Elvis impersonator
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Elvis impersonators are people who impersonate or copy Elvis Presley either as a hobby or as a professional career. These impersonators work all over the world and are in great demand due to the iconic status of the man they imitate. They range in ethnic background, size and talent. Elvii is a plural for 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 (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/shows/2000.12.03.htm).
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.
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Elvis Festivals, Contests and Competitions
In Florida each year The Elvis Invasion of Florida (http://www.magicmomentproductions.com) is held that attracts the best Elvis Tribute Artist from all over the world. This event is very popular and always a large media event.
In Collingwood, Ontario Canada there is an annual Elvis festival which features an Elvis impersonation contest which attracts professional impersonations the world across.
The seaside town of Blackpool in England is also home to Europe's largest Elvis impersonator contest and convention.
Notable impersonators
Extreme Elvis
Extreme Elvis is a San Francisco-based Elvis impersonator who performs a highly unflattering rendition of an Elvis who supposedly survives the 1970s only to grow more obese, and more addicted to substances. His highly controversial impersonation meets with strong disapproval among Elvis fans, and is said to be less an impersonation of "Elvis" as it is a caricature of American decadence—abusing the highly iconoclastic and universal archetype that Elvis once embodied.
Motto: "Every generation gets the Elvis it deserves"
Martin Fox
Martin Fox is a highly respected Elvis impersonator from the UK. He has been in the entertainment business for over 20 years performing as Elvis at many concerts, functions, photoshoots and weddings across the world.
Martin specialises in the 1970s-style of Elvis Presley.
Andy Kaufman
Andy Kaufman was one of the first (if not the first) 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.
Deke Rivers
Deke Rivers is an Australian Elvis tribute artist. Deke is famous for revitalizing one of Elvis' most famous concerts, Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite and his version is titled "Elvis Aloha".
Tortelvis
Tortelvis is the lead singer of Dread Zeppelin (a funk-rock Led Zeppelin cover band)
El Vez
El Vez, also known as Robert Lopez, is known as the Mexican Elvis, and is known for his pro-latino covers of Elvis favorites, often modified to fit the bill. "In The Ghetto", for example, becomes "En El Barrio", and "GI Blues" becomes "GI Ay Ay Blues".
Francis Lane
Francis Lane is an Austrian native Elvis impersonator. He also personifies "Gromono", a horror character with a clown mask. He featured in the TV reality soap "Tausche Familie" ("Family Swap") on Austrian private channel ATV+ in September and October 2004. www.francis-lane.at.tf
Elvis Phuong
Elvis Phuong is the Vietnamese-American Elvis. The album Elvis va Toi contains Elvis Presley songs sung bilingually in English and Vietnamese.
Elvis For Peace
This Elvis was first sited on April 17, 2005 in Bentonville, Arkansas protesting the United States' campaigns of war and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. He maintains weblog at http://elvis4peace.blogspot.com where you can view his photo(s) and post comments or check out his other site at http://www.geocities.com/elvis_4_peace The original online news article can be found at Google.com cached page at http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:6YLjkpdQBb8J:nwanews.com/story.php%3Fpaper%3Dbcdr%26section%3DNews%26storyid%3D19602+&hl=en
See Also
External links
- List of Elvis Impersonators (http://dmoz.org/Arts/Music/Bands_and_Artists/P/Presley,_Elvis/Impersonators/) Extensive list of Elvis Impersonators on the internet compiled by the Open Directory Project
- Extreme Elvis website (http://www.extremeelvis.com/) (includes male frontal nudity)
- An interview of Extreme Elvis (http://www.rundevilrun.com/ezine/interviews/elvis/)
- http://www.sincitysounds.com/spotlight/3-26-2002.html A report on Extreme Elvis at a Wedding in Las Vegas
- Elvis Impersonator Martin Fox (http://www.elvis2k.co.uk/) Martin Fox's Website
- Elvis Aloha website (http://www.deke-rivers.com/) Deke Rivers Website.
- Elvis Weddings (http://www.elviswedding.co.uk/) Elvis Wedding Chapel based in the UK.
- Elvis Impersonator Contest (http://www.elviscontest.co.uk/) European Elvis Impersonator Contest and Convention.
- Elvis Wayne (http://www.elviswayne.net/) Site for Elvis impersonator.