Impersonators
Some of the tribute artists were old men in sneakers, blue jeans and plaid shirts who would have been just as comfortable performing at karaoke night at a nursing home. But there were also some outstanding performers that I got to hear and talk to. My chats with a couple of tribute artists were most interesting.
Franz Goovaerts was the Champion of the Images of the King tribute artist contest in 2006. This is one of the longest running contests in Memphis. Franz was there with his wife Lisa and their friend Crystal who snapped a picture of me with them. This Belgium tribute artist told me he is giving back to Elvis what he have to us. He talked about Elvis’ love and respect. He said that people while liked songs like Jailhouse Rock and Don’t Be Cruel weren’t real Elvis fans. For him, the gospel Elvis is the real Elvis. Franz said he’s not a preacher but he spreads the gospel through Elvis so he is like a preacher. Doesn’t think Elvis is a god or like Jesus but still..
Later I ran into an Indian tribute artist named Robert Pooran. I saw him on my first trip in 2002 and talked spoke with him for the first time in 2011. Robert also said that he was giving back to Elvis what he gave us. He also talked about how Elvis was bringing people together, and all the people from all over the world who were there that were united at Elvis Week. He said when we are here nothing else matters. He said when we are there for Elvis Week all the matters of the world are blocked out. He may not be here next year trying to avoid politics. He told me about a conversation he had with some people earlier in the week where they discussed two people he would bring back from the past. He said his two were Elvis and MLK. He said people bugged their eyes at him. He told them to read their history. Like Franz, Robert reluctantly compared Elvis to Jesus, saying that Elvis wasn’t on the same level as Jesus but he brought people together Like Jesus.
I found that my discussions with Franz and Robert were similar on many levels. They were telling me similar things. Their views of Elvis were almost identical. And my conversations with both were very one sided. I said very little during both discussions. Just by starting these conversations, both went into autopilot, open to telling me what seemed to be their deepest feelings about Elvis and his impact on them and the world. On my way down to Memphis earlier that day, I called my dad, and, in our discussion, he said you probably see the same people there every year. Robert was the first person that I thought about.
In the building with the Music Pavilion is the Jungle Room Lounge. This bar also hosts a daily karaoke during Elvis Week. The performers in the Pavilion are primarily professional tribute artists who sing well where the Jungle Room bar let’s any brave soul get up and sing. Many of the performers there were singing on a dare or just to embarrass their children. One of the most disturbing performances was from a guy they introduced as Crazy Chris. Crazy Chris sang Hurt and it did. Later Crazy Chris was dancing with a lady to a seriously out of tune version of Help Me Make It Through The Night. Later I found out that Crazy Chris’ dance partner was a woman who lived behind Graceland when Elvis was alive. She told me that since then, she moved to Southaven, Mississippi just south of Memphis because of the changes in the neighborhood. While she was telling me this, she gave me knowing looks telling me that she moved because of black people in the neighborhood.
