ETA 101

For today’s entry, I thought I would share some reflections on things I’ve learned in my time as an ETA over the last few years. A few weeks ago, I had someone reach out looking for some insights which might help guide their child as they pursued their passion of becoming an ETA themselves. But it also occurred to me that no one really seemed to have useful insights for beginners when I started out (which makes sense, as this is a bit of a specialized job), so I thought these might help someone in the early stages of their own journey as an ETA.

1. Cover everything, but know where your specialization is. Elvis had such a strong career, but if we're honest, most of us are especially good in a particular aspect of his work because of our own voices and talents. Some are excellent with 50s, some with 60s, and some with 70s. It's important to familiarize yourself with every aspect of his career, but it's also totally fine to specialize. I, for instance, tend to do well with Elvis' early-70s material. That’s my primary focus when it comes to movement, sound, and much more. But at the same time, if I never do “Heartbreak Hotel,” I’m going to have a lot of people saddened by the fact that I didn’t touch on their favorite songs. The beauty of Elvis’ career is that it spanned so long that he was able to revisit a lot of his material and adapt it to different times. As such, when I do “Heartbreak Hotel,” I usually do it in the style of his late-60’s version of the song. Never once have I heard someone say, “Aw, man! I like the recorded version best!” They’re just happy you did their favorite song! Knowing your niche and how to adapt different songs to fit your style will make all the difference in the world.

2. Details matter. I didn't realize this as much when I got started, but the more you're able to capture the specifics of Elvis' performances, the better off you'll be. Watch them over and over again, but also record yourself as you're performing. There are subtle things we all do that we don't recognize in the moment, and the only way to fix them is to watch yourself. If you can't video record a performance, make sure you at least get audio. Compare what you record with Elvis, then go back and do it some more.

When I got started, I had only done talent shows before. If you walk in and sound like Elvis at a generic talent show, everybody goes, “Give that guy the prize!” So I expected the very same thing walking into my first official contest as an ETA. I actually saw all the guys around me in top-quality suits and thought, “They’re putting the emphasis on the wrong stuff; what matters is the sound!” And while, yes, that does matter, the reality is that a standout ETA will capture far, far more than just one aspect of Elvis’ persona.

Take my current journey, for instance: right now I’m working out quite a bit to try to shed some fat and gain that fit figure which was so characteristic of Elvis in his heyday. I’ve seen guys in every level of fitness go onto that stage, but at the end of the day, it’s the ones who can catch the audience’s eye that will go the farthest in competition. The look, the sound, the moves – you have to capture it all. I can’t tell how many times I’ve seen the Aloha concert, the Comeback Special, or any of Elvis’ other works. Why? Because there’s always some new detail to discover and some meaningful element to incorporate into your performances. The greatest compliment I’ve ever received was, “I feel like I got to meet Elvis Presley today.” That’s the epitome of what we aim for.

3. Networking is key. You'll gain SO much from connecting with other ETAs. I've gotten my nicest suits from retiring ETAs – and I’m far from the only one to report such kindness. They have insights into how to succeed, what to avoid, and so much more. You'll even get jobs at times because they'll think, "Hey, so-and-so would be perfect for this." Always connect with people when you have the opportunity.

4. Build a fanbase. Competitions help with this, but local events help too. The more you’re able to make a name for yourself and build that fanbase intentionally, the better you'll be all around. It's weird being an ETA because while, on the one hand, you need to represent Elvis, you also have to develop a reputation of your own AS Elvis. Having people who support you in what you do matters a ton when it comes to competitions.

There are few things more disheartening than walking out onto a competition stage and hearing the swell of support – for someone else. You need to dedicate serious time to building a fanbase of your very own. This means developing a social media presence, doing more shows with larger audiences, and so forth. You need some of the smaller shows to help you pay the bills, but people also need to reach a place where they start to recognize your name.

This year in Tupelo, a lady approached me and said, “You’ve lost weight since last year!” I had no idea they had any idea who I was. Not only this, but I’ve started to reach the place where a few people will come up afterward and say, “You were my favorite one out there today!” Achieving this takes a long, long time for some of us, but it’s worthwhile for the moments where you finally walk out to a crowd that’s excited to see you – not just any old Elvis Tribute Artist, but specifically you.

5. Competitions are important, but not everything. You do need to make a point of going to competitions, as that's a big part of how you build your fanbase. At the same time, don't put too much stock into what happens there. Each contest is filled with politics, just like so many other things. Your day will come. Just press on and do some more in the meantime.

I don’t mention the politics because I’m salty about it. Every competition wants to produce an Ultimate, and to do that, they need to pick someone who has a serious shot at winning. You may not place well in a competition one year, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t paying attention to you. Competitions watch to see who will take everything seriously, who will put on the best performance, and who will press on to do what it takes to excel. If you lose badly somewhere, don’t let it be your last trip; get up, dust yourself off, and go back again. Eventually, you start getting noticed.

6. Take every gig. If you know 3 people will be there, part of you won't be as excited as when those bigger performance opportunities show up. But each and every performance gives you yet another valuable experience of working a crowd, fine-tuning your work, and seeing what you can do to improve. I've performed for thousands of people, but I've also performed in a literal hallway for a group of 10. Was it my most enjoyable performance? Nope. I had two 3-year-olds running around me the whole time. But it also gave me a chance to do some songs I hadn't been able to practice with a crowd before, and it was yet another exercise in effectively working with the constraints under which we find ourselves in order to give the best performance possible - both that time and the time to come.

Each performance will present its own difficulties, but those are far better handled when you’ve performed a thousand times. Part of the reason Elvis was so legendary was that he knew how to handle a missed lyric, a fumbled cue, and whatever else came up on the stage. Adaptability is key in live performance. It’s part of why singing with a track is such a pain – there’s no room for error. But those track performances are just as much a part of the experience as performances with a band. Every gig builds you up into a better performer.

7. Try new things and don't be afraid to bomb. Those lead to your greater successes and allow you to increase your originality. None of us is Elvis. What we do as ETAs is keep a little of his memory alive in our performances. That means you walk a fine line between being you and being him for the audience. Learn to play with that a bit.

One of my biggest struggles recently has been recapturing some of the charisma I lost over the years (which I discussed at length in my last blog post). Something like that requires a lot of work, but you also know it’s a worthwhile pursuit in the meantime. Some of our efforts are much easier to incorporate – a new hand movement here, a little extra vibrato on this note – and can still make all the difference. Try it all and see what works for you.

So there you have it! My 7 tips for new ETAs. Hope they help someone getting started!