dennis wise elvis impersonator

(I wasnt there, but he wouldnt do that, counters Effie. 'The World's Greatest Elvis impersonator..EVER!' Rick Bonner 335 subscribers Subscribe 132 121K views 9 years ago A both serious and humerous collection of the world's greatest Elvis. He said, Give me something! and a nurse came over and plunged this needle into me. Wise soon went under. ODay also landed them an appearance on Tom Snyders late-night network talk show. Elvis impersonators are one of the most frequently booked look-alikes and tribute artists. "[18] According to George Plasketes, there are "legions of impersonators. I wasnt able to travel.. But thanks to that original operation, Wise still makes a respectable living re-creating Elvis in the Deja Vu Dance and Show Band, a multi-artist tribute act in Vegas. Growing up, he dressed like Elvis and answered to Elvis in the school halls. 'Rolling Stone' has the story of 'rogue '70s promoter' Danny O'Day. Dennis Wise is the ultimate Elvis Presley fan. include being named by Dick Clark as one of the three best Elvis I bless you, Daniel ODay, she says, for opening up such a large part of my life that came out of that.. At Gambles suggestion, his girlfriend, a North Carolina native named Deborah (or Erin) Rhyne, had her nose straightened and hair dyed black to resemble a female Elvis. (Im going to be Elvis in the early 1950s, when he was feminine-looking, she said.). Playwright Charlotte Jones' award-winning play "Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis"[32] opened 15 April 1999 at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton. It was amazing. It was not for money purposes. Rhyne survived, and overcome by guilt, ODay brought her to Florida to help with her recovery. "[25] In her paper, "Women Who 'Do Elvis'", Case Western Reserve University researcher Francesca Brittan deals with female Elvis Presley impersonators and finds them to be "campy, cheeky, and often disturbingly convincing. She wouldnt let go, he chuckles. (Blame it on the club owner, ODay said in response.) Francesca Brittan, "Women Who 'Do Elvis': Authenticity, Masculinity and Masquerade", published in the. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. According to Caywood and Gamble, no one was getting paid much, if anything at all, and what pay existed wasnt always equal. In The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, a dancer named Tott with a striking resemblance to Elvis Presley appears on Windfall Island. RAINBOW UMAMI: a Queer Club Remix Series: Celebrating Somewhere Sounds: Download Free Sample Packs. Graceland started buying up everything in the area. Dennis Wise sang Trying to Get to You for ODay and the band, and ODay told him that was all he needed to hear. "We're not here to try to take his place. Marcia is a schoolteacher, teaching the history of music. Of course theyll come., Rhyne sang credible Ronstadt covers, while her new husband dug into his performing past to mimic Rogers husky delivery. We just sort of grew apart, she says with a sigh. In Annalee Newitz and Matt Wray, eds.. Sweeney, "The King of White Trash Culture," p.262. By the mid-Eighties, ODay was running out of schemes. Their fellow townspeople understand this sentiment, but in the final scene they are shown burning those selfsame photographs, which display both Oscar and Emma dressed as Elvis. The atmosphere and show itself proved to be too much for Rhyne. They didnt know they were talented musicians. In Miami, the tour was booked into the Persian Room at the Marco Polo Hotel, but when not enough tickets were apparently sold, it was downgraded to the Swingers Lounge Disco. Wise channeled Elvis for years, performing with Brenda Lee in a concert in Chile and appearing on shows with Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin and Dick Clark. [53], Alphonso Keil was an Elvis impersonator and professional musician. I just thought, Well, I dont know what does that mean? says Gamble. He plays original music with Enjoy the Zoo, a group whose members grew up in Las Vegas. Dennis got his nose broken when he was in the Marines, he says. 91 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. $52 million Amount the Elvis estate made in 2008, according to Forbes. The man who played Elvis' boss at the Crown Electric company was Red West, a real life schoolmate and best friend of Elvis. Fans who wish to pay homage to the King of Rock n Roll might enjoy attending Wises annual show commemorating the passing of Elvis. I would see a morbid aspect if we were being crassly commercial in cashing in on dead people. Something nobodys ever done before, recalls Effie. (AP Photo, File), Leonard Cohen's Kids: Dad's Ex-Manager Fiddled With Trust, Ed Sheeran on His 2022: 'I Felt Like I Was Drowning', After 'Grotesque Conduct,' $29M for Kobe Bryant's Family, Radio Station Shares 'Incredibly Worrisome' Update on Missing DJ, God Save the King From Trying to Find a Band to Play Coronation, Man Who Worked for Disney Longer Than Anyone Has Died, Manager on Sizemore: 'There Is No Further Hope', Chris Rock Gets Ready to Discuss 'The Slap', Judge's Sentencing Remark Shows Murdaugh Family Pull, 2 Familiar Faces Were on Turbulent Lufthansa Flight, Woman Declared Dead Decades Ago Suddenly Turns Up. Chips Moman had asked James to come to Memphis to write songs for American Sound Studio. "PM Magazine," "Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon" and "American Episode 26 - My Dad is an Elvis Impersonator - Feat. Marcia and Dennis Wise Dennis Wise is the ultimate fan and the ultimate Elvis performer, with more than 10,000 shows honoring the king. The first singer to go through the surgery was Elvis impersonator Dennis Wise; a former car salesman from Hawaii who traveled to the U.S. to try his luck as a tribute act. What followed was anything but conventional, even during an era, the Seventies, when genuine rock stars would pop up on campy network TV specials. But a lot of the nightclubs were afraid it was just a freak show. On their way out of Nevada after the tour ended, a few of the singers and band members made a pit stop in the desert. I wanted to be an entertainer, and who doesnt want to be like Elvis come on!, Effie insists the idea was her late husbands. For Elvis tribute artists like Trent Carlini, Jesse Garon, Darren Lee and Pete "Big Elvis" Vallee, the message they try to relate on stage is one of fun energy and high intensity, a routine that Elvis himself would be proud of. When he woke up, his swollen face wrapped in bandages, Wise had implants in his cheeks and a curled-up lip, and he was on his way to resembling the King more than his 23-year-old self. Whether he knew it or not, ODay saw the future our future. He died at age 64 in July 2008, after battling cancer. More recent titles include photo essays, Living the Life by Patty Carroll and The King and I: A little Gallery of Elvis Impersonators by Kent Baker and Karen Pritkin. What Danny is doing with his new idea is just not right, he told the Miami News. Some of the performers had reservations about what they were doing. From left: Rhyne, ODay, and Hazebrouck performing as Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers, and Jim Croce at a Florida club in 1981. We were offered a job to go to Hawaii, Wise says. Rock and Roll Heaven opened with the backup band playing an instrumental version of the Righteous Brothers dead-rocker hit of the same name. Elvis Presley Impersonators for Hire Near Me - The Bash Gary James' Interview With Elvis Impersonator Dennis Wise Dennis Wise made Page One news in papers across the country back in 1978 when he under went 6 hours of cosmetic surgery to re-construct his face to resemble Elvis Presley. ), For Caywood, Gamble, and Wise, the scars have healed or are now barely detectable; Gambles mustache covers up his lip cut. He didnt like that, the state fairs, says Effie. At the time, he was referred to as the greatest Elvis impressionist around. Dennis F. December 14, 2015 We enjoyed Elvis John Verified Review Tyler E. May 20, 2014 A great experience with Elvis John Hired as: Elvis Impersonator Verified Review Terri K. April 27, 2014 Great Job! While some impersonators perform a wide variety of Presley's discography, his songs from the 1950s and 1970s remain fan favourites. \"Suspicious Minds\" was widely regarded as the single that returned Presley's career success, following his '68 Comeback Special. Saturdays show will be a family affair. Kenny had a really unique voice. Spirit of Elvis rocks on - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper The Philippines has its own Elvis Presley impersonator, Filipino singer, and actor Eddie Mesa, dubbed as the Elvis Presley of The Philippines. ODay was finally the headlining star attraction hed always longed to be, if not the way hed quite planned it. And here, at Florida Hospital, on Jan. 31, 1978, Dennis Wise underwent six hours of plastic. Despite matching his attire, hairstyle and voice, the Kings are unaware of Elvis as a historical musician, not even knowing what his name was - only that he must have been worshiped for there to be a building dedicated to teaching people to imitate him. For more information, please call (702) 631-7000. A few months after Elvis died Wise traveled to Little Rock, Ark., to audition as an Elvis tribute artist. Dennis I asked him to show me his license and he refused.) According to Rhynes sister-in-law, Wanda, Rhyne was happy, for a time: Danny was the love of her life. He has taken part in the Porthcawl Elvis Festival. Meet some of the European Elvis impersonators competing to be crowned An advertisement for State Farm Insurance featured four Elvis impersonators, each of which performed the company's "magic jingle" in succession, causing representatives from the company to appear out of thin air. Keeping his spirit alive are tens of thousands of professional Elvis impersonators around the world, and millions more who do it for kicks. The film was directed by Don Coscarelli. Original faux-Elvis Dennis Wise practices post-surgery with promoter Danny O'Day, 1978. In Harry Stecopoulos and Michael Uebel, eds., "The Pedant's Return: Why the Things You Think Are Wrong Are Right" By Andrea Barham. Ive got this kid who does a great Otis Redding, but hes white, he said straight-faced. O'Day's first foray into the world of tribute acts came in 1977, when he met Dennis Wise, who sounded close enough to Elvis that O . [39] His day job is at BGT Laboratories in Ffostrasol, which makes antidote products including snake anti-venom. Danny has played music all over NC ,SC & Parts of VA. Danny has played many venues such as: The Barn Dinner Theate. He and his brother formed a garage band in the early 70s. Once again, ODay arranged for the operations, forked over the money (supposedly in the area of $500,000, partly from loans), and alerted the press. I thought I was headed back to Hawaii, but the guy said Ill take him. But . He Used Plastic Surgery to Raise Rock Stars From the Dead, These Musicians are Supplying Ukraine With Drones, Burt Bacharach, Master Pop Composer, Dead at 94, New Bootleg Series Installment Maps The Long Road To Dylans Resurrection. ODays first choice bailed when his name leaked to the press. mannerisms. Spencer would perform as Elvis (often in a gold lam suit) as the main part of a mini-set in which he also did other impersonations of figures such as Buddy Holly and slide guitarist Elmore James. All of a sudden, it started hurting real bad, Wise recalls. $10 million Approximate worth of his estate when he died in 1977, More than 1 billion Best guess of his record sales, according to Elvis Presley Enterprises (the company that owns his likeness and everything else), 147 Number of albums and singles that had been certified gold/platinum/multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, 31 Number of feature films that Elvis appeared in from 1956 to 1969. Halfway through the To become the Gambler balladeer, ODay had a hair transplant, dyed his hair gray, and had his jowls tightened. 2016 Rampart Casino at The Resort at Summerlin. 'The World's Greatest Elvis impersonator.EVER!' - YouTube Once the artists are gone, theyre gone, says Pezzuti. He had to think outside the rock box, and maybe drastic measures were in order. ODay who used the word clone while agreeing that that wasnt quite the right scientific term for what he had paid doctors to do even boasted hed found a chemist in Los Angeles who could alter someones pigment. You dont miss your water until the well runs dry. Rock and Roll Heaven, the touring extravaganza he conceived and promoted, didnt just pay homage to one deceased icon, but four of them: Elvis, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Jim Croce. I have no idea. some memories. In the Sledge Hammer! Its no longer a wrap: the Rock and Roll Heaven band after the bandages came off. Cruise kept asking James if he had any songs that would be right for Elvis. First of all, you dont believe it. My whole life has been dedicated to Elvis.. My first gig was in March 1978 in Florida. Cram him into brown leather pants and he might pass for the Lizard King. In Reno, Gamble saw ODay handing out five-dollar bills to people at the door to lure them inside. Wise is King for a Night on Saturday at Boulder Station. first song, he got the job. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts remain in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis. than 10,000 shows honoring the king. Dennis Wise knows exactly where he was when Elvis Presley died Aug.16, 1977. Most fall under the following categories: There are different levels of impersonation, which depends largely on who is doing the impersonation and for what purpose. Gary James' Interview With Elvis Impersonator Dennis Wise released "Just Pretending" by Kurt Burrows is full of tips on how to talk, sing and dress like Elvis. Way before celebrity holograms were a thing, concert promoter Danny ODay decided to pay tribute to dead musicians in the craziest way possible getting plastic surgeons to transform a group of tribute artists into clones of Elvis Presley, Jim Croce, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison for his conceived tour, Rock and Roll Heaven.. In his mind, Rock and Roll Heaven would merely be the beginning. From a standpoint of being original and doing something that wasnt being done, I give him credit for putting his neck on the line. He could have made a killing in Atlantic City., Some involved in Rock and Roll Heaven wanted to forget it ever existed. The results could be comical: Caywood recalls a drive when some of them were pulled over by cops, who thought the bandaged people in the van were thieves. I do two annual shows one for his passing and one for his birth (Jan. 8), the 54-year-old tribute artist says. Standing Outside Graceland, A sermon for Reformation Day/Sunday Another Filipino Elvis impersonator is singer businessman Chito Bertol who also impersonates Elvis Presley mostly at Bistro RJ Bar in Makati City, and sometimes occasionally performs every year with Filipino singer businessman Ramon Jacinto who was the founder of Bistro RJ and his radio station DZRJ 100.3 FM & his TV station DZRJ TV 29 in the Philippines. A lot of us in the entertainment business dont get a chance to do some of the normal things. I was 30 or 32 and wild and crazy anyway. This has prompted other impersonators, like Mark Lee Pringle of Ohio, to include these details in their shows. By Laura Fitzpatrick Friday, Jan. 08, 2010. According to Rolling Stone, less than 50 people turned up to their debut show in Atlanta. SELECT OPTIONS SAVE TO CART But none of it gave ODay even the slightest pause; by now, he was in full Barnum mode. James felt Elvis needed a mature rock 'n' roll song to bring him back as Tom Jones was a hot artist at the time. Eventually, ODay was able to smuggle Wise into that clinic on that day in January 1978. His admiration for Elvis has spanned over forty years. Pop singer Bruno Mars, only six years old at the time, has a small role as a young Elvis impersonator. David stayed with Elvis at Graceland for 17 years, and traveled with him until the end, August 16,1977. The original unaired pilot even had Johnny Bravo as a literal Elvis Presley impersonator. A 'Must See' video.Featuring:Rick Bonner (Vocals)Cody SlaughterDonny EdwardsNick NicolasIndia's ElvisElvis PresleyWatch \"Rick Bonner 'The Ultimate Performance' (Please share)\" on YouTube\"Suspicious Minds\" is a song written by American songwriter Mark James. However, some ETAs may utilize both a live band and karaoke (either one or the other, in most cases depending on the type and size of the venue). What if, instead of one altered rocker, he had an all-star ensemble of them? Las Vegas Sun, 2023, All Rights Reserved, Less Elvis in Vegas doesnt mean no Elvis in Vegas, Elvis has yet to leave the building (5-15-2008), Bartender mixes Elvis moves with Santa Fe drinks (4-13-2001), Vegas Vipers Home Opener Against DCDefenders, Durango Beats Liberty, 57-47, in Boys 5A BasketballChampionship. Elvis Impersonator from Winston Salem, NC (95 miles from Wake Forest, NC) Danny Crouse is a consummate performer who performs as a solo artist and can perform a variety of music! In 1978 Wise went through extensive plastic surgery to make himself look more like Elvis. [38], Des Perenara, a Maori Elvis comes from Auckland but is now based in Cardigan, Wales. The international guide I am Elvis, for instance, contains "photos, repertoire, and personal testimonies that serve to materialize the phenomenon of Elvis impersonation and further institutionalize it, including female Elvii, child Elvii, Black Elvii, El Vez the Mexican Elvis, and scores of British, German, Greek and Indian Elvii. There are disputes about what happened next. [40][41], Andy Stankovich is a well known Elvis impersonator from Auckland, New Zealand. [58], Another Elvis of Samoan descent is Johnny Angel. (I knew it wasnt the original, the woman said of ODay. Soon after he received a call from his brother in Little Rock, Ark. ", O'Day landed him a week-long gig in Florida for an eye-popping $15,000 (roughly $60,000 today), but the professional relationship soured after Wise said he never got paid and sued. favorite song was "Heartbreak Hotel", and to his father's chagrin, he If I could still do two shows a night, six nights a week, Id do it, Wise says. My dad has been an Elvis Tribute Artist for over 30 years. A.J. On "the thriving phenomenon of Elvis impersonators", see also Gilbert B. Rodman, Elvis After Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend (1996). [10] As Kaufman gained fame, the impersonation was used less and less. Jim called Dennis, who was then selling Toyotas at a Honolulu dealership, and asked if hed want to come to Arkansas and try out for their band. Following the transformation, he made his TV debut on Good Morning Americain early 1978. But for Wise, the jailhouse only rocked for so long. 19 verified bookings. The film version also stars Ossie Davis as Jack, a black man who claims to be John F. Kennedy. We started playing in clubs in Joplin and in Oklahoma and Id do a little Elvis skit in the act, Wise says. Guess where the money went? Wise wound up suing ODay for negligence (claiming his professional reputation has been damaged) and breach of fiduciary duty, demanding a minimum settlement of $2,500. He has been performing as Elvis since around 2000. And lastly, Dennis is a bit aged these days and many of his promo photos are of younger years. Longtime Elvis impersonator to go beyond the standards The horns, strings and vocals of the Holladay Sisters were later overdubbed. (Rhyne, by then remarried and known as Deborah Erin Bertalan, died of complications from a brain tumor in 2011. Impersonator impresario Ed Franklin boasts, 'We've had every type of Elvis there is in the world. Eric Lott, "All the King's Men: Elvis Impersonators and White Working-Class Masculinity." I feel weird saying this, but basically I was the hit of the show, says Caywood. A husband hired them to perform at his wifes 40th birthday party, since she was a Rogers fan. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. In this country, we always want what we cant have, ODay once said. To this day, you can easily see tributes to ABBA, Rush, or Eighties and Nineties hip-hop. This tribute to O'Day made sure there was fanfare around itWise recalls exiting the plastic surgeon's clinic in a wheelchair to find "100 people from the press all over the world taking pictures. Dennis Colt, the first famous Elvis impersonator, circa 1978. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account. The first night, Wise was singing Love Me Tender and passing out scarves la the King when a woman in the crowd came up and grabbed him in the crotch. To make himself feel better about the idea, ODay ran it by his mother: What if his younger brother, whod passed away at 21, had been an entertainer and died and had been resurrected by way of plastic surgery? It is a story of theft and betrayal, revolving around a plot to rob the Riviera Casino during a convention of Elvis impersonators in Las Vegas. The Casino is not part of the Hotel and is not part of the JW Marriott system. Dennis can recreate the songs, moves and looks from all Era's of Elvis' career, 50's, 60's, and 70's. His heavy show schedule of an average of 200 shows a year with tours in Colorado, California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa in the past year alone proves that Dennis is the most sought . After spending the next two years on the road, he and his wife, Marcia, decided to settle down in Las Vegas. The Martin twins dressed-up as twin-Elvises in an episode of The Suite Life where they were appearing on a gameshow called "Risk It All! When the band broke up my brother returned to the mainland but I stayed on in Hawaii a couple of years. But in the current landscape, where dead pop stars seem as prevalent as living, breathing ones, Danny ODays outlandish vision remains open for business. When ODay proposed the idea of surgical transformation to them, the newly hired hands were either eager or puzzled, depending on the singer. audition for Wise as an Elvis Presley impersonator. The large growth in Elvis impersonators seems tightly linked with his ever-growing iconic status. On the 15th of May, 2011, he entered the Elvis Down Under competition in Upper Hutt. Infuriated, Gamble says he followed ODay back home to Florida to demand his money. This is a publicly distributed handout. Later that year, Don Cruise, Moman's partner, told James that Elvis had booked their studio to record what would become the From Elvis in Memphis album. From as early as five years old, Dennis can remember The requisite jumpsuits and jewelry are there too. "[26] According to Marjorie Garber's academic study, Vested Interests: Cross-dressing and Cultural Anxiety (1992), Elvis impersonation is so insistently connected with femininity that it is "almost as if the word 'impersonator', in contemporary popular culture, can be modified either by 'female' or by 'Elvis. Dennis began his professional tribute to Elvis in 1978, a year after the "[17], However, the Elvis industry includes "professional Elvis impersonator registries." He envisioned a world in which celebrity worship would rule, everyday people could be elevated to stardom, and there would be no shame in any of it. Thats up from $49 million in 2007. The Flim Flam Band continued working, in what ODays cousin Paul Patten calls the Howard Johnsons tour of lounges in those family-vacation hotels. Access the best of Getty Images with our simple subscription plan. Elvis Extravaganza is a 60-minute 2009 Elvis impersonator documentary featuring amateur Elvis impersonators and their quest for the title of the "World's Finest Elvis Impersonator.". Bags were removed from under OConnells eyes, and wrinkles from his cheeks. America," "Today," "Oprah Winfrey," "The Mike Douglas Show," "48 Hours", '"[27], In the 2011 novel Donations to Clarity by Noah Baird, one of the main characters the town's sheriff is an Elvis impersonator.[28]. When I found out I was going to do this, I said, Well, enough of [health food], and I went out and had a cheeseburger with a shot of whiskey and beer. To dispel any doubts about the actual alcohol in her onstage bottle, shed pour some of it into the glasses of skeptical fans in the front rows, and watch as they gulped it down and realized they were drinking genuine Southern Comfort. Elvis Presley: The King's best impersonators - CNN Style ODay started by taking Wise to a Florida dentist, who shaved his teeth down to resemble Presleys and closed up the gap in his two front teeth. Often, the shows would start with OConnell as Morrison, vamping through the Doors Light My Fire, Love Me Two Times, and Touch Me, before Hazebrouck came out with Croce hits like Time in a Bottle and Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. After a brief intermission, the band launched into a stomping groove, and Caywood stuck her hand through a curtain holding a bottle of Southern Comfort before emerging feathers flying, she says and starting her Joplin set, which included Ball and Chain and Piece of My Heart. Then, Gamble would re-enter, karate-chopping his way through a medley of Elvis hits, before everyone reconvened onstage for a grand finale.