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| }}</ref> that exclusively feature Elvis |
}}</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> |
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| ⚫ | 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> | ||
| == 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 |
] was a popular comedian and Elvis impersonator. 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 |
== Types of Elvis Impersonator == | ||
| There are many differing types of Elvis impersonator |
There are many differing types of Elvis impersonator, most fall under the following main types which are: | ||
| * ''']''' who concentrate more on ] elements of Elvis fashion and style using accessories such as ]s, ]s and ]. | * ''']''' who concentrate more on ] elements of Elvis fashion and style using accessories such as ]s, ]s and ]. | ||
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| * ''']''' who try to use a ] of both the visual and ] methods listed above. | * ''']''' who try to use a ] of both the visual and ] 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: | 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: | ||
| * ''']''' Full time entertainers who usually do it to earn a living. | * ''']''' Full time entertainers who usually do it to earn a living. | ||
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| * '''] / ]''' Usually done as part of a ]. | * '''] / ]''' Usually done as part of a ]. | ||
| There are also some Elvis impersonators who specialise in experiementing with gender, sexuality, race, taste and decency. | |||
| There are also some Elvis impersonators who specialise in experiementing with gender, sexuality, race, taste and decency. According to social historian ], "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> There are even some performers who satirize other Elvis impersonators.<ref>See Lois Tyson, ''Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide'' (1999), p.332.</ref> | |||
| ===Elvis impersonation as manifestation of the Elvis cult=== | ===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 |
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> According to George Plasketes, there are "legions of impersonators. Airlines have offered discount fares for look-alikes on Elvis holidays... His omnipresence hauntingly hovers..."<ref>George Plasketes, ''Images of Elvis Presley in American Culture, 1977-1997: The Mystery Terrain'' (1997), p.3.</ref> | |||
| == Contests, Festivals and Events == | == Contests, Festivals and Events == | ||
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| 2007 brings us the Ultimate Contest. For the very first time, ] will be holding an Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in search of the best representation of the legacy of Elvis. | 2007 brings us the Ultimate Contest. For the very first time, ] will be holding an Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in search of the best representation of the legacy of Elvis. | ||
| ⚫ | == Literature == | ||
| ==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 == | ||
| 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. | 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. | ||
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| 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. | 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. | ||
| There are also several |
There are also several studies. In her paper, "Women Who 'Do Elvis' ", ] researcher Francesca Brittan deals with female Elvis Presley impersonators and finds them to be "campy, cheeky, and often disturbingly convincing."<ref>Francesca Brittan, "Women Who 'Do Elvis': Authenticity, Masculinity and Masquerade", published in the ''Journal of Popular Music Studies'', Vol. 18, No. 2. (August 2006), p.167-190.</ref> | ||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| *"Impersonating Elvis may seem a tad bizzare, but it is a human rationale that deserves articulation." (Eric Lott)<ref>Eric Lott, "All the King's Men: Elvis Impersonators and White Working-Class Masculinity," p.194.</ref> | |||
| *"No phenomenon makes the perfomative character of Elvis clearer than the impersonators. These people are not known for their musical abilities. The culture's interest in them is not in how they sing or play an instrument, but in their bringing to life the character Elvis Presley first performed." (David Shumway)<ref>David Shumway, "Performance". In Bruce Horner and Thomas Swiss, eds., ''Key Terms in Popular Music and Culture'' (1999), p.197.</ref> | |||
| *"Elvis impersonators and fans create an ever-evolving Elvis folklore and collectively sustain a deep distrust for those mass-media versions of Elvis from which his estate and their official licensees continue to profit." (Rosemary J. Coombe)<ref>Rosemary J. Coombe, ''The Cultural Life of Intellectual Properties: Authorship, Appropiation, and the Law'' (Duke University Press, 1998), p.99.</ref> | |||
| == Trivia == | == Trivia == | ||
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| == External links == | == External links == | ||
| * Extensive list of Elvis |
* Extensive list of Elvis Impersonators at the ] | ||
| * Open database of worldwide Elvii with forum and blog. | * Open database of worldwide Elvii with forum and blog. | ||
| * The Association of Professional Elvis Presley Tribute Artists | * The Association of Professional Elvis Presley Tribute Artists | ||
Revision as of 07:27, 15 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.
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."
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 and Elvis impersonator. 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 many 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.
There are also some Elvis impersonators who specialise in experiementing with gender, sexuality, race, taste and decency.
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 New Age 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."
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. On "the thriving phenomenon of Elvis impersonators", see also Gilbert B. Rodman, Elvis After Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend (1996).
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.
There are also several studies. In her paper, "Women Who 'Do Elvis' ", Cornell University researcher Francesca Brittan deals with female Elvis Presley impersonators and finds them to be "campy, cheeky, and often disturbingly convincing."
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.
- Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, Race and the Subject of Masculinities (Duke University Press, 1997), p.198.
- 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.
- "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.
- Francesca Brittan, "Women Who 'Do Elvis': Authenticity, Masculinity and Masquerade", published in the Journal of Popular Music Studies, Vol. 18, No. 2. (August 2006), p.167-190.
- "Robert Sillerman comments about likeness rights". NME. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-02.
See also
- Body double
- Doppelgänger
- Dorian Baxter ("Elvis Priestley")
- Eilert Pilarm
- El Vez
- Impersonator
- List of fictional Elvis impersonators
- Look-alike
- Billy Elvis Murphy
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