Sharing our passion
August 14th, 2009 by Jane SchneiderWe all look for ways to connect with our kids. One is sharing our passions, something I saw in action earlier this week when I attended the semi-final performance of the 2009 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest at the Canon Performing Arts Center.
Sitting next to me in the auditorium was Tammy G. and her 14-year-old daughter, Allison. The two were anxiously waiting to cheer on Pete Paquette Vankleek Hill, the winner of the Toronto Elvis Festival, who hails from their province of Ontario, Canada. The pair have made the Memphis pilgrimage five years running now, traveling from their hometown of Guelph, Canada, to revel in a week of Elvis-related bliss.
They share their passion for the King the way other mothers and daughters share clothes. Allison lip-syncs to many of the songs and the two leap up and scream each time a Canadian Elvis is announced. (This meant LOTS of screaming, since five of the 20 semi-finalists were Canadians this year). If Allison secretly prefers singers closer to her generation, like Pink perhaps, it is not evident tonight.
As the evening unfolds, Tammy leans over to share insider information, telling me how each impersonator receives points for details like appearance (costumes must match the period of the song), delivery (movements should capture the King’s essence), stage presence, and vocal quality. The contest, sponsored by Elvis Presley Enterprise, fetches a cash prize of $20,000, and the opportunity to perform professionally. Each impersonator sports jet black hair, swept up in a pompadour or boyishly brushed across the forehead, and all have mastered the King’s signature hip gyrations, arm pumps, and crooning techniques. But despite such encyclopedic knowledge, it’s only on occasion that those elements coalesce, creating the magic that draws the audience to its feet. Elvis. The King. Forever.
The two are members of the Elvis Insiders Fan Club, one of the largest international fan clubs; Tammy’s passion so great the gates of Graceland are forever emblazoned across her lower back.
“Coming to Graceland is about making friends,” she says with a smile. “You meet some of the same folks each year and everybody is so friendly. You meet people in restaurants and everybody’s talking about Elvis.” The two nod enthusiastically. It is about bonding, she says, about building memories, together.
Watching the performers on stage that night, singing to such an appreciative audience, I couldn’t help but be reminded of how special Elvis really was. He embodied that rare blend of charisma, sex appeal, talent, and timing that people wanted to have for their own. Perhaps that’s why his legend lives on. And why this week is worth celebrating — particularly when you’re a mother and daughter, swept up in a dream.
To attend Elvis events this weekend, go to: www.elvisweek.com/schedule/