SIDEBURNS Magazine follower and ETA fan, Ingrid Gockert, tells us about her experiences with some of her favourite ETAs in this the Fan Feature post. Since Ingrid mentions six as her favourite ETAs in her comments, she will be the only fan featured today because I want to add photos of five of the six mentioned (I have not had the pleasure of seeing or meeting Bill Cherry; but I hope to see him next April when he performs at the 2020 Niagara Falls Elvis Festival.)
How I Got Hooked on ETA Shows
Steve Michaels at the CNE, 2016. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
By Ingrid Gockert, with edits by Carolyn MacArthur
My first ETA show was seven years ago in Montreal, Quebec. I went to see Steve Michaels. I have seen him two more times since then, and he is definitely a great entertainer. I really got hooked on ETA shows two years ago when I went to my first Elvis festival in Niagara Falls. At the NFEF, I met some of my present favorites: Bill Cherry , Tim E Hendry, and my number one, Dean Z. Unfortunately, I haven't seen Bill since that time as he performs mainly in the United States; but I have seen Tim E quite a few times and most recently last year at the first Windsor Ontario Elvis festival. At the Windsor Festival, I also met for the first time, James Gibb. What can I say, except every time James is in my vicinity I try and go to his show!
Ingrid Gockert with Ultimate ETA Dean Z. Photo Credit: Ingrid Gockert.
Then last month I went to Brantford for the Lovin Lisa show, because I knew James would be there; and there was Sylvain Leduc. Wow! I closed my eyes and I saw "The King". I can't believe this man is from Quebec and I didn’t hear of him until I moved to Hamilton. (Sorry Sylvain). Then I got to see him and talk to him in April of this year at the Niagara Elvis festival; but he was not in Elvis garb. He's not only a great entertainer, but also seems like a very sweet and kind man. Someone wrote in the comments that they found him shy. Personally speaking, I find that if an ETA has some shyness, it just adds another plus to their personality. Knowing this as a fan, I find it easier to speak to the ETAs as I don't feel so star struck. The next ETA I will hear for the first time will be Gordon Hendricks this year in Collingwood. I am looking forward to seeing Gordon, and, of course, all my favorites again.
Tim E Hendry
Dean Z
James Gibb
Sylvain Leduc
Thank you so much for sharing your interesting stories, Ingrid. Thank you to photographer, Lori-Anne Crew, LA Crewe Photography, http://www.lacrewe.com, for your terrific photos used in this post.
Other ETA fans and SB Mag followers are most welcome to share stories and comments about their favourite ETAs. Simply look under Profiles on SIDEBURNS Magazine website, https://www.sideburnsmagazine.com, and click on Questionnaire where you will find a few questions and a link to tell your favourite story. Cheers! C.M.