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Elvis Tribute Artists ROCK Bourbon Street

Ex-Londoner chosen as Elvis tribute artist of 2013; Oak Lawn man voted "People's Choice" winner in Windy City competition.

 
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Joe Esposito signs a guitar that was auctioned off Saturday night and purchased by Oak Lawn's very own village manager, Larry Deetjen.

Elvis tribute artists from around the country were taking care of business at 115 Bourbon Street to choose Chicago’s best Elvis impressionist of 2013 this weekend.

For two nights, 16 performers sang and gyrated their pelvises in the Windy City Elvis Tribute Artist Competition.

Ex-Londoner Anthony Shore, who resides in Minneapolis, took first-place honors; with David Allen of Dallas and South Bend, IN’s Irv Kass rounding out the king’s court in second and third.

Shore seemingly channeled the kind nailing a difficult version of "My Way" in a rich baritone eerily reminscent of Elvis's.

"He was the world's greatest entertainer," Shore told the packed house, whose British accent sounded more like Ringo's. "Everyone in the world knows who Elvis Presley is."

Oak Lawn’s own Joe “Elvis” King was selected as the “People’s Choice” winner.

The free event was co-produced by Bourbon Street and Palos Heights tribute artist Joe “Elvis” Tirrito.

“I want to keep it free to the people because we’re trying to keep Elvis’s memory alive,” Tirrito said.

Earlier in the day, the Elvi were spotted invading Palos Heights at a home that is an exact replica of Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in Memphis. The historic gathering of Elvis impersonators took part in a film documentary, “One Day, Two Legends,” recounting the day the Beatles met Elvis.

Related Topics: 115 Bourbon Street, Anthony Shore, Elvis Presley, Elvis impersonators, and Windy City Elvis Tribute Artist Competition

GaryElvis Britt

5:59 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013

Thanks go to Joe Tirrito and Cindy Sidecki for bringing "Diamond" Joe Esposito sooooo "up close and personal" for all of us!

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peter tidd

5:59 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013

what a great night all us eta's had thanks for the pics of us it means alot

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OakLawnGuy

5:59 pm on Monday, February 25, 2013

Elvis was surrounded by sycophants and yes-men. All indications are Joe Esposito was not one of them. It's really amazing what kind of attention Elvis still attracts so many years after he died.

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Lorraine Swanson

12:15 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

It was great meeting all of you ETAs. If you visit the Oak Lawn Patch Facebook page, I have more photos up from Saturday's shoot, facebook.com/oaklawnpatch

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Ron VanDenBusch

9:36 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

It was truely an Honor to be part of this historic event and to meet the Great " Diamond Joe" Thanks to Joe for putting on this event and I will be back next year,,,cant wait. Ron

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