Even though James's recording initially had not been commercially successful, upon reviewing the song Elvis decided he could turn it into a hit. Eventually, ODay was able to smuggle Wise into that clinic on that day in January 1978. From left: Caywood as Joplin, Rhyne as female Elvis, Hazebrouck as Croce, Gamble as Elvis, and OConnell as Morrison. Wow your guests with a visit from the King of Rock and Roll! In 40 years, its become more acceptable to do something like that, compared to back then, says Eyellusions Pezzuti. People loved it.. Jack Singer, played by Nicolas Cage, encounters a group of "Flying Elvises" (skydiving Elvis impersonators) while trying to reunite with his fiance. [11][bettersourceneeded] This joke may have its origins in Charlie Chaplin, who once did enter a lookalike contest and is often reported to have also placed third, although Chaplin's actual ranking in the contest is not known.[12]. Besides performing throughout New Zealand, he has performed in Australia, Hawaii, Fiji and the United States.[42]. Elvis impersonators are one of the most frequently booked look-alikes and tribute artists. I wanted to give him some stability, so we decided to find a home in the Entertainment Capital.. Wise says he never saw a dime, nor ever saw ODay again. It was like the stream of consciousness off the top of his head. My dad has been an Elvis Tribute Artist for over 30 years. This has seen some impact on what Elvis impersonators and contests have on the media and marketing industry. When ODay proposed the idea of surgical transformation to them, the newly hired hands were either eager or puzzled, depending on the singer. Then, he would move on to dead comedians, remaking people to resemble W.C. Fields and Abbott and Costello. "[25] In her paper, "Women Who 'Do Elvis'", Case Western Reserve University researcher Francesca Brittan deals with female Elvis Presley impersonators and finds them to be "campy, cheeky, and often disturbingly convincing. Episode 26 - My Dad is an Elvis Impersonator - Feat. Marcia and Dennis Wise SINGER TOOK THE KING AT FACE VALUE - Orlando Sentinel Growing up in Baltimore, he played drums in a few local bands. Sight unseen, always. And just like ODay, each was hungry for recognition and success, a very different type of American dream. It was just not right. The Reno Gazette-Journal agreed, noting, Caywood-Moores Ball and Chain is a showstopper., As the Reno run began winding down, ODay planned to take Rock and Roll Heaven to its natural destination: Las Vegas. "First of all, you don't. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Dennis Colt, the first famous Elvis impersonator, circa 1978. He didnt like that, the state fairs, says Effie. "[17], However, the Elvis industry includes "professional Elvis impersonator registries." mannerisms. Thousands of "Elvi" gave it their best shot in the 2007 BBC competition show World's Greatest Elvis. Despite the media splash and countless articles that accompanied it, Rock and Roll Heaven didnt exactly rock the house when it launched. ODay later admitted the idea was also suggested by Rhyne and that he had his own doubts: I said, What, are you crazy? The man who played Elvis' boss at the Crown Electric company was Red West, a real life schoolmate and best friend of Elvis. The 24th season of the American adaptation of Big Brother featured Daniel Durston, an Elvis impersonator from Las Vegas, Nevada. Must be 21 to attend this Las Vegas event. Cram him into brown leather pants and he might pass for the Lizard King. Hes lead singer for the dance band Deja Vu, which performs from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays at South Point. He did say, Well, what can we do? Following the transformation, he made his TV debut on Good Morning America in early 1978. [55] During the 1960s, he played drums with Sonny Day and The Sundowners. Dean Vegas and Paul Fenech from Australia were also booked for the event. include being named by Dick Clark as one of the three best Elvis Pop singer Bruno Mars, only six years old at the time, has a small role as a young Elvis impersonator. Dad hated Elvis. (I knew it wasnt the original, the woman said of ODay. "That was a very strange day," Wise says. Nelson even performed alongside Presley when they first met, also in 1954. He also has an Elvis tribute act. Yeah, I thought, Oh, this is so weird, many times, Caywood says. lvis Presley had been dead for six months when the plastic-surgeons knife plunged into Dennis Wise. What ODay himself dubbed his clone army only wound up fighting a few minor skirmishes: a handful of TV appearances, and gigs at clubs, state fairs, and casinos, earning enough notoriety to have possibly inspired not one but two Saturday Night Live parodies. "Michael Chapa, an Elvis impersonator who works in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, helped entertain more than 2500 of his relatives at what is believed to be the country's largest Hispanic family reunion "[14], There are also some Elvis impersonators who specialize in experimenting with gender, sexuality, race, taste and decency. Jim called Dennis, who was then selling Toyotas at a Honolulu dealership, and asked if hed want to come to Arkansas and try out for their band. Hired as: Way before celebrity holograms were a thing, concert promoter Danny ODay decided to pay tribute to dead musicians in the craziest way possible getting plastic surgeons to transform a group of tribute artists into clones of Elvis Presley, Jim Croce, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison for his conceived tour, Rock and Roll Heaven.. Saturday, January 18 at 8:30 pm Cascade Lounge. In the words of Jim Croces son A.J., as quoted in Rolling Stone, Jesus Christ thats some twisted shit. We feel you on that, A.J. The small western New South Wales town of Parkes in Australia has been hosting the Parkes Elvis Festival since 1993, which includes a special "Elvis Express" train from Sydney to Parkes. Getty Images provides access rights only and does not license the copyright in the image. When he woke up, his swollen face wrapped in bandages, Wise had implants in his cheeks and a curled-up lip, and he was on his way to resembling the King more than his 23-year-old self. than 10,000 shows honoring the king. Millions of high-quality images, video, and music options are waiting for you. It was late 1977, Elvis had just died, and maybe there was a market for a tribute act. Wise is King for a Night on Saturday at Boulder Station. I got up one night and did Heartbreak Hotel and the fans liked it, Wise says. Dennis Wise is the ultimate fan and the ultimate Elvis performer, with more than 10,000 shows honoring the king. The first known Elvis impersonator was a young man named Carl 'Cheesie' Nelson from Texarkana, Arkansas, who in 1954 built up a local following on WLAC radio with his renditions of "That's All Right, Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky." A '70s Promoter Used Plastic Surgery to Bring Back Elvis, Janis Joplin Recalling those early performances, the groups Janice Joplin impersonator, Mona Caywood-Moore, was quoted saying, they were bombs, man. I have no idea. ODay also landed them an appearance on Tom Snyders late-night network talk show. So Jim said, Lets do a little Elvis thing in the show.. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. [6], The second known impersonator was a 16-year-old boy named Jim Smith. To hear his family tell it, Danny Dixon ODay could have been a star. Dennis Wise knows exactly where he was when Elvis Presley died Aug.16, 1977. The film was directed by Don Coscarelli. Editor's note: This story was updated to reflect the correct date that Elvis Presley died. The film version also stars Ossie Davis as Jack, a black man who claims to be John F. Kennedy. Other Samoan Elvis's include Elvis of Samoa,[64] and Nifae Fepuleai. Eric Lott, "All the King's Men: Elvis Impersonators and White Working-Class Masculinity." 2023 Getty Images. It's only fitting that he would choose a career that pays tribute to the King of Rock and Roll. The plus sides, he still has some good moves, accomplishes an acceptable Elvis appearance and performance, but his voice doesn't sound much like Elvis. He said this guy is putting together a show and they need a Janis Joplin, Caywood recalls. The group (not to be confused with the Upsetters who gigged with Little Richard) released a full LP as well as a tribute album to the late Otis Redding, whom they backed up on tour for a short period. At an early stop on the tour, one reviewer noted that few of the performers resembled their dead counterparts that much. It was perfect, but it was a lot of trouble, Wise says. It wasnt Vegas, but it was close, and it came with perks, like all the alcohol and Perrier anyone wanted. He was the winner of the competition. During ODay who used the word clone while agreeing that that wasnt quite the right scientific term for what he had paid doctors to do even boasted hed found a chemist in Los Angeles who could alter someones pigment. ELVIS LIVES! Local impersonator keeps 'em all shook up Get our roundup of longform stories every Saturday. From as early as five years old, Dennis can remember He envisioned a world in which celebrity worship would rule, everyday people could be elevated to stardom, and there would be no shame in any of it. would play the song much too loudly and much too often. Following the transformation, he made his TV debut on Good Morning Americain early 1978. I always do a show celebrating his birthday and remembering him on the anniversary of his death.. The new-tech twist is the hologram, which has brought Michael Jackson, 2Pac, Frank Zappa, and Whitney Houston back to a semblance of life. O'Day's first foray into the world of tribute acts came in 1977, when he met Dennis Wise, who sounded close enough to Elvis that O'Day convinced him to go under the knife and have his nose, cheeks, and lips made to look more like the King's. Dennis began his professional tribute to Elvis in 1978, a year after the Danny pulls in with a brand-new Burt Reynolds Trans Am, he says. Now, he travels the world with his Elvis Tribute Show. That was a very strange day, Wise says. Elvis Extravaganza is a 60-minute 2009 Elvis impersonator documentary featuring amateur Elvis impersonators and their quest for the title of the "World's Finest Elvis Impersonator.". The gimmick baffled some who had known ODay. A 'Must See' video.Featuring:Rick Bonner (Vocals)Cody SlaughterDonny EdwardsNick NicolasIndia's ElvisElvis PresleyWatch \"Rick Bonner 'The Ultimate Performance' (Please share)\" on YouTube\"Suspicious Minds\" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James. I was heartbroken, very upset. I was there in 1977 when Elvis died.. All Rights reserved. They didnt know they were talented musicians. In Miami, the tour was booked into the Persian Room at the Marco Polo Hotel, but when not enough tickets were apparently sold, it was downgraded to the Swingers Lounge Disco. At Gambles suggestion, his girlfriend, a North Carolina native named Deborah (or Erin) Rhyne, had her nose straightened and hair dyed black to resemble a female Elvis. (Im going to be Elvis in the early 1950s, when he was feminine-looking, she said.). RAINBOW UMAMI: a Queer Club Remix Series: Celebrating diversity and creativity in the queer music community. Self And here, at Florida Hospital, on Jan. 31, 1978, Dennis Wise underwent six hours of plastic. But a lot of the nightclubs were afraid it was just a freak show. Wise says that, inspired by Dark Passage, the 1947 film in which Humphrey Bogarts escaped-con character undergoes plastic surgery to avoid recapture, he suggested altering his face to look more like the King. In Reno, Gamble saw ODay handing out five-dollar bills to people at the door to lure them inside. I thought I was headed back to Hawaii, but the guy said Ill take him. >Article Archives Caywood remembers ODay as a big ol shyster, but the tour launched her into roles in productions of Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as an extended run at a Palm Springs club (singing both new and classic pop hits) until her recent retirement. He and Effie were divorced in 1979. In addition to the classics, Im throwing in some songs Elvis did onstage that arent heard as much. He has been performing since the late 1960s and in the 1980s was performing at the Copper Grill in The Weld on Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, and in later years at the Royal Selangor Club in Dataran Merdeka.[66][67]. The author, professor of American Studies at the University of Virginia, has also written a long piece on Elvis impersonators and the EPIIA (Elvis Presley Impersonators International Association) to be published in his next book. We were traveling the country, doing two shows a night six and seven nights a week.. In 2003, at age 54, ODay succumbed to non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Cruise kept asking James if he had any songs that would be right for Elvis. Hazebrouck, who was still performing as Croce, rejoined ODay and Rhyne for a Kenny, Linda, and Jim show. Standing Outside Graceland, A sermon for Reformation Day/Sunday It is cured by visiting a psychologist, who tells the patient how ridiculous he/she look[31]. Eddie is still performing mostly in bars or 6-star hotels, especially with Elvis impersonators. In an episode of How I Met Your Mother Marshall and Lily are serenaded by a Korean Elvis. Get ready, music lovers, because Record Store Day 2023 is right around the corner! Ironically, the makeover would be inspired in part by Erin Rhyne, the female Elvis in Rock and Roll Heaven and the member of the troupe whod been the most damaged by it. Elvis impersonators set to appear besides Fitter were Brendon Chase, Melissa Perkins and Kerryn Winn. There are also three "how to" guides, Be Elvis! It was his seventeenth and last number-one single in the United States. He appeared in episode 3 of the BBC Two Wales documentary, Cardigan Bay Coastal Lives. Mark portrays the 1950s rock-a-billy era complete with exact replicas of all of Elvis' performance guitars and stage clothes from 1954 to 1958, as well as old 1950s RCA microphones and even a full-size Nipper dog statue on-stage (Mark is the only impersonator that uses RCA's Nipper). (The first was a 1981 skit about a sleazy Rock and Roll Heaven marketing company, featuring Eddie Murphy, that made a joke about the Three Js Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Croce.) In 1978, the clone tour was cited in Rolling Stones year-end issue, under the header The Brides of Funkenstein. (Two aspiring women performers underwent plastic surgery: one to look like a female Elvis; the other, Janis Joplin.) But almost as soon as it arrived, Rock and Roll Heaven imploded, and ODay became the smallest of footnotes in pop history books. Dennis Colt, the first famous Elvis impersonator, circa 1978. DENNIS WISE FANTASIES LP (ELVIS IMPERSONATOR) AUTOGRAPHED SLEEVE - eBay 'True' impersonators believe that they are 'chosen' by The King to continue His work and judge themselves and each other by their 'Authenticity' and ability to 'Channel' Elvis' true essence. ., Silhouettes by Paul Guzzo, Record Details, Catalogue: 3829/M15-3829, Elvis Lives! We called him the flim-flam man with the Flim Flam Band.. Dennis Wise began listening to Elvis at the tender age of 5, often belting out his favorite song "Heartbreak Hotel." His tribute to Elvis turned professional just one year after the. Caywood was already a fireball, get-out-of-my-fucking-way person, as she says, with a bad-ass stare and freewheeling vibe to match. Its no longer a wrap: the Rock and Roll Heaven band after the bandages came off. Wises mother introduced him to Elvis music. Often, the shows would start with OConnell as Morrison, vamping through the Doors Light My Fire, Love Me Two Times, and Touch Me, before Hazebrouck came out with Croce hits like Time in a Bottle and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. After a brief intermission, the band launched into a stomping groove, and Caywood stuck her hand through a curtain holding a bottle of Southern Comfort before emerging feathers flying, she says and starting her Joplin set, which included Ball and Chain and Piece of My Heart. Then, Gamble would re-enter, karate-chopping his way through a medley of Elvis hits, before everyone reconvened onstage for a grand finale. [58], Another Elvis of Samoan descent is Johnny Angel. There are even several radio stations[1][2] that exclusively feature Elvis impersonator material. In later levels of Theme Hospital, patients arrive at the hospital suffering from "King Complex". But that doesnt mean his interest in the King has waned. Gary James' Interview With Elvis Impersonator Dennis Wise Dennis Wise made Page One news in papers across the country back in 1978 when he under went 6 hours of cosmetic surgery to re-construct his face to resemble Elvis Presley. Luckily, Gamble says, he was able to point to a Rock and Roll Heaven billboard with his face on it, and he got away with just a warning. As incredible as it may sound, Elvis Presley would have celebrated his 74th birthday today probably quietly at Graceland lest he throw out a hip. [65], Malaysia has Tony Warren who is known as "the Tom Jones of Malaysia". James at the time was married to his first wife, but still had feelings for his childhood sweetheart, who was married back in Houston. 'Rolling Stone' has the story of 'rogue '70s promoter' Danny O'Day. Gamble switched to Christian music and eventually became an ordained minister in Arizona, where he currently lives. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Danny O'Day is well, he was in a category all his own. With his sandy-brown hair, six-foot-plus height, and strong voice, ODay had the goods: He had talent, and he could play almost any instrument there was, Effie recalls. Elvis Impersonator from Winston Salem, NC (95 miles from Wake Forest, NC) Danny Crouse is a consummate performer who performs as a solo artist and can perform a variety of music! A both serious and humerous collection of the world's greatest Elvis impersonators. He Used Plastic Surgery to Raise Rock Stars From the Dead, These Musicians are Supplying Ukraine With Drones, Burt Bacharach, Master Pop Composer, Dead at 94, New Bootleg Series Installment Maps The Long Road To Dylans Resurrection. Wise was doing an Elvis show in Hawaii. The mementos may be gone. I bless you, Daniel ODay, she says, for opening up such a large part of my life that came out of that.. Dennis Wise - IMDb But in the current landscape, where dead pop stars seem as prevalent as living, breathing ones, Danny ODays outlandish vision remains open for business. He once sang some songs on Karaoke at a 30th birthday party which his mother in law loved. Gamble, a high-school dropout whod worked as a carpenter and in local theater productions of musicals like Bye Bye Birdie, reveled in his Kingness. The two still performed in what tiny clubs they could, but one day a waitress told ODay, who was singing Kenny Rogers songs with another act, that he bore some resemblance to the Gambler growler. It contains interviews with many famous Elvis impersonators, and also gives you five free Sunfly Karaoke backing tracks, allowing you to download your favorite Elvis tracks to perform to. Streamline your workflow with our best-in-class digital asset management system. My mother has been singing with him for j. At the recording session, James sang the lead vocals, and the studio band backed him with Momam producing. roll, gospel, pop, and country. Hire Everywhere Elvis - Elvis Impersonator in Las Vegas, Nevada - GigSalad And I wasnt being paid anywhere near what Jim Morrison was. Tourists would visit the mansion and then stop by Wises club for the tribute act. In his mind, Rock and Roll Heaven would merely be the beginning. In Fallout: New Vegas, the Kings are an Elvis-themed gang based out of the "King's School of Impersonation". ", "Arkansas Libertarians select candidates lineup; Elvis Presley among nominees", Kiwi Elvis impersonator to take on the Aussies, This man makes snake anti-venom by day and is Ceredigions only Maori Elvis tribute artist by night By Rachael Misstear, Andy Stankovich is Elvis for six New Zealand shows - Courtney Martin, 5-B Mr. Fatu And The Coastal Connection At Colonial Inn, Page 14/LA GACETA/Friday, June 9, 2006 . Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. For more information, please call (702) 631-7000. Collect, curate and comment on your files. In fact, the clones didnt need the bandages, but ODay, ever the showman, insisted they keep the wraps on for maximum suspense. At the time, he was referred to as the greatest Elvis impressionist around. An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and singer Elvis Presley. We were offered a job to go to Hawaii, Wise says. Dennis Wise knows exactly where he was when Elvis Presley died Aug. 16, 1977. As a result, Sophia's wedding reception is filled with Elvis impersonators (one played by a young Quentin Tarantino)[30] instead of members of her own family, and Rose exclaims, "Either I got the Elvis list mixed with the guest list for the wedding or everyone in Sophia's family appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show!". According to Caywood and Gamble, no one was getting paid much, if anything at all, and what pay existed wasnt always equal. Climaxes of the play are surreal fantasy scenes in which Dad's hallucinatory Elvis dreams are bursting into popular Presley songs as a reminiscence of his one-time persona of Elvis impersonator. It was her motivation that helped him become an Elvis tribute artist. In the mid-1970s, Andy Kaufman made an Elvis impersonation part of his act. Since Wise was persona non Presley in ODays world, a new King was needed. A promoter was looking for an Elvis act, says Wise, who auditioned by singing Trying to Get to You., I sang a few lines and the guy said, Thats enough, Wise says. Despite ODays high hopes, and a decent amount of news coverage, the Rock and Roll Heaven tour didnt quite make the impact hed imagined. He has continuously performed his Elvis tribute act for almost 50 years, including performances in Las Vegas and headlining an Elvis tribute show in Branson, MO for almost 20 years beginning in 1993. On "the thriving phenomenon of Elvis impersonators", see also Gilbert B. Rodman, Elvis After Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend (1996). covering all phases of Presley's recording career, including rock `n' In 1985, he resurfaced in his home state of Maryland, managing a bar, Dannys, on Route 50 in Easton. The final Elvis impersonator made a splash by parachuting in on top of a car. 3000 Miles to Graceland is a 2001 thriller film, starring Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner, Courteney Cox Arquette, David Arquette, Bokeem Woodbine, Christian Slater, and Kevin Pollak. Droser in a 1993 paper derived from the Elvis impersonators the term Elvis taxon (plural Elvis taxa), which denotes a taxon that has been misidentified as having re-emerged in the fossil record after a period of presumed extinction, but is not actually a descendant of the original taxon, instead having developed a similar morphology through convergent evolution. Impersonator impresario Ed Franklin boasts, 'We've had every type of Elvis there is in the world. In Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, eds., "The Pedant's Return: Why the Things You Think Are Wrong Are Right" By Andrea Barham. He would be in the traditional Elvis dress from the waist up, but from below the waist was in Bermuda shorts and bare feet. Most fall under the following categories: There are different levels of impersonation, which depends largely on who is doing the impersonation and for what purpose. You know that saying about a lightbulb going off over your head? [8] Jeremy Spencer of British blues-rock band Fleetwood Mac became known for his high-energy Elvis tribute performances during his tenure with the band. appealed to everybody. Priscilla Presley's favourite Elvis impersonator - YouTube The large growth in Elvis impersonators seems tightly linked with his ever-growing iconic status. Dennis Wise, 54, has been an Elvis impersonator for more than 30 years, beginning with a garage band he started with his brother. When the band broke up my brother returned to the mainland but I stayed on in Hawaii a couple of years. CKX, INC, which now owns Elvis Presley's estate, has full control including the grave of Elvis Presley and his family members along with his home Graceland in early 2008. He plays original music with Enjoy the Zoo, a group whose members grew up in Las Vegas.
