Graceland Makes Way For Elvis Clones
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/14/AR2007081401137.html

The King serves motorists at Roseburg Albertson's, will entertain for employees
http://www.newsreview.info/article/20070814/NEWS/70814022

Ultimate Elvis Contest [pdf]
http://www.elvis.com/ultimatecontest/

How Did Elvis Get Turned Into a Racist?
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/peter_guralnick__elvis_racist.shtml

Joe Moscheo's The Gospel of Elvis Presley
http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1566978/20070813/presley_elvis.jhtml

Elvis: 30 weird and wonderful facts
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music-gigs/news/article2859595.ece

Amazing Grace [Real Player]
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200149090/default.html

If imitation is in fact the sincerest form of flattery, then the late Elvis Presley must certainly be flattered someplace in the great beyond. Even before he passed away thirty years ago, there were Elvis impersonators (some prefer the term "tribute artist") who traveled the globe performing as the King of Rock and Roll in a variety of guises. The permutations are seemingly endless, and they include those who adopt Elvis's signature late 1960s massive sideburns and still others whose sartorial style is not complete with a jumpsuit overloaded with sequins and other trappings. The folks who have managed Elvis’s estate and Graceland have generally been dismissive of these tribute artists. However, this indifference has recently changed into a rather warm welcome as the company that operates Graceland will pay host to the first annual finals of the "Ultimate Elvis" contest this Friday. The contest has been going on since March, and one grand prize winner will be selected in what promises to be quite a competition. While some Elvis devotees may still look askance at such events, Paul Jankowski, the marketing chief of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. was emphatic as he spoke about this event: "This is not an impersonator contest. This is all about paying tribute to Elvis." [KMG]

The first link will take visitors to a piece from this Tuesday's Washington Post which talks about the "Ultimate Elvis" contest at Graceland. Several thousand miles away in Roseburg, Oregon, The News-Review recently reported on Jerry Norby, a newly minted Elvis, and his first day on the job. Visitors can read about Norby and his work pumping gas and singing "My Way" at the second link. The third link leads to the homepage of the Ultimate Elvis Contest. Here, visitors can learn about the finalists and read a letter from Elvis to a tribute artist. The fourth link leads to a recent editorial by Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick which first appeared in the New York Times. In the piece, Guralnick addresses the "absurd claims" that contend Elvis was a racist. For another perspective on Elvis's life, visitors will want to check out the fifth link, which contains an excerpt from Joe Moscheo's recent book which recalls his time performing with Elvis and his well-documented love of gospel music. The sixth link leads to a listing of thirty little-known facts about Elvis, including the observation that his Grammy Awards all came from his numerous gospel recordings. The final link leads to one such recording, which happens to be his 1971 recording of "Amazing Grace". [KMG]