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Updated: 6:07 PM Jun 26, 2008
Elvis in Ardmore?
ARDMORE, OK -- On this date back in 1977, Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, gave his final live performance in Indianapolis, Indiana. But you might think Elvis is alive and well in Ardmore. Robin Beal made the sighting Thursday morning.
Posted: 12:46 PM Jun 26, 2008Reporter: Robin Beal Email Address: robin.beal@kxii.com |
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ARDMORE, Okla. -- On this date back in 1977, Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, gave his final live performance in Indianapolis, Indiana. But you might think Elvis is alive and well in Ardmore. Robin Beal made the sighting Thursday morning.
It was more than just a sighting; it was a press conference in Ardmore.
He looks just like the king, but his name is Kraig Parker. He is world-famous in his own right. The London Times has called him the world's "foremost Elvis tribute performer."
In August, Parker will be bringing his Las Vegas act, complete with 10-piece band, to Ardmore's Washington Theatre.
"We’ve had a lot of good fortune in Oklahoma, and we haven't been to Ardmore yet, and we're excited to be coming and the promoter said, ‘Let's do Ardmore. We think it's going to be successful’ and we believe that it will be," Parker says.
Parker has performed all over the world, as far away as Finland.
The show is August 23 and the first couple of rows are already sold out.
Parker talked about how his new gig became a reality.
"One day at the office I got offered, or kind of persuaded, to do Elvis at a party for one of the bosses that was a big Elvis fan, and I said I’ll do it, I'd love to, y'all got to buy my lunch for a month, but I’ll do it," Parker says.
And with that, Kraig Parker embarked on what eventually became his new career.
"Just eventually turned into something I couldn't turn away from or I couldn't control. As you can see now it's definitely out of control.”
He looks like Elvis, sounds like Elvis, has legions of female fans just like Elvis. Parker even has his own fan club.
Parker also has Elvis Presley's former concert producer Charles Stone as his manager. Stone remembers this day 31-years ago-- June 26, 1977 -- a concert in Indianapolis, Indiana, that would be The King's last.
"The show was a normal Elvis show, but what made it special for me was when Elvis came into the building, Joe came up to me and said, ‘Elvis would like to have $500, do you have it?’ Yeah, I got it, I gave him $500. He wrote me a check for $500, Elvis Presley. Well, I had about $20 left in my pocket. After I cashed it so at the end of the night I said well this is the last show of the tour, I'm going to have to go to Dallas tomorrow, I better go to the box office and cash this check. Most likely, that was the last check he ever wrote in his life, and I went and cashed it. I'm still kicking myself."
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