Dear ETA

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

i have to agree and say theres best ETAs out there for diiferent reasons such as different eras, best look ,best moves, best voice . For example for me Chris Connor has to be the best at the TTWII era without a shadow of a doubt i mean it really is like watching elvis himself.I think some of us can only watch in admerationTBH. then theres the likes of shawn klush maybe even Doug Church who is possibly the best at what he does. theres also ricky Aron who is possibly the best at the 50s stuff . also theres mike Nova who sings and moves to the movie and 60s songs fantasticly well. theres proberbly a best G I Elvis out there even a best 68 comeback elvis. Also there could be a catorgory for best overall elvis tribute. a name that springs to mind for this for me would be gordon Elvis who seems to do them all very well indeed. very hard to question to answer so many great ETAS out there ive only mentioned a few that would be in my list. i would have to say these guys would be the best or my personal favorites should i say for different reasons.

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

I agree Lisa, it is hard to choose because everyone is different. As long as they a great tribute thats a bonus aswell.

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Im qiute a busy girl...sorry, I dont always have time to look at what others post as much as I should. I know im on here quite a bit, but im always busy

Id really like someone like Michael King to answer...see who he likes to watch and thinks is sincere, because it must be strange as an ETA to watch another, and kind of support them too. I shall google ur partner...see what I come up with. x

Sophie wrote:

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Im qiute a busy girl...sorry, I dont always have time to look at what others post as much as I should. I know im on here quite a bit, but im always busy

Id really like someone like Michael King to answer...see who he likes to watch and thinks is sincere, because it must be strange as an ETA to watch another, and kind of support them too. I shall google ur partner...see what I come up with. x

Aint everybody else's opinion good enough ?? quite a few "ETA'S" have given their opinions , am not sure how to take yoru post

Sophie wrote:

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Im qiute a busy girl...sorry, I dont always have time to look at what others post as much as I should. I know im on here quite a bit, but im always busy

Id really like someone like Michael King to answer...see who he likes to watch and thinks is sincere, because it must be strange as an ETA to watch another, and kind of support them too. I shall google ur partner...see what I come up with. x

I am very surprised you dont know who Chris Connor is Why would it be strange for one ETA to watch another and support them, everyone should help one another and respect one another.

val w (Kinky Boots) wrote:

Sophie wrote:

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Im qiute a busy girl...sorry, I dont always have time to look at what others post as much as I should. I know im on here quite a bit, but im always busy

Id really like someone like Michael King to answer...see who he likes to watch and thinks is sincere, because it must be strange as an ETA to watch another, and kind of support them too. I shall google ur partner...see what I come up with. x

I am very surprised you dont know who Chris Connor is Why would it be strange for one ETA to watch another and support them, everyone should help one another and respect one another.

Have to say Val, I've never been to watch any ETA's.
I'm an Elvis fan and unless said ETA was absolutely perfect, I'd be disappointed. So far I haven't heard anything to change my mind.
I enjoy the meets at Blackpool and Porthcawl etc but I wouldn't seriously consider ever going to watch someone pretend to be Elvis as an evening's entertainment.
I understand why many people do, but I don't.
I have always been an Elvis fan. I'll never be an Elvis Tribute Artist Fan.

I have seen a few ETAs over the years, and recently have tried when time allows to get and see more, with Chris working nearly every weekend its really hard. Hope that next year we get to see more. We would both really like to get to one of Chris Connors shows and also see Doug Church as well but that relly depends on Chris booking dates.

I am glad that not everyone thinks like you Johnny hehe or else there would be no audience for the ETAs to perform too.

Soooo I hope we get to see more ETAs next year, I look forward to Birmingham to be able to listen to the sounds of Elvis, and meet like minded people and make friends, share experiences and advice and all the good things because the world dont have too many good things happening at the moment.

I just had a thought.. lol... a cheeky one but none the less... what wonderful showcases it would be for maybe 2012 comp.. Chris Connor, and Doug Church! showcasing .. ahhh I could fulfill my lil dreams in one evening hehe -

Thanks for your post Johnny, im not saying others are less sincere at all...but its good you were open about how you feel as an ETA, and fellow ETA's.

As for not knowin who Chris Connor is, it depends on where he comes from really...ive only ever seen 3 ETAs...Michael King, Christopher Clayton, and Richard Atkins, and id not heard of them before I saw them.

Now I listen to a certain DJ, that is Billy Butler on Radio Merseyside, hes known Chris Clayton for years so talks about him on his show or has him plays his stuff, so Id know of Chris through Billy.

well consider this your education

http://chrisconnor.org/

http://www.chrisconnorvideos.com/

Is that me told then!!! I think we all have our favs hey. x Thanks btw for the linky things.

I saw the pics...but couldnt get the link to work for the vids. So ill try again tomorrow or something.

DARREN H wrote:

johnny king wrote:

val w (Kinky Boots) wrote:

Sophie wrote:

LISA wrote:

Sophie wrote:

I dont know...she might have meant both cc's!!!! But im not sure who her cc is...so ill go look. x

'she' ... meant Chris Connor.... the clue is in my profile pic! And posts.....

However All eta's bring something to the stage in different ways. A RESPECTFUL tribute is always a plus!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh Im qiute a busy girl...sorry, I dont always have time to look at what others post as much as I should. I know im on here quite a bit, but im always busy

Id really like someone like Michael King to answer...see who he likes to watch and thinks is sincere, because it must be strange as an ETA to watch another, and kind of support them too. I shall google ur partner...see what I come up with. x

I am very surprised you dont know who Chris Connor is Why would it be strange for one ETA to watch another and support them, everyone should help one another and respect one another.

Have to say Val, I've never been to watch any ETA's.
I'm an Elvis fan and unless said ETA was absolutely perfect, I'd be disappointed. So far I haven't heard anything to change my mind.
I enjoy the meets at Blackpool and Porthcawl etc but I wouldn't seriously consider ever going to watch someone pretend to be Elvis as an evening's entertainment.
I understand why many people do, but I don't.
I have always been an Elvis fan. I'll never be an Elvis Tribute Artist Fan.

Johnny don't quite get where u are coming from, no disrespect meant at all but you yourself are an eta so surely you would expect people to come & watch you & they do, so should these people not come & see you perform your Elvis tribute because they are Elvis fans & u are not Elvis or close to Elvis in every way? Do u not encourage this in what you are doing regarding your tribute as u advertise your act as an Elvis show? Surely that's part of why u do it & get paid & if it wasn't partly to do with it then surely you'd cease doing it? You yourself are encouraging fans to see an eta by means of them coming to see you so why would u not go watch etas yourself, seems a little contradicting? Nobody can or never will take the place of Elvis, it will never happen but that shouldn't prevent u to go watch etas. As I said I mean no disrespect at all Johnny, just trying to understand your view on it mate.

It is purely a personal opinion Darren, and not meant to influence others one way or another.
Before I did this, as you know, I was one of those Elvis fans who regarded ETA's as an affront. I know differently now, and I am satisfied that the vast majority do what they do because they are huge Elvis fans, and that their motives are good ones. I have been singing Elvis songs since I could talk, but it took me 40 years to do this because I assumed most people were like me, and would therefore be disappointed when they saw and heard me. The fact that this doesn't appear to be the case does not detract from the fact that I don't share their enthusiasm for watching guys dressing up as Elvis and singing the songs. It isn't tribute acts in general - it's just ETA's. It's just an Elvis thing, and it is a very personal thing. People ask me if I sell CDs - that they would pay a fiver - a tenner or whatever. I tell them to go round the petrol station and buy an Elvis CD for three quid if they want to listen to something decent. I would happily sell them anything but me singing Elvis.
I will say one thing though, any advertising I personally do only has my name on it. It says I sing Elvis songs. It makes me cringe when I am introduced as 'Elvis' although thankfully that only happens at one place.
With regard to understanding my view on it Darren, when you do, will you tell me?
I know my position on this appears contradictory, but then, I used to be responsible for a department that packed liver for supermarkets. I hate liver, but it didn't stop me from managing the department...
For me, this is a very individual thing - it is to do with the relationship I have with Elvis, and have had for a very long time. I would never discourage people from coming along to see ETA's - anything that keeps the memory and the image alive is good for me. I love meeting up with everyone at the conventions and stuff - all the guys are great and everytime I go I enjoy it even more. As a phenomenon it's fantastic, but if I want to see Elvis and hear Elvis songs, I have a thousand songs at home I can listen to and DVDs I can watch.
It's just the way it is for me.

michellep wrote:

I am glad that not everyone thinks like you Johnny hehe or else there would be no audience for the ETAs to perform too.

Me too! I love entertaining and helping people have a good time. It's just been this way for me for decades. It may change, but it's unlikely...

I have to say...Johnny, I admire you very much for your open and honest answer. Thats whats this topics about...ETA's and their thought about seeing another ETA, or not. It is a personal thing, and I think you for answering with sincerity.

DARREN H wrote:

it took u 40 years thought u was only 25 [/b]

ha ha I wish - that was 20 years and three stone ago...

Sophie wrote:

I have to say...Johnny, I admire you very much for your open and honest answer. Thats whats this topics about...ETA's and their thought about seeing another ETA, or not. It is a personal thing, and I think you for answering with sincerity.

I have to say I was quite worried that I wouldn't be able to explain myself properly, and so give the wrong impression.
There is not an ETA I have met who I have not liked - they are all great guys who love singing Elvis songs.
Just after Elvis died, I remember wishing really hard that someone would come along who would look and sing and move like him.
Then Shakin' Stevens came along. Now, I quite like Shaky as a singer and entertainer, but it made it very clear to me that no-one was going to come along - that Elvis was gone. That no-one would be able to take his place, regardless of how much they tried.
I think every Elvis fan has a different relationship with Elvis, and it is quite a personal thing.
A friend of mine only likes the jumpsuit period, and the later years at that.
For me it is different. I grew up with black label singles that did something when I heard them that no other singer has ever been able to do. As I grew up, my tastes changed - but only in so far as what Elvis period I happened to like. As a teenager I was a bit of a loner - a moody little sod dressing in black and spending most of my time in my room listening to Elvis songs like 'All I needed was the rain', and 'I need somebody to Lean On'
Whatever mood I was in, there was an Elvis song to fit it.
It is just a personal thing.
I know that most of the guys are like me - they are just Elvis fans who like to sing the songs, and that is only ever going to be a good thing.

I guess for me I support local ETA's, and go and see them as and when i can...hence the reason ive seen Chris Clayton a few times. I support him 100%. As you say it is very personal isnt it.
I can remember buying a Michael King CD...which I love, and will listen to the same one song over and over...just because i like the way he sings the song...however if its Elvis i need and want to listen to then its Elvis that I play.
Thanks again for answering so openly. I too went through the moody black stage lol...still do it today!