Elvis Impersonators

[himloveher]

Hi, new here, but I've been a lurker for a while
Anyone ever go to see Elvis impersonators? I often go to a local bar on Friday nights to watch an Elvis Show. I have a blast, and everyone has a great time singing along and dancing.

[Elvis and Johnny]

Hi, new here, but I've been a lurker for a while
Anyone ever go to see Elvis impersonators? I often go to a local bar on Friday nights to watch an Elvis Show. I have a blast, and everyone has a great time singing along and dancing.

Hi, welcome to the site!

I never got to see an Elvis impersonator.

The only one I would want to see is Cody Slaughter.

[kathy parkinson]

Welcome to TCB, i'm not interested in ETA's, but thats just my opinion, many people like them.

[LuckyJackson]

They get the thumbs down from me too...just my opinion

[TCBDavid]

i have seen many of them and a great deal of my close friends are ETA's and whilst both the audience and they know they aren't elvis its yet another way of expressing yourself as a true fan and usually pretty good entertainment for a few hours.

[Elizasong]

I like your reasoning David. I here so many people bashing impersonators or ETAs and yours is a good angle. I don't go out of my way to see impersonators but I'll watch if they are around. It's the closest I'm going to get to seeing Elvis live.

[monk37]

I've seen a few, and for the most part, they are watchable.

One - Randy Friskie - was performing at the Cloverdale Rodeo and it was really hysterical to see a group of 12 year old girl guides rush the stage and tear at his costume.

It made me feel a little bit of what a 50's concert was like.

I'd seen Randy many times and had never seen anything like that.

[goodelvisgirl]

yeah been to see a few went to c shawn klush in concert that was amazin u got chills it wasnt elvis but god it was close as ur ever gonna get n a few friends of mine r elvis tributes but elvis is so hard to get right most just make a joke of it or do it badly just a good way of keepin the music n memory goin for folk who were not there in the day

[TCBDavid]

It made me feel a little bit of what a 50's concert was like.

i think you hit the nail on the head there....like i said whilst both they and us know they aren't the king himself if even just for 30 seconds they can allow you to suspend reality and take you to a moment where you can imagine what it was like to be there then surely they are worth something. And lets be honest love them or hate them
( i don't mind if you hate them just don't have ago at those who like them) you have to agree that most, even to come close to singing like Elvis are extremely talented individuals and i have to respect the talent

just a good way of keepin the music n memory goin for folk who were not there in the day

exactly i was born 12 years after the man died so a combination of the Elvis in concert show and tribute acts are as close as i'm ever likely to get and i thank them for it. I hope you can understand my point of view those of you who where fortunate to see him live

[Tony Trout]

Frankly, I think Shawn Klush has a huge ego and is so stuck on himself and wanting to act too much like Elvis (even offstage) that it's scary.

[TCBDavid]

whilst he is extremely talented im inclined to agree to some extent i think the lines between shawn and his act are becoming fuzzy

[Polk-Salad-Annie]

Welcome to TCB, i'm not interested in ETA's, but thats just my opinion, many people like them.

Same goes for me.
I am not interseted at all.

[Elizasong]

That's scary when a tribute artist can't separate himself from the impersonation.

[TCBDavid]

i know i sound like im defending every bad thing towards them but thats nots the case....well it is kind of lol. as i have many friends who are tributes to elvis i feel im in a reasonably good position to comment, there are very few tributes even the ones at the top of the game that cant distinguish the line, most are far to aware of the fact they arent the king and just a plumber, car sales man or whatever that has a talent. Klush is probably the prime example of sucess and media going to your head whether its elvis or not. Good voice on him mind

[doug.ie]

the fella in my avatar is an irish legend....he's called 'rocky mills' and he plays in tramore in waterford...
he walks with a limp and forgets most of the words....and half the set is neil diamond.
yet, he's a legend...and, i kid you not...they are erecting a statue to him in tramore !!....true story.
he about 95 too.
he's so bad that he's absolutely brilliant...and he has a cult following...mainly old women on the way to bingo...

they have got two resident elvis's in tramore and they fight for bookings....rocky said the other fella let the air out of his tyres one night so he could turn up and steal one of rockys gigs...turf war down there.

[Tigerman1975]

The best one I have seen is Doug Church. You can find videos of him on YouTube. I dont go out of my way to pay to see ETA's, but I can appreciate someone like him who has his act together as far as appearance,voice and stage moves goes.

[Wild_In_The_Country]

Frankly, I think Shawn Klush has a huge ego and is so stuck on himself and wanting to act too much like Elvis (even offstage) that it's scary.

I agree..

only Elvis tribute i rate is Doug Church..

[monk37]

It's certainly interesting seeing all the different impersonators on youtube

but what's really bizzare to me is how people cling to one ETA over all others

the reality is that there's been over 100,000 ETAs - probably in the US alone - never mind in Canada, the UK and other countries.

Alan and Morris were the first two that I remember hearing about in the late 70's and early 80's

I even remember a 1 hour tv special on CBC (Canada's....well, not exactly PBS...but it's the taxpayer funded Canadian Broadcaster) in 1980 with 3 impersonators and somewhere I have the soundtrack to that show.

a National Enquirer insert around the time of This is Elvis had a centerfold spread with 250 impersonators on it - including the ones from This is Elvis.

We all love Elvis and I guess if you're open to ETAs, then it makes sense to enjoy the good or at least sincere ones - but I do not get saying one is the closest to Elvis, because none of them are.

Probably the one who was the best sound alikes were Ral Donner and Jimmy "Orion" Ellis and they didn't impersonate Elvis but rather just sounded like him while doing their music themselves.

That Elvis recorded a few Ral Donner songs makes it very interesting (Girl of my Best Friend - for example)

[Tigerman1975]

Doug Church....

[JRtherealJR]

That's right, monk37- Morris Bates was one of the first ETAs who achieved a lot of media coverage from around 1980 onwards. For a few years he was known as the World's Greatest Elvis Impersonator (this was years before the term "Tribute Artist" was in common usage) and he was probably on a par with Johnny Harra in terms of poularity and success- Johnny had a residency at the Silverbird Casino for a reported $1,000,000 contract and Morris had a string of shows at the Landmark Casino, Vegas.
Morris has recently published his memoirs of his years as THE WORLD's GREATEST ELVIS IMPERSONATOR. His book is called "TAKE A CHANCE ON LIFE".
Morris' book:

Morris Bates, circa. 1980:

Recent pic of Morris in front of one of his old show posters: