rip Torn in Forty Shades of Blue. He began to write songs in the early 1960’s, and enjoyed great success. The recording of his song, “If Everyday Was Like Christmas,” has gone on to sell 20 million copies worldwide. Around that time, West was cast in “Wild, Wild West,” on CBS, and went on to co-star in “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” a television series based on Greg “Pappy” Boyington’s illustrious WWII combat career. Since then West has appeared in many commercials, television and feature films. A short list includes The Rainmaker, Cookie’s Fortune, and most recently Glory Road, with John Voight and Josh Lucas.