UNCONVENTIONAL WORLD RECORDS

Shawn Klush, of Pittston, Pennsylvania was on 17th August 2007 named the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist, in the first-ever competition officially sanctioned by Elvis Presley’s estate to see who is the best Elvis impersonator in the world.

Wearing a replica of Elvis’s 70s era white jumpsuit, Klush captured the imagination of the sell-out crowd at a Memphis concert hall with 2 songs: “Viva Las Vegas” and “You Gave Me A Mountain.”

He defeated 9 other hopefuls, including veterans Trent Carlini and Donny Edwards. In a true indication of Elvis’s enduring international appeal, the finalists included a Canadian, a Norwegian and an Englishman.

It was not an SMS concert, but rather judged by a panel, which included Joe Moscheo, a vocalist who performed regularly with Elvis in Las Vegas. Contestants were judged on performance, appearance and “respect for Elvis.”

The cash prize of USD5,000 might not seem much, but the marketing value of the first-ever endorsement from Presley’s estate could prove to be priceless.

Preliminary rounds of the competition took on an American Idol-esque quality as regional contests were held to find the 10 finalists.

Source
Yahoo News

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