Wednesday, August 14, 2002
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Wednesday, August 14, 2002 |
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Tribute concert marks anniversary of Elvis' death By MICHAEL
BOYLAN
This Friday, Aug. 16, will mark the 25th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. To mark this occasion, Rick Alviti, America's premier Elvis tribute artist, will perform his Memories of Elvis Concert at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center. Alviti has been performing as Elvis for five years. He has thrilled audiences all around the world, from Myrtle Beach, S.C. to Malaysia, where he performed for the Prime Minister. He was a spokesman for Las Vegas and has appeared on several television shows including E.R. and the Vickie Lawrence Show. Alviti had his own theatre in Myrtle Beach, the Celebrities Theatre, where he performed 5-6 nights a week. "It has been great being on the road," Alviti said. "While touring I may only do 10 shows a month instead of close to 10 shows a week." One of Alviti's biggest thrills was touring with the Jordanaires, the long time back-up singers for Elvis. The Jordanaires are the most recorded group in history as they not only backed up Elvis but also performed with Patsy Cline and Ricky Nelson among others. "One night in particular where I felt really close to him was the night I performed at Independence Arena in North Carolina with the Jordanaires and 6,000 fans in the audience," Alviti recalled. Alviti has been widely heralded for his rendition of the King, for his voice and his movements. "It took me a good year of studying countless videotapes of concerts to get Elvis down," said Alviti. "I'm still working on it as well, always trying to make it better." Elvis seems to be as popular today as he was at the height of his career. A dance mix of his "Little Less Conversation" has hit the top of the charts and the recent Disney release "Lilo and Stitch" features a number of Elvis classics. Alviti believes it is this visibility that still keeps Elvis alive in the mind and hearts of his fans. "He was a charismatic, wonderful entertainer," said Alviti. "He may not have created rock n' roll, but he brought it out front." "Memories of Elvis" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. at the Clayton County Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $25-$35 and can be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet, by calling 404-249-6400 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com. |
