May 12 2004

Spirit of the King

by Megan Edwards

Elvis impersonation has been around long enough to show obvious signs of its own idiosyncratic evolution. You no longer hire an Elvis without first deciding whether you want the young Elvis of Ed Sullivan fame or the mature Elvis in white jumpsuit. Just the other day, I saw one of these senior Elvi (oh, and you’d better know the accepted pseudo-Latin plural of Elvis, too) on the Strip. He was clad in a slightly threadbare bright red double-knit jumpsuit studded with purple rhinestones. Did the original King own one of those? The answer is that it doesn’t matter. His descendant is wearing one now, and that’s all that does.

It’s hard not to wonder what the real Elvis Presley would think about all the entertainers who have used his music, style, looks, and personality to launch their own careers. Maybe he’d feel ripped off. Maybe he’d smile at the sincerest form of flattery and say, “Thank you vurry much.” I prefer imagining, however, that he’d check out these copycat entrepreneurs individually, because every so often, he’d come across one that is not a mere imitator, but a genuine artist extending and expanding the Elvis legacy.

Such a performer is Steve Connolly, who has a one-man show at Fitzgerald’s on Fremont Street (click here for more info). Steve falls into the “young Elvis” category, performing in a two-piece black leather outfit that shows off his toned physique quite spectacularly. During his show, Steve refers to his choice of vestments, revealing at one point that he loses ten pounds a show sweating and at another that he can’t do the jumpsuit thing, “because when I jump, I goose myself.” I’d never thought about the hazards of acrobatic dancing in not-quite-stretchy enough polyester, but Steve’s moves prove his point. He’s a top-flight dancer, and he completely satisfies all those who were wondering what they missed when Ed Sullivan’s producers cut Elvis off at the waist to prevent America from enjoying his agile pelvis. Near the end of his show, Steve raises his mike stand to a height slightly above his head, and then uses it to prove just how high he can kick. Did the real Elvis do that? Once again, it doesn’t matter. Steve does, and he’s the one still kicking.

So Steve looks good, which is as far as some Elvis clones get. Fortunately, the minute he opens his mouth, it’s obvious Steve can sing like a star, too. His voice is more than able to showcase everything from “Return to Sender” (my personal Elvis favorite) to “Love Me Tender.” In the case of the latter, another of Steve’s talents comes to the fore. His skill on the guitar made me realize just what a fine package of talents I was watching.

All of this would have been more than enough to satisfy me and all the other folks sipping drinks in the Fitzgerald’s showroom, but there was more. Before winding up his show, Steve sang two of his own songs. Yes, he was still in black leather, and his pompadour and sideburns were still Presley-perfect, but it wasn’t Elvis singing those songs. It was a fresh, original voice.

I didn’t expect to be taken into new territory at a free Elvis show, but Steve Connolly accomplished just that. And judging by the number of CDs he sold after the show, I wasn’t the only one who liked his original compositions. (Click here for purchasing information.)

Steve Conolly’s Elvis Web site is www.SpiritOfTheKing.com, and I think he chose an apt name. Steve isn’t an Elvis replica. He’s a musician who carries on the tradition of Elvis as his own artistic persona branches out in new and creative directions. I don’t know if the King would approve, but he left the building a long, long time ago. Steve’s still here, and he’s one more reason I like living in Las Vegas.

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