Reports on the festivities celebrating the seventieth anniversay of Elvis Presley's birth are rolling in from all over the world. In Cleveland, for example, the Plain Dealer previews tomorrow night's extravaganza at Playhouse Square:
Three Elvis "re-creators" - Shawn Klush, Justin Shandor and the incredible Ryan Pelton - will channel Elvis in all his glory during the various stages of a career that ended with his death in Memphis in 1977.
Three years ago, Pelton blew away a Playhouse Square crowd twice, first as "gold lamé Elvis," with hits such as "Shake, Rattle and Roll" and "Don't Be Cruel," and second as "GI Elvis," performing tunes such as "It's Now or Never" and "GI Blues."
Shandor is the rookie to the Cleveland stage. The 19-year-old specializes in the rockabilly Elvis years. Klush, who has been tagged the No. 1 Elvis performer in the United States, rounds out the impersonator roster.
Joining Pelton, Klush and Shandor will be D.J. Fontana, who was Elvis' longtime drummer and appeared in many of his movies (die-hard cinephiles won't call the any-excuse-for-a-song flicks "films"). The King's backup vocal group, the Inspirations, also will appear, teaming with the veteran stage band the Fabulous Ambassadors Elvis Tribute Orchestra.
In Austin, Texas the Paramount Theater is celebrating with an Elvis Presley Double Feature/Birthday Party.
In the London Sun the paper wishes Elvis a happy birthday with a story featuring a computer-generated image of how Elvis Presley would have looked at the age of 70 (ouch!). In India, New Kerala reports that Elvis's "trademark quiff has been voted the most iconic hairstyle of all time."
In Elvis's hometown, fans celebrated this morning on the front lawn of Graceland. Jerry Engelby of Jefferson City, Missouri, spoke for many: "He's immortal. There's no age to him."
Thank You! Thank You Very Much!
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