Long Live The King
46 years after Elvis Presley's death, passionate impersonators like Pete Tidd play a key role in keeping his memory alive
Over the course of my journalism career, rarely have I opened a story with a question. But 18 years ago, I made an exception: How much is an Elvis Presley swivel-hip move worth?
Known as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Presley passed away 46 years ago today. But his cultural impact will forever loom large. In the fall of 2005, he played an indirect, though still central, role in an unusual story flowing from my coverage of the Town of Cicero for the Chicago Tribune.
It began inconspicuously enough, as a brief mention of a legal settlement on the Town Board’s agenda. By that point, I was 2 ½ years into covering Cicero, one of the most notoriously corrupt government units in Illinois history. Its former mayor, Betty Loren-Maltese was in prison, one of eight people convicted in a mob-linked insurance scheme that looted over $12 million from the municipality where Al Capone once reigned.
So, my antenna was finely tuned to spot stories lurking beneath the surface. Usually, the circumstances surrounding my reporting came with at least a whiff of scandal or intrigue. This time, digging into the agenda item, what emerged was a decidedly offbeat pop culture feature.
It was the story of Pete Tidd, a 33-year-old Elvis impersonator who was moonlighting as a pizza deliveryman. My lede:
Not long after meeting Pete at a karaoke night performance (he sounded quite Elvis-like as he opened with “The Wonder of You”), I filed the feature:
The story got extensive play in the various zoned editions of the Tribune, and as I recall, it went out on the Associated Press wire as well. (Let’s face it: all things Elvis-related are irresistible click-bait.)
Whenever possible, I like to wrap up stories by quoting a key individual, preferably the protagonist. Sure, it’s a bit formulaic, but it also ties a tidy ribbon on things.
In this case, I chose a simple remark Pete made to me when I went to see him perform karaoke. Referring to his plans for the future, he pledged: “I’ll still be singing.”
That’s the last I heard from Pete…until I reached out to him a few days ago.
Turns out, he’s kept his act going, so much so that he was inducted into the International Elvis Tribute Artist Hall of Fame for Legends. His gigs are usually in the Chicago area, though he goes on the road, too, including a performance at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Type “Pete Elvis Tidd” into a search engine, and you will find photos and videos of him as he performs in all manner of Elvis garb.
Pete is not only a dedicated performer, but a steadfast promoter. When I reached out to him, he invited me to a few upcoming shows. His next one is Saturday (see below), then three days later he plays a “lunch break lounge concert” with a Michael Jackson impersonator in downtown Chicago.1
I hope to make at least one of those shows. There’s something triumphant about the fact that, nearly 18 years after our paths first crossed—and here as we mark the 46th anniversary of Presley’s death—Pete indeed is still singing.
Long live The King!
And here’s to many more performances for Pete Tidd.
For anyone who wants to see Pete on Tuesday, Aug. 22nd, the performance is 12-1 p.m. at the Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St.