The rock ‘n’ roll universe is studded with legends, but few are as singular as “Road Mangler” Phil Kaufman. One of the best-known road managers in history, Kaufman operated in the shadows, far from the stage lights — a force behind some of rock’s most enduring myths.
Life in the Fast Lane
Once upon a time, rock ‘n’ roll was lascivious and epic. Marauding rock gods roared from city to city, plundering women, trashing hotel rooms, and horrifying parents. Televisions smashed on sidewalks. Vats of drugs and booze are shared openly. While this might seem larger than life for the kids in the audience, for Kaufman, it was just another day. His job: Make sure the show went on.
His business card reads: “Road Mangler Deluxe” — also the title of his 1993 autobiography — and “Executive Nanny Service,” a nickname gifted by Mick Jagger. Kaufman began “nannying” in 1968, when he looked after the Stones in Los Angeles during the sessions for their album Beggars Banquet. The pay? A hundred bucks a week.
Since then, Kaufman’s client list has included Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Frank Zappa, Etta James, Vince Gill, the Divinyls, Joe Cocker, Dwight Yoakam, Lynda Carter, and Nanci Griffith. Notably, he’s only set one client on fire — a decent record.
The Road Mangler goes East (Nashville)
Kaufman now calls East Nashville home. Pull up in front of his duplex and you’ll spot his Tennessee license plate: “PH KAUF.” Inside, memorabilia fills the space, chronicling decades of adventures.
“It’s a very comfortable place to live,” he says. “It’s user- and bruiser-friendly. This street’s just two blocks long, no sidewalks, feels like the country. I told my landlady, ‘You couldn’t get me out of here with dynamite.’”
He recently renewed his lease for another three years. The rent? A closely guarded secret.
From Vaudeville to the Air Force
Born in Oceanside, New York, in 1935, Kaufman grew up surrounded by showbiz. His father’s side of the family worked in vaudeville, and his dad led a big band during the ‘30s. After moving around often as a kid, Kaufman joined the Air Force in 1952.
He served during the Korean War, flying photoreconnaissance missions for the 37th Bomb Squadron. Leaving the service in 1956, he headed to Los Angeles a year later, chasing adventure.
Crossing Paths with Charles Manson
Between the late ’50s and late ’60s, Kaufman crisscrossed the globe, gathering hometowns, girlfriends, and wild stories. That period also included a few stints in jail and a brush with infamy.
“When I was in prison for marijuana, I didn’t get to pick my roommate,” Kaufman explains. “It was a dorm situation. He [Manson] was in there, and I got to know him. He played guitar. That was about it.”
After release, Kaufman hung out with Manson briefly in 1968 before cutting ties. “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie,” Kaufman told him. “You know the difference between you and me? You’re doing life, and I’m living it.”
He hung up. He never heard from Manson again.
Becoming a Road Mangler
Landing in Topanga Canyon after prison, Kaufman embedded himself in Los Angeles’ vibrant music scene. That’s where he met the Stones and transitioned into “moving people, not equipment,” as his card says.
“I’m a tour manager,” he explains. “Back then, road managers had a roll of quarters, a yellow legal pad, and a ‘Stop the bus, there’s a phone booth!’ attitude.”
The electronic age changed everything. “Nowadays, people tell on each other,” Kaufman laughs. “It’s hard to be crazy on the road if you have a significant other. Touch a tit, you’re gonna get a twit.”
Does he miss the old days? “No. Nobody could have continued that and lived,” he says. “Only Keith Richards — he can eat nails and piss rust.”
The Gram Parsons Pact
Kaufman’s most legendary story centers around Gram Parsons. After attending Clarence White’s funeral together, the two made a pact: if either died young, the other would steal the body, drive to Joshua Tree, get drunk, and burn it.
Tragically, Parsons died of an overdose two months later. True to his word, Kaufman sprang into action. He borrowed a hearse, bluffed his way past security at LAX, and stole Parsons’ casket.
“We had our buddy in the back,” Kaufman recalls. “We were talking to him, ‘We got you, buddy.’”
They drove to Joshua Tree, stopping near Cap Rock after getting too drunk to go any further. They opened the coffin, doused Parsons’ body in high-octane gasoline, lit a match, and watched their friend burn.
Life After the Road
Today, Kaufman enjoys a slower pace. He missed this year’s Tomato Art Fest because he was taping a BBC interview, but he jokes, “My dance card is empty!”
In February, he’ll board a music cruise with East Nashville musician Todd Snider. They recently collaborated on a music video set in the South, featuring a gay wedding.
“We wanted two men kissing while straight Southern men cheered,” Snider says. Kaufman played the father of one of the grooms.
The Sons of Arthritis
Kaufman also rides with the “Sons of Arthritis,” a gang of older bikers who love Harleys and good humor.
“When you get on the bike you go, ‘OY!’” Kaufman laughs. Their motto? “We ride, we stop, we pee!”
They recently rode to Owensboro, Ky., home of Moonlight Barbecue. “How far is it?” his friends asked. “About four oys,” he answered. “Maybe three if you take the Interstate!”
Nanny Services still needed
Kaufman now works with J.J. Lawhorn, a young musician he’s excited about. And he still gets calls for advice from musicians needing “nanny services.”
“In my line of work, the music is secondary,” he explains. “Get the people from A to B, collect the money, hotels, airplanes — that’s it. If the music’s good, that’s a bonus.”
Although life on the road looks glamorous, Kaufman admits it wears you down. “You’re away from home, away from East Nashville,” he says. “I just couldn’t wait to get back here. This is home.”
Phil Kaufman’s book, Road Mangler Deluxe, now in its third printing, offers 365 pages of wild tales and photos.
It’s available at this link on Amazon.
The Legacy of Phil Kaufman
Kaufman’s friends and colleagues hold him in high regard. Nanci Griffith says, “I love working with Kaufman because he’s a guy that makes decisions … and he doesn’t nag me!”
East Nashville musician Elizabeth Cook calls him essential. “It can get a little gangster out there in promoter land; you want a man that has access to a hearse working for you.”
Todd Snider offers high praise. “He will be the first tour manager to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. America’s like a backyard to him. He’s seen everything twice and never takes anything seriously — while seriously getting everything done.”
Snider also cherishes a bit of Kaufman’s wisdom. “He asked how old I was. I said, ‘I’m getting old.’ He answered, ‘And who’s getting young?’ I’ll never forget it.”
This story was first published in the Sept-Nov 2013 print edition of The East Nashvillian.