Many years ago when I first started as a tribute artist we were just a handful of impersonators, at the time we were called Elvis impersonators, Imitators...this was back in the 70s, there was very few Elvis competitions,like the famous Bob Vapors in Memphis. I traveled around the country,not having the right managers at the time, I did my best what I could do with my band my shows,it was great! I was in my early 20s it was cool,knowing the excitement,that Elvis is coming to town, IN CONCERT, The man I impersonate, WOW!! I was very fortunate seeing Elvis in concert,watching him sing HURT, six feet away from were I was,I ran to the stage were I stood briefly and I wait to shake his hand and tell him thank you. Than after Elvis pass,I was heart broken. With more shows I done, I was in California in early 1978, auditioning for the movie Elvis, The king of rock and roll...but eventually was rename ELVIS, it was fun,but the part went to actor Kurt Russell. At the time I really didnt care of the attire the jumpsuits, the wear, I was making my living performing Elvis tributes and other genre music as well. In the later 80s I was featured on the 10th anniversary Elvis tribute on Entertainment Tonight MTV,VH1, Various other shows and featured in many books and newspapers too. I made my living doing what I loved best and thats being in front of a live audience performing, opening up shows for Davy Jones from the Monkeys,Jan and Dean,The platters And especially Peter Noon from the hermits hermits who came to see my show and stayed till the end and got up on stage to sing love me tender and all shook up with me, he became a good friend, we talked about everything in general we traveled from one bar to another lol, it was great. I develop type two diabetes and with my traveling is when it later attack my kidneys and later I develop renal failure. My diabetes now, has been under control and I feel great and strong but the three days I feel the worst are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because I am now on dialysis, I have been on the Kidney list for over Three years now and I keep on waiting and waiting and hoping and praying one day a miracle will come true and I will get my kidney. Now today in order to pay a good tribute to Elvis, I believe it is so important to wear the jumpsuits the attire Elvis wore at the time of his life and as always Elvis, will go on living in our hearts for ever and ever. TCB
Posted on: Sun, 21 Sep 2014 03:45:16 +0000
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