Elvis tribute artists seek the crown in iconic musician's hometown
Jun. 10—TUPELO — For 25 years, dozens of Elvis tribute artists from around the world have come to the birthplace of the King of Rock 'n' Roll for a chance to be crowned winner of the Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition.
The 2023 Tupelo Elvis Festival features 22 Elvis tribute artists competing for the first-place prize, which includes: $5,000 cash, a guitar from Tupelo Hardware, a statue trophy from the Elvis Presley Birthplace and more.
Winners from regional Elvis festivals around the world, including the Tupelo winner, will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, for Elvis Week in August to compete in the semifinal round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest.
Alex Mitchell kicked off the week's performances Thursday afternoon during a showcase at Cadence Bank Arena.
The 29-year-old from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, won the Tupelo competition in 2021. Raised by his grandparents, Mitchell is a lifelong fan of Elvis.
"They took me to see an Elvis tribute artist, and it blew my mind that it was a job that you could get paid for," Mitchell said.
He's been working as an Elvis tribute artist for 15 years. What he enjoys most is getting to travel and meet new people.
"Elvis fans, they're some of the nicest people I've met in the world," Mitchell said. "It really is like a big Elvis family."
The only troublesome part is walking around with Elvis hair and sideburns 24/7, he said. Of all the Elvis festivals he's attended, Tupelo is his favorite.
"There are probably 20 to 30 Elvis festivals across the country and the world, and to me, this is the most important one," Mitchell said. "We're literally in the birthplace of Elvis, and it's a whole different feeling. I don't know how to describe it, but it's just amazing."
Louis Brown, 22, came all the way from Yorkshire, England, for his biggest tribute artist competition yet.
His mother and father passed his Elvis fandom down. In fact, his father was once an Elvis tribute artist himself.
Brown left a job in banking to start his career as a tribute artist in September 2022. He performs regularly at festivals, clubs and private events.
"It's probably one of the most rewarding and the best jobs to have, obviously, if you're a fan of Elvis," Brown said.
Not only is it Brown's first time competing in Tupelo's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition, it's his first time visiting the United States.
He's excited about working with the band and singing Elvis songs where it all started.
"Singing in the birthplace of Elvis, that's something I dreamt of when I was younger," Brown said.
What he's enjoyed most about his career so far is bringing back memories of the iconic performer for fans and meeting fellow Elvis tribute artists.
"You all share the same love for Elvis and the same passion for your work," Brown said. "I'm absolutely loving it."
Russ Weathers, 62, traveled from Livonia, Michigan, to compete in Tupelo's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition for the first time.
An Elvis fan for as long as he can remember, Weathers grew up listening to his parents' copy of Elvis' 1968 comeback special.
He began performing Elvis' music at age 13 when he won a school talent show performing "Heartbreak Hotel" and has worked as an Elvis tribute artist on and off for years.
He retired in March from a career as an electrician, giving him more time to dedicate to performing.
"I love his music, I love entertaining," Weathers said. "It gives people a good escape from life."
Few can claim they've been performing the King's music since before he died, and after nearly 50 years as a tribute artist, Weathers can now say he's performed in Elvis's hometown.
Logan Ramey, 18, has been singing Elvis songs his entire life and professionally for about eight years.
The Beach Park, Illinois, native was introduced to Elvis's music by his father. He started out performing as Johnny Cash, but after entering a few competitions as Elvis, it stuck.
Being an Elvis tribute artist is now Ramey's full-time job, and he's booked most every weekend.
"It can be stressful at times, but you see the smile on people's faces," Ramey said. "That's really the biggest part for me."
His favorite part of the job is hanging out with other tribute artists.
"It's like a brotherhood," Ramey said. "We all watch out for each other."
He has competed in Tupelo's Youth Competition before, but this is his first year performing in Tupelo's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition.
For Ramey, the most daunting part of being a tribute artist is trying to live up to a legend.
"You've got to look like him and sound like him," Ramey said. "It's tough, because no one is ever going to touch him."
Josh Pack, 33, grew up listening to Elvis with his mom on car rides.
"Anytime we had the opportunity to sing some Elvis together, that was what we did," Pack said.
The Louisville, Kentucky, resident sang "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" at karaoke with his friends when he was 18. Listening back to a recording of the performance, he was shocked by how good it sounded.
"I started out right there, and it's been going on ever since," Pack said.
He's a full-time preacher but performs as an Elvis tribute artist on the side. He first competed in Tupelo's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition in 2021.
Before that, Pack hadn't been exposed to the tribute artist culture.
Decked out in a bedazzled black jumpsuit on Thursday, Pack said he's now fully immersed.
"When I saw the level of detail in the costumes and the makeup that they were doing, all of this other stuff, I was like 'I've got to come back here, but I've got work to do before I'm able to do that,'" Pack said.
This week is special for him not only because he's singing in Tupelo, but because it's the first time he's been able to bring his 2-year-old daughter to see him perform.
"That means far more to me," he said. "I could go all the way to the top, and it would be secondary compared to that."
He said Elvis tribute artists in Tupelo are "treated like the King himself" and encourages anyone interested in trying it out to give it a shot.
"We keep Elvis' story alive," Pack said. "There are different times where you get to peel back the veil a little bit, and it's no longer you interacting with somebody. It's actually like Elvis having a conversation with a fan. People lose sight of the fact that you're not him for a moment."
