You were always on my mind  

-Elvis Presley

  Elvis’s birthday is January 8th.  He was an overwhelming part of my childhood. My parents liked him, my grandmother liked him, and I liked him. He was a bond that held us together.

 My mother loved Elvis from her teenage years. My dad saw him in Vegas. I liked the stuff he did after his 1968 “comeback,” and my grandmother loved his gospel music. He was the dominant entertainment force of the 20^th century and could appeal to all generations.  

 I had two kings in my childhood. Along with Elvis, my father’s close friend was “The Ribs King” Ted Gregory.  Ted took a small tavern outside of Cincinnati and turned it into a multi-million dollar food empire. His Montgomery Inn restaurants are a dominant force in the Cincinnati area, and his barbeque sauce is sold around the world.

 Ted died a few years ago, but his children carry on the business that he and his wife Mattie started.

 Both kings had similar traits that made them successful.

(Liink to great  Cincinnati Enquirer article about Ted which is the only time my father was ever quoted in a newspaper)

Elvis’s core audience was the working class--people who came from backgrounds like his.  Elvis could connect with other big celebrities and pack Las Vegas showrooms, but his connection to where he came from kept that audience loyal to the end.

 Ted Gregory was also a guy who could dine with the classes and feed the masses. Every wealthy and well-known person in Cincinnati made their way to Ted’s restaurants, but it was also the place where working-class people went for their special birthday and anniversary dinners.

 At a point when the economy turned bad, other restaurants raised their prices. Ted lowered his. He understood that if people could afford to eat at his restaurant, they would stay loyal as times improved. Other places went out of business, but the Montgomery Inn thrived.

 Both were master showmen: No one put on a better show than Elvis. From the moment he burst into the public consciousness on The Ed Sullivan Show to the time of his death, Elvis captivated his audiences with not only musical talent but also a command of the stage.

 Ted Gregory knew how to attract media attention and draw celebrities to his restaurants.  Bob Hope, Arnold Palmer, and presidents of the United States came to his restaurants to eat his ribs. Like Elvis, Ted had a sense of outrageousness. The Cincinnati Enquirer once asked  Ted  if he had seen any recent  movies. Ted responded, “Deep Throat…twice.”

 That sense of showmanship and outrageousness meant packed houses for both kings.

 The real bond, however, that connects both Elvis,  the rock-and-roll king,  and Ted,  the ribs king,  is their sense of gratitude and giving back. It seems like modern performers command the headlines by doing things that are stupid and selfish. I don’t see any stories where Paris Hilton or Lindsay Lohan give money to charity or do nice things for people.  I see a lot of stories where they act like jerks. Elvis was generous to a fault. At his death, he was nearly  broke after having sent Cadillac’s to random strangers.  Elvis  understood that he needed to give back to a world that had given him great riches.

 Since my father was close to Ted, I witnessed numerous instances where Ted helped people anonymously. He also participated in major Cincinnati charities, such as the Hope House. Ted developed his close friendship with Bob Hope when they served on the board of that charity. Ted told The Cincinnati Enquirer, “I’m a giver,” and it was an accurate self-assessment.

 Both kings were an important part of my growing years. As I get older and think about how to run my businesses, I realize that both kings  gave me models and ideals to strive for.

 They are always on my mind.

 Don McNay is Chairman of McNay Settlement Group, where we want our clients to be treated like kings and queens.  He is the author of The Unbridled World of Ernie Fletcher.  You can write to him at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or read other things he has written at www.donmcnay.com.  His award-winning column is syndicated on the CNHI News Service.  He is on the Board of Directors for the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.