Fans Of All Ages Travel From Far Away For Annual Elvis Tribute

By Jerri Perry


Adoring fans have many opportunities to attend an elvis tribute. Grandmas bring children and grandchildren to Memphis Tennessee to tour Graceland, his home. His music is loved. He sings a variety of songs, from Heartbreak Hotel to gospel hits to Unchained Melody, his last televised performance. His memorabilia is still in demand.

Although the King is generally known as a rock and roll singer, gospel music was his first love. There are complete collections featuring the best of his gospel music. He won three Grammy awards for his gospel recordings.

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. This was in 1993 in commemoration of his double-sided hit recording of Hound Dog and Dont Be Cruel. Among his many accolades, perhaps the annual candlelight ceremony on the anniversary of his passing remains the most important.

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.

There are shows year around in which Presley is emulated. Memphis, Vegas and Branson Missouri are only three of the locations where they perform. The most talented are working to earn a living as Presley impersonators. Clubs, stage shows and private parties are clamoring to hire them. Tours go to cities all over the US.

A new show featuring one group and one single performer are launching a show called From Graceland to the Promised Land. The singer from Australia performs as a single act and the group performs Presleys great gospel hits. Audiences are eager to hear the history of his gospel hits as well as his rock music.

There are numerous contests for musicians who honor his memory. Each year various titles are given including a Spirit of Elvis award presented annually. They imitate to perfection, the voice, the smile and the dance moves that were so scandalous in the fifties and sixties.

A week of festivities, banquets and shows are held in Memphis Tennessee surrounding the date he died. His followers are seen around town wearing white jumpsuits with eagles embroidered on the back and blue suede shoes. Hound dogs are everywhere. His passing is celebrated with reverence.

There have been female Presley impersonators, child impersonators and imitators from Japan, Malaysia and all the European countries. Souvenirs fly off the shelves in the gift shops in Memphis and peanut butter and banana sandwiches are sold in every restaurant in town including the relatively new Heartbreak Hotel.

Elvis Lives is another of the elvis tribute shows that tour. They travel to perform around the world. In Europe there is a festival held to honor him. Fans flock to Graceland, his home in Memphis, every day of the year. His talent and popularity are unequaled and he will never be forgotten.




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