Tupelo’s Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition host deeply rooted in Tupelo

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Elvis tribute artists from around the world are hoping to take the grand prize this weekend at the Tupelo Elvis Festival.

The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition is a highlight of the annual festival, and the emcee of the event is not only known by Elvis faithful, but also has deep roots in the All America city.

He is not a contestant, but Tom Brown opens every Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition with a song.

The Tupelo native has emceed the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition since 2008.  He is known for his quick wit, fancy jackets from Lansky Brothers, and vast knowledge of all things Elvis.

“The songs the guys are performing, a lot of the songs I already know a lot of the information, about the song, what year it came out, who was the writer, what label it was on, what color the label was,” Brown said.

Hosting the Elvis Tribute Artist competition is a role Brown has been preparing for since childhood.

“It was my dream as a kid to always be Johnny Carson, I didn’t want to be a movie star, or guest on the show, I wanted to be Johnny and so I really feel like somehow I’ve lucked into this job of being the Johnny Carson of the Elvis world,” he said.

Next to the Elvis Tribute Artists, Tom Brown is one of the more popular attractions at the Tupelo Elvis Fest.  He says it’s because he is a huge fan himself.

“I get the best seat in the house,” Brown said.

Fans and Elvis Tribute Artists say Brown plays an important role in the festivities.

“He adds to the whole show, without him there wouldn’t be a direction to go,” said Scharma Hays, a fan from Oklahoma.

“He’s the only guy I call the ‘un ultimate ETA’ he doesn’t try to put on a suit and act like Elvis but he knows every word to every song, he knows all the people who knew Elvis, Tom’s a friend of ours, he’s a fan of everybody’s, he’s just a great all around guy, love him to death, but more importantly, I love his mother Polly, who still can move and dance, maybe where Tom got his sex appeal from, not sure,” said ETA, David Lee.

When he’s not traveling on Elvis related trips, Brown makes his home in Nashville.

Brown is also host of the YouTube show, “The Gates of Graceland.”  He saw Elvis live in concert one time in Memphis in 1974.