Elvis lives on in Barstow tribute

Robert Rogers, Staff Writer Article Launched: 05/06/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT

BARSTOW - They flocked to a rocky lot in this desert town, men long in tooth, bushy in sideburn and loose in hip. Some wore capes. Most of the anachronistic stage costumes were studded with kitschy ornaments and fluttering fringe to accentuate their movements. Without context, they would look bizarre. But on stage Saturday, this troupe turned back the clock. Billed as the first festival of its kind west of the Mississippi, the two-day Elvis Presley Tribute Experience wrapped up with requisite flair Saturday, drawing more than 1,000 to a chain-link-fenced, gravelly lot on Main Street. Festival-goers were treated to 10 veteran Elvises, each bringing their personal incarnation of the King to the delight of the mostly lawn-chair-saddled crowd. Other tribute performers paying homage to legends - including Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper and Roy Orbison - performed on the undercard. But the day belonged to the King. "Elvis was very personable. It was part of his charisma," said David Prezley, 52, one of the stable of faux Elvises who wowed the crowd. "He captivated people and still does. He in many ways embodied the American Dream, which is a big reason why I do this ... to show a Prezley, a Connecticut native who legally changed his name some years after meeting the King at a military base in Texas, is emblematic of the lasting following Presley has maintained long after his 1977 death. Prezley spoke with a hint of awe about inadvertently bumping into Elvis in 1976, reciting the brief event in detail down to what the icon was wearing ("crushed, black bear velour jacket") and the words he spoke ("He said, `It's all right, son."'). The crowd was treated to a diversity of Elvises that nearly matched the many contours of the real legend's long career. The oldest Elvis, 67-year-old Sherman Arnold, meandered through the crowd, passing out tiny teddy bears while singing "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear." Prezley excelled at reprising the gyrating hip movements of Elvis' 1950s prime. Arnold built a rapport with the crowd even the King would envy. Richard Butler mastered Presley's throaty vocals while singing "Hunk of Burning Love." Saturday's sun-splashed event was a welcome respite from the prior day's inclement weather, said event organizer Kitty Crutchfield. On Friday, wind gusts kicked the dusty venue into a sandstorm, driving away all but the most stalwart fans and snarling the acoustics. "Today has just been perfect," said Crutchfield, who has organized similar events on the East Coast. "This lets us know we need to be back around the same time next year." Becky Williams, 47, brought her daughters Ashlee, 20, and Brittany Goss, 11. The daughters acknowledged mom's "cool" taste in music. "I grew up on Elvis," Ashlee said. "It's great to see some of my favorite songs being performed, like `Jailhouse Rock."' Her mother said she loved the show as well, but for slightly different reasons. "It makes me feel young again," she said, swaying to the sounds of "Shake, Rattle and Roll."