I cannot honestly tell you how I became an Elvis Presley fan. My parents are not fans of Elvis, or rock & roll. My dad loves crooners like Sinatra and classic country singers like Willie Nelson. Meanwhile, my mom listened to the soothing sounds of Johnny Mathis. (I know, right!) Whenever we'd have a music discussion, my dad would say, "I don't mind Elvis' music, as long as he isn't the one performing it." (He used this same line with The Beatles.)
My three older siblings, who were much more open-minded toward rock & roll than my parents, were not fans necessarily of The King either.
As far as I can tell, my love for Elvis' music happened on or about August 16, 1977. I was five-years-old at the time, and I heard my parents say something about his death. I still remember the day Elvis died almost more clearly than when my maternal grandfather - the man whose name I carry as my middle name - passed later that same year. (On a related topic, for many years, I remembered my mother-in-law's birthday because it was the day after Elvis'.)
The influence of Elvis has carried on throughout my life. Here are a few examples:
Recently, I found a paper that I wrote in third grade that mentions that "Hound Dog" was my favorite song. (It's not any more.)
When I was a senior at Taylorsville High School, I played "Orin Scrivello, D.D.S." (AKA: "The Dentist") in the production of Little Shop of Horrors. I tried to avoid copying the brilliant performance of Steve Martin from the movie, so I kind of made my dentist a mix of Elvis in Roustabout and Squiggy from Laverne & Shirley. (In that play, there was even a poster of Elvis hanging up in my dentist office. It covered the picture of bad teeth that I showed Seymour when I said, "Look, Seymour! This could happen to you.")
My wife & I were married about two months after Lisa Marie Presley married Michael Jackson. That year (1994), we decided to go as the King of Rock & Roll and the King of Pop for Halloween.
We sat up many late nights gluing sequins to my belt and her glove. (Yes, that is my real hair, dyed black. I grew those chops out for months.)
We got a lot of compliments, and I think we even won the costume contest. However, I have to admit, my wife looked a little too good as M.J. It kind of freaked me out! (Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do it justice.)
I have done my share of Elvis impersonations over the years, even though I'm not that great. It started when I was working as a producer for the "Fisher, Todd & Erin" morning radio show here in Utah. We were at an opening of an electronic store and there was a stage where people could do karaoke. Erin talked me into getting up there to try to nudge others to do the same. I requested "Good Luck Charm" and I put my heart and soul (and hips) into the performance. Needless to say, my co-workers were shocked that I had it in me. Since then, I have performed at numerous events, including a few weddings. (This time, it's a wig. But the stomach is real.)
My three older siblings, who were much more open-minded toward rock & roll than my parents, were not fans necessarily of The King either.
As far as I can tell, my love for Elvis' music happened on or about August 16, 1977. I was five-years-old at the time, and I heard my parents say something about his death. I still remember the day Elvis died almost more clearly than when my maternal grandfather - the man whose name I carry as my middle name - passed later that same year. (On a related topic, for many years, I remembered my mother-in-law's birthday because it was the day after Elvis'.)
The influence of Elvis has carried on throughout my life. Here are a few examples:
Recently, I found a paper that I wrote in third grade that mentions that "Hound Dog" was my favorite song. (It's not any more.)
When I was a senior at Taylorsville High School, I played "Orin Scrivello, D.D.S." (AKA: "The Dentist") in the production of Little Shop of Horrors. I tried to avoid copying the brilliant performance of Steve Martin from the movie, so I kind of made my dentist a mix of Elvis in Roustabout and Squiggy from Laverne & Shirley. (In that play, there was even a poster of Elvis hanging up in my dentist office. It covered the picture of bad teeth that I showed Seymour when I said, "Look, Seymour! This could happen to you.")
We sat up many late nights gluing sequins to my belt and her glove. (Yes, that is my real hair, dyed black. I grew those chops out for months.)
We got a lot of compliments, and I think we even won the costume contest. However, I have to admit, my wife looked a little too good as M.J. It kind of freaked me out! (Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do it justice.)
I have done my share of Elvis impersonations over the years, even though I'm not that great. It started when I was working as a producer for the "Fisher, Todd & Erin" morning radio show here in Utah. We were at an opening of an electronic store and there was a stage where people could do karaoke. Erin talked me into getting up there to try to nudge others to do the same. I requested "Good Luck Charm" and I put my heart and soul (and hips) into the performance. Needless to say, my co-workers were shocked that I had it in me. Since then, I have performed at numerous events, including a few weddings. (This time, it's a wig. But the stomach is real.)
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