Elvis Tribute Artist Eddie O'Rourke presents A Tribute to The King

Eddie O'Rourke rules as "The King of Rock", June 25th, 2009 "Elvis Summer Festival"

THE BURDEN OF CREATIVE GENIUS

When I heard the news of Michael Jackson’s passing, I was about to begin a concert. In the moments as I waited to start my show, I was reminded of the high price some performers have paid for their creative genius. I’ve had the privilege of knowing and working with some very gifted entertainers and musicians. ‘The greats” and “the near-greats”. Some well known personalities and some the world will never know. A common trait for all these people was their pursuit of an elusive sound. The wonderful by-product was simply great music. True genius often takes a toll on personal relationships and the contentment with life that we all seek. It was certainly the case for Elvis and Michael Jackson.

The obvious connection between Elvis and Michael  was Michael’s marriage to Lisa Marie, but there are other factors. Both rose to iconic status at an early age and became isolated because of their celebrity. Both had commanding stage presence and left an indelible imprint on contemporary music. Each was a major influence on the musical styles of other entertainers. And in the end both died before their time, leaving their fans to ponder what might have been. Life is a trade-off…you don’t get without giving.  We envy talent, but how many would be willing to bear the burden that true musical genius brings. Elvis and Michael Jackson knew, too well, the demands of extreme talent.

Over the years I’ve developed several themed concerts. Programs that feature music from a particular timeline in Elvis’ career. The list includes: “Elvis…The Early Years”. Primarily songs recorded in the fifties. I have two renditions of  “Aloha from Hawaii”. There’s an abbreviated version and a longer concert that, more closely, follows the televized format. Likewise, a long program for, what is commonly referred to as, “The ‘68 Comeback Special” and a shorter version “Elvis…Black Leather”. Then, there’s the “Elvis In Hollywood” show which features many of the better tunes from Elvis’ movies. In an effort to enhance the visual effect of this program, I set out on a project of recreating the look of The King as he appeared in selected movie roles. I perform the concert in any one of a number of jumpsuits. The stage however is peppered with blow-up posters of me as Elvis in various costumes representing a few of his more popular motion pictures.

Here you see me as Elvis in his movie "Harum Scarum."

The project turned out to be much more involved than I originally anticipated. First, I watched the individual movies to decide which costume best represented the essence of each film. Next, a suitable setting with the right props, followed by the photo pose most often used to publicize each film. Finally, the most challenging aspect of the project…COSTUMES!! I spent lots of time and eventually lots of money after exploring vintage clothes and costume shops on ebay. Often I would find the right look, but the wrong size. Hats, shirts, pants, scarves, guns, gun rigs, swords…all in all a daunting effort. But, for a movie buff like me…a lot of fun too!

Here I'm pictured as Elvis in the movie "Charro."

As of this writing I’ve recreated publicity shots for six Elvis movies and the project moves forward as I continue my search for more props and costumes. Now I’m thinking of producing a video in which I perform songs from those classic Elvis films while dressed in the appropriate outfit. On the outside chance that doesn’t come to pass….I have endless possibilities for future costume parties!!