Elvis Herselvis | |
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![]() Herselvis in 1994 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Leigh Crow |
Genres | Elvis impersonator |
Elvis Herselvis is the stage name of the American actor and singer Leigh Crow, whose rise to international exposure was performing as a female Elvis Presley impersonator. Crow still performs as Elvis Herselvis on occasion as well as sings, acts and performs regularly; including performing with the all female rockabilly band called The Mighty Slim Pickins.
San Francisco-based Elvis Herselvis identifies as a "Female Elvis Impersonator" and "Drag King" and has been evoking the King of Rock and Roll for several years. "Elvis Herselvis & the Straight White Males" were one of the most original and innovative Elvis impersonation acts, recalling Elvis Presley with her sensuous vibrato, while wiping the sweat from her brow with the panties of devoted fans. The performer even "satirizes Elvis impersonators and includes in her act a discussion of Elvis's drug problem and sexual proclivities." [1] Crow's uncanny portrayal has made her a popular entertainer in queer clubs and the alternative cabaret circuit in America. In 1993, she also toured Australia.
According to Crow, Elvis Presley occupies an important place among lesbian icons. She says,
Straight men are very intimidated by a woman impersonating Elvis. It is one of the last bastions of masculinity – the right to "do" Elvis. ... I personally think he was very queeny, in the 1950s he wore make-up and pink on stage, when that was unheard-of behavior for a straight man.
Men had a little more glamour then. Elvis was very primped and had a definite feminine side. The fifties and sixties teen idol works for dykes because they were the sensitive rebels, the little boy lost. It works into a not really butch image but a very dreamy one. Elvis is going to become the dyke icon like Marilyn is for the boys. Like k.d. lang, the whole image that she's got, I think that's where it came from.
When the organizers of the Second International Elvis Presley Conference, held at the University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, in August 1996, invited Elvis Herselvis to perform at the conference, the conference organizer, Professor Vernon Chadwick, "sought 'to test the limits of race, class, sexuality and property ...'" He was of the opinion that "the conference must comply 'with all applicable laws regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity in all its activities and programs and does not discriminate against anyone protected by law because of age, creed, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, handicap, veteran, or other status'. Whilst these intentions were widely known, a number of local Baptist Ministers complained to the Mayor of Tupelo about the inclusion of Elvis Herselvis on the conference program and sought to block funding for the conference. The church's concerns were supported by the organiser of the Elvis birthplace and Museum, then Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) followed suit. Conference organizer Chadwick argued that these actions 'really get interesting when you throw in all the indigenous racism, homophobia, and class distinction that Elvis suffered in the South and throughout his career'. Chadwick received a formal, but diplomatic, letter from EPE's licensing officer which formally withdrew support for the conference." [2]
In a paper entitled "Women Who 'Do Elvis': Authenticity, Masculinity and Masquerade" and presented on February 19, 2006, at the Study of Popular Music conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Cornell University researcher Francesca Brittan dealt with female Elvis Presley impersonators such as Elvis Herselvis and found them to be "campy, cheeky, and often disturbingly convincing." [3]
Elvis Aaron Presley, often referred to mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer, actor and sergeant in the United States Army. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, led him to both great success and initial controversy.
Graceland is a mansion on a 13.8-acre (5.6-hectare) estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, once owned by rock'n'roll singer Elvis Presley. Presley is buried there, as are his parents, paternal grandmother, grandson, and daughter.
Drag kings are mostly female performance artists who dress in masculine drag and personify male gender stereotypes as part of an individual or group routine. A typical drag show may incorporate dancing, acting, stand-up comedy and singing, either live or lip-synching to pre-recorded tracks. Drag kings often perform as exaggeratedly macho male characters, portray marginalised masculinities such as construction workers and rappers or they will impersonate male celebrities like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Tim McGraw.
Priscilla Ann Presley is an American actress and businesswoman. She is the former wife of American singer Elvis Presley, as well as co-founder and former chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), the company that turned Graceland into one of the top tourist attractions in the United States. In her acting career, Presley co-starred with Leslie Nielsen in the three Naked Gun films and played the role of Jenna Wade on the long-running television series Dallas.
An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and singer Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts remain in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis. There are even several radio stations that exclusively feature Elvis impersonator material. Some of these impersonators go to Graceland on the anniversary of Presley's death to make their personal tribute to the artist.
Albert Dvorin was a promoter, concert announcer and talent agent who was best known for working with Elvis Presley.
Blue Hawaii is a 1961 American musical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley. The screenplay by Hal Kanter was nominated by the Writers Guild of America in 1962 in the category of Best Written American Musical. The film opened at number two in box office receipts for that week and, despite mixed reviews from critics, finished as the 10th top-grossing film of 1961 and 14th for 1962 on the Variety national box office survey, earning $5 million. The film won a fourth place prize Laurel Award in the category of Top Musical of 1961.
Viva Las Vegas is a 1964 American musical film directed by George Sidney and starring Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. The film is regarded by fans and film critics as one of Presley's best films, and it is noted for the on-screen chemistry between Presley and Ann-Margret. It also presents a strong set of ten musical song-and-dance scenes choreographed by David Winters and features his dancers. Viva Las Vegas was a hit at film theaters, as it was #14 on the Variety year end box office list of the top-grossing films of 1964.
An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for impersonating someone:
Elvis Presley has inspired artistic and cultural works since he entered the national consciousness. From that point, interest in his personal and public life has never stopped. Some scholars have studied many aspects of his profound cultural influence. Billboard historian Joel Whitburn declared Presley the "#1 act of the Rock era".
The Trouble with Girls (and How to Get into It), also known as simply The Trouble with Girls, is a 1969 film directed by Peter Tewksbury and starring Elvis Presley. It was one of Presley's final acting roles, along with the same year's Change of Habit. It is based on the 1960 novel Chautauqua by Day Keene and Dwight Vincent Babcock.
A drag show is a form of entertainment performed by drag artists impersonating men or women, typically in a bar or nightclub.
A female queen, diva queen, or hyper queen is a drag queen who identifies as a woman. These performers are generally indistinguishable from the more common male drag queens in artistic style and techniques.
Cooking with Elvis is a dark comedy by playwright Lee Hall which was performed in 1999 in Edinburgh.
Elvis Has Left the Building is a 2004 black comedy film directed by Joel Zwick and starring Kim Basinger as a cosmetics saleswoman who accidentally kills a series of Elvis impersonators as they travel to a convention in Las Vegas. John Corbett plays an advertising executive and her love interest. Tom Hanks has a cameo appearance as one of the dead Elvis impersonators. Angie Dickinson plays Basinger's mother, a former mechanic for the real Elvis.
Elvis Presley had many close relationships throughout his career. The strongest of all his personal relationships, by far, was that he had with his mother Gladys, as described below.
Since the beginning of his career, American singer Elvis Presley has had an extensive cultural impact. According to Rolling Stone, "It was Elvis who made rock 'n' roll the international language of pop." The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll describes Presley as "an American music giant of the 20th century who single-handedly changed the course of music and culture in the mid-1950s". His recordings, dance moves, attitude and clothing came to be seen as embodiments of rock and roll. His music was heavily influenced by African-American blues, Christian gospel, and Southern country. In a list of the greatest English language singers, as compiled by Q magazine, Presley was ranked first, and second in the list of greatest singers of the 20th century by BBC Radio. Some people claim that Presley created a whole new style of music: "It wasn't black, wasn't white, wasn't pop or wasn't country—it was different." He gave teens music to grow up with and listen to, as most singers in his time created music geared for adults.
"There's Always Me" is a 1961 song by Elvis Presley originally on the album Something for Everybody. The song was also released as a single in 1967.
The San Francisco Drag King Contest is an annual contest for drag kings held in San Francisco, California and founded by performer and producer, Fudgie Frottage. It is the biggest drag king contest in the world, and the longest running drag king competition in the U.S. The related International Drag King Community Extravaganza (IDKE) is the largest drag king performance event in the world but not a contest. The 26th Annual San Francisco Drag King Contest will be held Sunday, August 21st, 2022.
Clearance Giddens is an African American Elvis impersonator from Melfa, Virginia, who has been billed as the "Black Elvis". He has appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show and the Geraldo Show, and in the film Honeymoon in Vegas. In the early 1990s, he also sang on stage in a duet with Jimmy Buffett singing "Jailhouse Rock". He is listed in the book I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators.