Thirty-seven years after Elvis Presley’s death, the commitment to celebrating The King’s legacy is unwavering, as evidenced by the flood of fans arriving in Memphis, Tennessee, for a 10-day celebration called “Elvis Week.”
That’s the official name from Elvis Presley Enterprises, the business arm of Presley’s estate, which orchestrates nonstop events all week for fans from around the world who make the pilgrimage. In addition to the official events -- such as the candlelight vigil outside Graceland, arguably the highlight of the week for the Elvis faithful -- unofficial "tribute artist" contests bring in Elvis impersonators of all shapes and sizes.
The "Images of the King" contest, one of at least three tribute artist contests carrying on about town, was started in 1987 by Edward “Doc” Franklin, a veterinarian and nightclub owner. Contestants as young as 6 and from as far away as Japan pay homage to The King.
Both the candlelight vigil and "Images of the King" finals were held on Friday: