Video: Tribute Artist Competition Wraps First Round at Tupelo’s Elvis Fest

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) -The annual festival honoring Tupelo’s favorite son is in full swing, and Friday morning was  round one of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition.

The event is a fan favorite,and we met one fan who knows a little something about “The King’s” live shows.

As Elvis tribute artists take the stage the fans show their appreciation , singing along and moving to the music.

For Joe Makowski, seeing the tribute artists brings back a lot of great memories.

“Between August of 1971 and June of 1977 I saw Elvis a total of 81 times.”

In fact was featured on a prime time CBS special in 1977 highlighting Elvis last concert. Makowski was in the audience.

“I have a fairly good job with the post office and just about all the money I do make goes to seeing Elvis shows, but it’s worth it, it’s worth every penny of it.

He is a regular at Tupelo Elvis Fest and says the tribute artists are not only entertaining but they help preserve the memory and legacy of the boy from Tupelo who made it big.

“These guys are really devoted artists and true fans, a number of them have come up to me and wondered if they did a good job a couple of guys have even said, we saw you in the audience, kept looking at you wondered if we were doing an ok job, but they really do a great job and respect Elvis and definitely keep his memory alive.”
Elvis tribute artists say they appreciate the fans and the opportunity to perform the songs made famous worldwide by the original American idol .

“For guys that come from the UK, there is a romance, getting on a plane, and telling your friends, I’m going to Tupelo, I’ll be posting on Facebook non stop, it’s just the romance, they can’t get enough of it back home.”

“The travel, being able to see all the fans, being able to hear stories from people who actually got to see him and visiting places like this, iconic, like Tupelo, it all started here.”

All 18 Elvis Tribute Artists took time after round one to visit historic places in the life of Elvis the boy. They toured the birthplace, had milkshakes at Johnnie’s Drive Inn and stopped in at Tupelo hardware.

Elvis Fest continues through the weekend.