| Revision as of 02:08, 11 March 2007 editOnefortyone (talk | contribs)6,355 edits →Elvis impersonation as manifestation of the Elvis cult← Previous edit | Revision as of 19:15, 11 March 2007 edit undoLegoman (talk | contribs)299 edits rv edits by Onefortyone not content with being a pain on the Elvis Presley article has decided on a smaller article to pick over by the looks of thingsNext edit → | ||
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| }}</ref> that exclusively feature Elvis Impersonator material. |
}}</ref> that exclusively feature Elvis Impersonator material. | ||
| Many impersonators sing Presley's songs. "While some of the impersonators perform a whole range of Presley music, the raw 1950s Elvis and the kitschy 1970s Elvis are the favorites."<ref>Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, ''Race and the Subject of Masculinities'' (Duke University Press, 1997), p.198.</ref> Some impersonators, such as the San Francisco lesbian ], are even ridiculing Presley. Along with the obvious shortcomings that most Elvis impersonators face when attempting to portray Presley both vocally and visually, they tend to obscure the vibrant and vital music he once made as a young man, the vocally-influential recordings of his later career, and his lasting mark on popular culture. | |||
| == Origins == | == Origins == | ||
| The first Elvis Impersonators started to appear whilst Elvis was still alive, evolving mainly out of small town talent ] which took their influences from major music artists of that time. It wasn't until Elvis's untimely ] on ], ], that impersonating Elvis started to become ] in the mainstream. The large growth in Elvis impersonators seems tightly linked with his ever-growing ] status. | The first Elvis Impersonators started to appear whilst Elvis was still alive, evolving mainly out of small town talent ] which took their influences from major music artists of that time. It wasn't until Elvis's untimely ] on ], ], that impersonating Elvis started to become ] in the mainstream. The large growth in Elvis impersonators seems tightly linked with his ever-growing ] status. | ||
| ] was a popular Comedian/Elvis |
] was a popular Comedian/Elvis impersonators. In his act he would use his famous "Latka" voice while dressed in the ] Elvis style ]s to discourage guests and attendants, only to reveal that he has singing and ] playing talents. As Kaufman gained fame, the act was used less and less. | ||
| == Types of Elvis Impersonator == | == Types of Elvis Impersonator == | ||
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| * ''']''' Enthusuiasts or people who do it for a hobby. | * ''']''' Enthusuiasts or people who do it for a hobby. | ||
| * '''] / ]''' Usually done as part of a ]. | * '''] / ]''' Usually done as part of a ]. | ||
| There are even some ] and ] impersonators. According to Eric Lott, "the widespread embarrassment and innuendo surrounding Elvis impersonation points more directly to the homoerotic implications built into such acts."<ref>Eric Lott, "All the King's Men: Elvis Impersonators and White Working-Class Masculinity," in Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, eds., ''Race and the Subject of Masculinities'' (Duke University Press, 1997), p.202.</ref> | |||
| ==Elvis impersonation as manifestation of the Elvis cult== | |||
| According to Gael Sweeney, Elvis impersonation "offers a spectacle of the grotesque, the display of the fetishized Elvis body by impersonators who use a combination of Christian and ] imagery and langusge to describe their devotion to The King. 'True' impersonators believe that they are 'chosen' by The King to continue His work and judge themselves and each other by their 'Authenticity' and ability to 'Channel' Elvis's true essence. True impersonators don't 'do Elvis' for monetary gain, but as missionaries to spread the message of The King. Especially interesting are those who do not perform, per se, that is, they don't do an Elvis act, they just 'live Elvis,' dressing as The King and spreading His Word by their example."<ref>See Sweeney, Gael, "The King of White Trash Culture: Elvis Presley and the Aesthetics of Excess." In Annalee Newitz and Matt Wray, eds., ''White Trash: Race and Class in America'' (1996), p.262.</ref> | |||
| However, the Elvis industry includes "professional Elvis impersonator registries." The international guide ''I am Elvis'', for instance, contains "photos, repertoire, and personal testimonies that serve to materialize the phenomenon of Elvis impersonation and further institutionalize it, including female Elvises, child Elvises, Black Elvises, El Vez the Mexican Elvis, and scores of British, German, Greek and Indian Elvises."<ref>Sweeney, "The King of White Trash Culture," p.262.</ref> | |||
| == Contests, Festivals and Events == | == Contests, Festivals and Events == | ||
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| Every year there is an Elvis Festival in ] in early January. This festival has look alike competitions, parades, concerts and markets with memorabilia. | Every year there is an Elvis Festival in ] in early January. This festival has look alike competitions, parades, concerts and markets with memorabilia. | ||
| 2007 brings us the Ultimate Contest. For the very first time, |
2007 brings us the Ultimate Contest. For the very first time, Elvis Presley Enterprises will be holding an Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in search of the best representation of the legacy of Elvis. | ||
| ==Controversies about special impersonators== | |||
| When the organisers of the Second International Elvis Presley Conference, held at the ], ], in August 1996, invited San Francisco-based ], a ] Elvis impersonator, to perform at the conference, the conference organiser, Professor Vernon Chadwick, "sought 'to test the limits of race, class, sexuality and property...' " He was of the opinion that "the conference must comply ‘with all applicable laws regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity in all its activities and programs and does not discriminate against anyone protected by law because of age, creed, colour, national origin, race, religion, sex, handicap, veteran, or other status’. Whilst these intentions were widely known, a number of local Baptist Ministers complained to the Mayor of Tupelo about the inclusion of Elvis Herselvis on the conference programme and sought to block funding for the conference. The church’s concerns were supported by the organiser of the Elvis birthplace and Museum, then ] followed suit. Conference organiser Chadwick argued that these actions ‘really get interesting when you throw in all the indigenous racism, homophobia, and class distinction that Elvis suffered in the South and throughout his career’. Chadwick received a formal, but diplomatic, letter from EPE’s licensing officer which formally withdrew support for the conference."<ref> </ref> | |||
| == Literature == | == Literature == | ||
| A number of books are available on the topic of Elvis tribute artists. One of the first books to document the phenomenon was ''I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators'' released by American Graphic Systems in 1991. More recent titles include photo essays, ''Living the Life'' by Patty Carroll and ''The King and I: A little Gallery of Elvis Impersonators'' by Kent Baker and Karen Pritkin. Novelist William McCranor Henderson wrote about his attempts to learn the Elvis trade in ''I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfit King''. A more scholarly examination of Elvis impersonation is ''Impersonating Elvis'' by Leslie Rubinowski released in 1997. |
A number of books are available on the topic of Elvis tribute artists. One of the first books to document the phenomenon was ''I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators'' released by American Graphic Systems in 1991. More recent titles include photo essays, ''Living the Life'' by Patty Carroll and ''The King and I: A little Gallery of Elvis Impersonators'' by Kent Baker and Karen Pritkin. Novelist William McCranor Henderson wrote about his attempts to learn the Elvis trade in ''I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfit King''. A more scholarly examination of Elvis impersonation is ''Impersonating Elvis'' by Leslie Rubinowski released in 1997. There are also two "how to" guides. ''Be Elvis!'' by Rick Marino, a well-known tribute artist, released in 2000 by Sourcebooks and the more recent ''The Elvis Impersonation Kit'' by Laura Lee, released in 2006 by Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers. | ||
| == Trivia == | == Trivia == | ||
Revision as of 19:15, 11 March 2007
An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies Elvis Presley either as a hobby, career in entertainment or occasionally for fun. Elvis Impersonators can range in ethnic background, size and talent.
Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers and are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis. There are even a number of radio stations that exclusively feature Elvis Impersonator material.
Origins
The first Elvis Impersonators started to appear whilst Elvis was still alive, evolving mainly out of small town talent competitions which took their influences from major music artists of that time. It wasn't until Elvis's untimely death on August 16, 1977, that impersonating Elvis started to become popular in the mainstream. The large growth in Elvis impersonators seems tightly linked with his ever-growing iconic status.
Andy Kaufman was a popular Comedian/Elvis impersonators. In his act he would use his famous "Latka" voice while dressed in the 1970s Elvis style jumpsuits to discourage guests and attendants, only to reveal that he has singing and guitar playing talents. As Kaufman gained fame, the act was used less and less.
Types of Elvis Impersonator
There are differing types of Elvis Impersonator. Most fall under the following main types which are:
- Look alikes who concentrate more on visual elements of Elvis fashion and style using accessories such as wigs, costumes and jewellery.
- Sound alikes who concentrate on changing their voice to sing or talk like Elvis.
- Combination who try to use a hybrid of both the visual and aural methods listed above.
The are also differing levels of impersonation which depends largely on who is doing the impersonation and for what purpose. They mainly fall under three main levels of impersonatation which are:
- Professional Full time entertainers who usually do it to earn a living.
- Amateur Enthusuiasts or people who do it for a hobby.
- Fun / Comedy Usually done as part of a parody.
Contests, Festivals and Events
There are many Elvis contests, festivals and other events held across the world celebrating Elvis and his many impersonators. Events tend to attract large numbers of Elvis Impersonators and fans.
Collingwood, Ontario Canada holds an annual Elvis festival that features an Elvis impersonation contest. Florida also holds an annual competition called the Elvis Invasion of Florida. In Las Vegas, there is an Elvis competition called the Elvis Extravaganza which attracts many fans and Elvii from around the globe, they compete for a title of the "Worlds Finest Elvis Impersonator".
In the UK, the seaside town of Blackpool in England is home to Europe's largest Elvis impersonator contest and convention. It is held annually in early January to coincide with Elvis's birthday. Blackpool also features a busy Elvis Wedding Chapel based at the Queens hotel on the south promenade where couples can have their wedding vows renewed by Martin Fox.
Every year there is an Elvis Festival in Parkes, New South Wales in early January. This festival has look alike competitions, parades, concerts and markets with memorabilia.
2007 brings us the Ultimate Contest. For the very first time, Elvis Presley Enterprises will be holding an Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in search of the best representation of the legacy of Elvis.
Literature
A number of books are available on the topic of Elvis tribute artists. One of the first books to document the phenomenon was I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators released by American Graphic Systems in 1991. More recent titles include photo essays, Living the Life by Patty Carroll and The King and I: A little Gallery of Elvis Impersonators by Kent Baker and Karen Pritkin. Novelist William McCranor Henderson wrote about his attempts to learn the Elvis trade in I, Elvis: Confessions of a Counterfit King. A more scholarly examination of Elvis impersonation is Impersonating Elvis by Leslie Rubinowski released in 1997. There are also two "how to" guides. Be Elvis! by Rick Marino, a well-known tribute artist, released in 2000 by Sourcebooks and the more recent The Elvis Impersonation Kit by Laura Lee, released in 2006 by Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers.
Trivia
- Elvii is a plural for Elvis impersonators (this, however, is not grammatically correct, as the name "Elvis" derives from Old English. Even if it somehow were a third-declension Latin noun, the plural form would be Elves). This term was popularized by a Saturday Night Live sketch where Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi respectively impersonated the younger and older versions of Elvis.
- In Memphis, Tennessee, the term Elvira (plural, Elviras) has been used to refer to female Elvis impersonators.
- There is a lot of speculation as to how many Elvis impersonators are out there, with experts reckoning that the number of Elvis Presley impersonators has reached an all-time record high.
- "There are now at least 85,000 Elvis’s around the world, compared to only 170 in 1977 when Elvis died. At this rate of growth, experts predict that by 2019 Elvis impersonators will make up a third of the world population." - The Naked Scientists 3rd December, 2000.
- Some professional Elvis impersonators have taken a dislike to the term "Elvis impersonator" and prefer "Elvis Tribute Artist" instead. The reasoning behind this is to try and distance themselves from very bad amateur attempts that might harm their professional image. These requests have had little effect over the years and "Elvis impersonator" still remains the most popular phrase used.
- Billionaire Robert Sillerman, owner of the TV show American Idol, bought an 85% stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises in 2005. Among other things, this gives him control of Elvis Presley's name and likeness in the US, this however does not include Britain (where the Elvis image is in the public domain), Europe and most other countries in the world.
References
- "LadyLuck Music Tribute Artist Radio Station". LadyLuck Music. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvii.com Radio Station". Kitty Coyne. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Collingwood Elvis Festival". Collingwood Chamber of Commerce. 2004. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvis Invasion of Florida". Magic Moment Productions. 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvis Extravaganza". The Jamie Coyne Company. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvis Impersonator Contest". FoxKing Productions. 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvis Weddings". Elvis Weddings. 2003. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Elvis Impersonator". Martin Fox. 2003. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
- "Robert Sillerman comments about likeness rights". NME. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
See also
- Body double
- Doppelgänger
- Eilert Pilarm
- El Vez
- Impersonator
- List of fictional Elvis impersonators
- Look-alike
External links
- List of Elvis Impersonators Extensive list of Elvis Impersonators at the Open Directory Project
- Elvis Is In The Browser Open database of worldwide Elvii with forum and blog.
- A.P.EP.T.A The Association of Professional Elvis Presley Tribute Artists
- E-impersonators An Online Resource for Elvis Tribute Artists