Monday, February 17, 2014

Music Fans Gather For Annual Elvis Tribute

By Jerri Perry


The public could see an elvis tribute carried out in a variety of ways. Grandmothers who grew up listening to Heartbreak Hotel are turning their grandbabies into a third generation of Elvis fans. Women relate fond memories of attending his concerts. Memorabilia is still big business.

His first love of music was for gospel songs. The king of rock and roll won three Grammy Awards for gospel recordings. There are complete collections of all his music still being sold.

His first Grammy Award was for Best Sacred Performance, which he won in 1967. He won another in 1972 for Best Inspirational Performance. The third was in 1974 for Best Inspirational Song.

Long after his death he was awarded a Grammy posthumously. It was in 1993 for the double sided record Hound Dog and Dont Be Cruel. Each year in August, fans converge on Memphis from all over the world. They stand in a line for hours just to walk up the hill and pause at his grave for a moment to remember him.

Every year, on August sixteenth, fans travel from all over the planet to attend. Each carries a candle and stands in line quietly waiting to file past his grave to remember him. He died at the early age of 42 years. It is a somber ceremony with sad faced and crying people gathering to honor him.

Look alike contests are held to judge impersonators for their singing, dancing and general Presley look. For the most talented of these, there are jobs as singers in clubs and stage shows. They are hired to sing at private parties and deliver congratulatory musical messages.

One new show is called From Graceland to the Promised Land and two acts are touring in it. They are a gospel group and one single performer from Australia. Audiences love to listen to the music and also hear about the history of Presleys gospel music background in addition to the rock music he performed.

An annual title is awarded to one talented imitator called The Spirit of Elvis Award. He will be someone so perfect that it is as if the king were resurrected. The voice, unique smile and sexy dance moves simulate the originals including those dance moves that scandalized the country in the fifties and sixties.

There is an entire week of shows and festivities in Memphis honoring his memory that is held surrounding the date of his death. You can see the King on every street during this week. There are stage shows, contests and parties to celebrate. Crowds of men of all ages appear in white jumpsuits embellished with rhinestones.

Fans collect stuffed hound dogs and purchase memorabilia of all kinds. There are earrings made to look like records, t-shirts bearing his face and telephones made to look like pink Cadillac cars. People eat peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

Elvis Lives is an elvis tribute show that has a schedule to tour many cities. A festival takes place in Europe. Graceland is one of the most frequented tourist locations. He purchased the mansion for his mother and it served as his residence until his passing. His talent is revered and his popularity unparalleled. A thousand years from now, he will continue to be remembered.




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