To say the third annual Blue Suede Festival was well attended would be an understatement — the Taphorn family farm was at capacity with close to 500 people in attendance on the first day alone.
That so many people would travel out to a farm an hour out of the city to take in a dozen Elvis tribute artists speaks volumes about the influence the man’s music continues to have, 34 years after his death.
“He’s the king of Rock and Roll. He created rock and roll. He took a black sound, rhythm and blues, and kicked it into country,” said Rob Rushton, a tribute artist from Edmonton. “He influences music to this day.”
He has been doing the Elvis act for 22 years, he said, and continues because he sees what a powerful effect it has on people.
He got his start when he was hosting a karaoke party of a couple’s wedding anniversary, and sang I Can’t Help Falling in Love, by request. The look in the couple’s eyes as they danced told him they were falling in love all over again.
“Some guys will say they do it for money, some guys will say they do it for women, but I just like it,” he said. “It’s fun to see what it does for other people.”
Fred Steen has been doing his act for 11 years, and has similar reasons for doing it. He also got his start at a karaoke party, and things steamrolled from there.
“It’s my whole lifestyle,” he said. “Seriously, everything I do is Elvis.”
His performance includes a duet with his 10-year-old daughter Presley, who has been performing with him for four years. The duet was clearly a crowd pleaser, given the applause that followed.
Steen said while he got into performing an Elvis tribute because he likes it so much, one of the reasons he keeps it up is because of the reaction he gets.
“It’s unbelievable that he still has an effect on so many lives,” he said. ““Is Elvis really dead? Yes he is, but not in spirit.”
Trudy Taphorn, who organized the festival, said she was taken aback by the response she has had to this year’s festival.
“We had said it might be between 400 and 500, but I didn’t really think it would be that many people,” she said. “They were coming in off the road, and it just didn’t stop.”
She said she doubts she could accommodate any more people, so if there’s as much interest again next year, she may consider a venue change.
“I think after seeing how many people enjoy this, we might have to move it up to Busby or something,” she said.
Regardless, she intends to keep up with the festival not just because Elvis means so much to her, but because she feels his music is so important to everybody.
“I think it’s amazing to keep his memory alive like this. We need the younger generations to know who he was, too,” she said.
While she does not deny his looks, charm, and voice are a huge part of what she loves about him, it was the man’s attitude that really impressed her.
“We was very, very humble,” she said. “That’s why I do this as a charity thing, because he loved doing charity work,” and was always giving things away.
Proceeds from the festival will go to five area food banks: Barrhead, Westlock, Morinville, Onoway and St. Albert.
Rushton added he was happy to do the performance for free — none of the artists who performed last weekend got paid — because his attitude toward his performance is a benevolent one.
“I don’t think I’m Elvis. His shoes are a little too big to fill,” he said, “but if I can take a little piece and pass it on to somebody, I’m doing alright.”
