The Impersonators of the King

Elvis has not left the building.

Actually he probably has gone. But I did do a double take today during lunch at a local restaurant.

We were celebrating our niece’s birthday and I couldn’t help but notice an Elvis wannabe was eating at nearby table.


Since I had my camera with me I decided to walk over and interrupt his lunch and do a little investigating. I had no trouble getting the man with the white shirt, white pants, white shoes, and jet black hair and elvis sideburns to give me permission to take a photo. I then got Hanna to come join us for this special photo opportunity on her special day.

It turns out the man in white really is an Elvis impersonator. And he must be pretty good at what he does.

He confidently explained to me and I quote, “I’m not trying to brag but people tell me I sound more like Elvis than Elvis himself.”

Now that is an Elvis impersonator.

And a confident one at that.

For you younger readers, Elvis was the absolute king of rock and roll. He swiveled body parts that had never been swiveled before on stage. He was king. No doubt about it.

Bruce Springsteen made a revealing comment about Elvis. “There have been a lot of tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.”

The President of the United States had this comment at Elvis’ death: “Elvis Presley's death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique, irreplaceable. More than twenty years ago, he burst upon the scene with an impact that was unprecedented and will probably never be equaled. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense. And he was a symbol to people the world over of the vitality, rebelliousness and good humor of this country.”

A few years ago I visited his home in Memphis. I discovered that over 600,000 people still visit Graceland annually, second only to the White House. Last year I was in Tupelo and I took the time to stop by and visit the little house where he was born.

It was close to a religious experience.

Forbes Magazine recently named him the most successful and highest earning deceased artist in the history of the United States.

Hanna opened her birthday gifts today at the table. One of the gifts she was most excited about was an Ipod she received from her dad.

If she wants to hear some real music, she needs to download a little Elvis.

Those tunes keep getting better and better.

I know there are all kinds of impersonators out there.

But there was only one Elvis. Sometimes it seems life is just not fair.

Johnny Carson said it best. “If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.”