LAS VEGAS (AP) – Elvis Presley has been dead for 40 years, but the King’s legacy is alive and well in Las Vegas.
Elvis impersonators remain a staple of Las Vegas kitsch, performing at casino venues, wedding chapels and street stages while decked out in garish jumpsuits, sunglasses and sideburn wigs.
At a recent Elvis convention, performers came from as far as Japan and Australia to compete in a tribute artist contest that paid $15,000 in prize money.
Elvis performer Tyler James recalls going to Graceland for the first time when he was 5 years old – and immediately becoming hooked.
“I told my mom then I wanted my own show in Vegas as Elvis,” he said.