I have decided that today is the day I will share a bit of my article, Keeping His Memory Alive, the 5000 word article that is "too long for any newspaper", or so I was told by the editor of a local newspaper. I may not feel comfortable sharing the entire article just yet; but once I receive stories from other ETA fans, I will be encouraged to share my thoughts with a wider audience. My family has read my entire article, and they are okay with me sharing my experiences in ETA world; and they, like others, seem to enjoy my style of writing which at times is revealing. I hope you do, too. Unlike other articles that have been written about ETAs, my article is much more personal. It is written from a fan's perspective. “To create is to make something that has never existed before. There’s nothing more vulnerable than that.” Brene Brown when it comes to vulnerability. I think writers and ETA have a similar plight: when you put yourself out there, whether on a stage or on a page, people are going to judge. While ETAs ask to be judged, otherwise how would they win competitions, writers, like all artists, do what they do because of a passion for their craft. They hope not to be judged too harshly. So, boys and girls, here is the first paragraph of my lengthy article...
Keeping His Memory Alive: Part One - Introduction by Carolyn MacArthur
My interest in ETAs came quite suddenly and unexpectedly later in life. I was a young teen when Elvis was thrilling audiences with his music and moves. He seemed old to me with his sideburns and dated clothes. I much preferred the slick suits and mopped hair of the Beatles. Their music was based in rock and roll, but had a beat that was fresh and exciting. I liked Elvis movies in the 1960s, but only purchased one of his records, 'Stuck on You'. It wasn't until my retirement years that my music sensibility changed, when, on September 13th, 2015, an outstanding performance by an ETA made me an instant Elvis fan and led to a newfound hobby. I want to share with you my experiences, observations, and insights into the world of Elvis Tribute Artists. I'll challenge your perception of ETAs if you still believe that "it's a fat guy in a suit eating a peanut butter sandwich talking about doing a lot of opiates." (USA's ETA Shaun Klush's response to Amy Argetsinger's question: What do most people get wrong about Elvis impersonators? Washington Post, November 13, 2014).
