The banner in the school’s main hallway read, “Homecoming: Come Join Us And Celebrate With Elvis!”

Having worked in my county’s school system for 10 years and being a huge Elvis fan, the banner really intrigued me.  Occasionally I volunteer to help out with school activities.  so I jumped at the chance of attending this high school homecoming dance as a chaperon.

I was excited about seeing a live Elvis impersonator for the first time in a few years, so I made sure I arrived early hoping to see him pull up in a limo, have his chauffeur open up his door,  and watch him get out of the limo and wave to his fans!
At 8:00 P.M., the Elvis impersonator finally arrived unsurprisingly, at the rear parking area, fully dressed in a white, one-piece jump suit, and driving a beat-up 1987 Acura Integra barely accommodating the tallest, oldest Elvis I’d ever seen!  I thought to myself, as I stared in amazement. “This guy’s not an Elvis impersonator, he’s impersonating an Elvis impersonator!!!”

Since many of my co-workers who attended knew of my website, Elvis-Songs.com, I got poked in the ribs with accompanying comments like, “Put his picture on your site,” “Tell him about your site,” Get your guitar, hide behind the curtain and sing an Elvis song, and tell the Elvis impersonator to lip-synch!” 

I just didn’t have the heart to bother this man.  He seemed like a nice fellow as he stood in a room allowing students to take pictures before being whisked into the ballroom to help out with the student court crowning ceremony.  When he was introduced, kids clapped as if they knew Elvis, and this wasn’t much of a surprise; most adolescent kids know something about or have heard of Elvis.  

He then exited as quietly as he entered.  As he started up his vehicle, he had to turn the ignition key over at least three times to get the car started, and as he disappeared in the distance, I had to pause for a moment.

My disappointment turned into pride!  Here was a man who probably loved Elvis Presley, was working either full or part-time as an entertainer and obviously loving it regardless of his age or dissimilarity to Elvis.  “So what” if he didn’t look much like Elvis.  “So what” if he couldn’t even sing a lick.  He was a man trying to make a living to stay alive, and in doing so, he was yet another small link in the chain keeping Elvis alive!

Bless all you Elvis impersonators out there for your help in keeping the greatest and most influential entertainer alive in our hearts!

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Although the life of Elvis Presley was full of ups and downs, the positive accomplishments in his life far outweighed the negatives.

Elvis Presley’s life is the quintessential “rags to riches” story that came with a price, and the price was fully paid! 

We all know he grew up poor and his fame and fortune can be attributed to his relentless ambition!  What an amazing, inspiring story, don’t you think?  Most of us know, making “big money” comes with a high pricetag when it comes to our personal lives, and Elvis was no exception.  No matter how important Elvis knew he was in pop culture, he was always humbled by success and took responsibility for his own failures. 

Few people are cut out for placing their careers first and sacrificing their family lives in order to strike gold.  In my personal life, I’ve actually taken paycuts just to stay in a comfort zone where I can fully devote my spare time to my two children and wife at home.  Anything less than that for me would be inconceivable.  But that’s just me. 

I believe many of us can take the example of the life of Elvis Presley, leave out the unfavorable parts which generally lead only to substance abuse and perhaps womanizing, and try to lead productive lives with clear goals and aspirations like he did, and to lovingly touch people emotionally and spiritedly like he did to so many people around him. 

We can also take the life of Elvis Presley and celebrate the life of a man who was larger than life in our eyes, not his, by not always dwelling on the same subject that usually always comes up in conversation, which is; how did Elvis die?

It’s how he lived his life that matters most.  Elvis was a wonderful human being regardless of whatever faults he had.  Don’t we all have faults?

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