Naman Shrestha
Peacock’s ‘Making Manson’ is a three-part documentary series that provides a detailed insight into the life and crimes of Charles Manson, one of the most notorious killers in the history of the country. It consists of two decades’ worth of never-before-aired conversations with the criminal himself, who talked about “The Family” in detail. Meanwhile, the former family members express their opinions and perspectives regarding their time with Charles and the murders they committed in the summer of 1969. Besides the family members, other associates of Charles also featured in the documentary, including his former cellmate — Phil Kaufman.
Phil Kaufman Helped Charles Manson Launch His Musical Career
In the mid-1960s, Phil Kaufman had a run-in with the law for a marijuana smuggling-related conviction, landing him in Terminal Island Prison, where he first met with Charles Manson. Over time, Phil formed a friendship with him and enjoyed his company inside the prison walls. In Phil’s opinion, although Charles was a bad guitar player, he had enough talent as a singer-songwriter to make his dreams of obtaining stardom in the music industry come true. He believed in his talent so much that he even gave him the contact of a friend in the industry and told him to get in touch with him after acclimatizing to the world and working on a few songs.
In 1968, Phil was released from Terminal Island Prison, after which he spent time with the Charles Manson Family. After a while, he left the “family” and went on to produce and release Charles’ album. Talking about his time living with him, Phil said, “Charlie was very good at being evil and not not showing it. Anything that detracted him from his game plan at that time, he would squash it, but he did it with velvet gloves.”
Phil Kaufman Has Had Several Decades of Experience in the Music Industry
Apart from his encounter with Charles Manson, Philip C. “Phil” Kaufman had many things going on in his life. Born on April 26, 1935, in Oceanside, New York, he joined the Air Force right after graduating from Chaminade High School in 1952. During his 4-year stint with the Air Force, he was also a part of the 37th Bomb Squadron in the Korean War. Before getting arrested for marijuana smuggling, he also had a short acting career, during which he bagged minor roles in ‘Riot in Juvenile Prison,’ ‘Pork Chop Hill,’ ‘Spartacus,’ and more. Not long after being released from prison, Phil became the “executive nanny” for Mick Jagger and Marianne Faithfull as he drove the duo around while they were mixing the album ‘Beggars Banquet’ in Los Angeles.
In the following years, around 1973, he also earned the opportunity to tour manage Gram Parsons’ group, The Flying Burrito Brothers, despite not having any prior experience in tour managing. Not only that, he was also tasked to keep him clean and away from drugs and alcohol, around the time he formed a duet called “Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels.” In July 1973, Gram Parsons told Phil that he wished to be cremated and buried at Joshua Tree National Monument. Thus, after he passed away on September 19, 1973, due to a drug overdose, Phil stole his body from Los Angeles International Airport when his stepfather insisted on burying the body and attempted to cremate it in the Cap Rock section of the Joshua Tree National Monument.
For the theft of Gram’s body, he was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence and fined $300 and $708 for the misdemeanor theft and funeral home expenses, respectively. Besides the Rolling Stones and Gram Parsons, he has also worked for other artists like Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Etta James, Frank Zappa, Hank Williams III, and Nanci Griffith, earning a nickname, Road Mangler Deluxe. In 1993, he published an autobiography book titled ‘Road Mangler Deluxe,’ in which he opens up about his experiences in the music industry. In 2015, the Road Mangler also released an audiobook titled ‘Legend of the Road Mangler: An Audio Memoir,’ detailing his adventures while being on the road with the above-mentioned artists.
Phil Kaufman Now Spends His Days Surrounded By Family and Friends
These days, Phil Kaufman lives in Nashville, Tennesse, with his longtime partner, Jan Power, and beloved furry friend, Gladys. Not only is he a father to a son named Orion, but he is also a doted grandfather to Orion’s sons, Marcus, Manu, and Mason Ackers-Kaufman. Besides spending time with his family, he also maintains friendships with his longtime buddies, including Pat and Brown. They frequently meet up with each other during special occasions. For instance, in March 2024, he celebrated one of his friends’ birthday at a diner.
In July 2024, Phil fell down and had an injury for which he was hospitalized for a short while. His partner, Jan, took care of him and helped him recover from his wounds as soon as possible. Seemingly leading a retired life, Phil currently enjoys spending time with his loved ones and going on adventures with the love of his life and Gladys, whom he considers two of his best friends as well.
Read More: Catherine “Gypsy” Share: What Happened to the Former Manson Family Member?
