Westbury recently got a little bit of rock and roll injected into its soul as master Elvis impressionist Dave Ehlert brought his Superstar Tribute Show to the Westbury Memorial Public Library on Sunday, May 3, channeling the uncanny vocalizations of popular artists of yesteryear that still resonate with music lovers to this very day.
A shockingly youthful man despite his 65 years, and with piercing blue eyes and a mane of expertly-coiffed jet-black hair, Ehlert posed, crooned and gyrated his way across the stage at the library, singing a variety of classic hits by not only Elvis, but also Tom Jones, Johnny Cash, Dean Martin, Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson and many more.
The talented Ehlert—who, when not performing, splits his time between residing in Wisconsin and Missouri with his wife and family—is currently on his 50th anniversary tour; he first began performing as the legendary Elvis Presley back in 1965, back when there was a mere handful of people doing so.
“I started out as a drummer, and one time I was playing with a band at a party and they requested an Elvis song,” he said. “I was the only one who knew the words to it, so I went up front and sang it for the first time. Something just immediately clicked and I never played the drums again. I began performing as Elvis at a time where hardly anyone was doing it.”
He soon began incorporating other celebrity singer impressions into his versatile repertoire, but Elvis would always remain at the very forefront of his act, Ehlert said.
“For the first 12 years that I was performing, Elvis was still alive, so I was more of a novelty than anything else,” he said. “But when he died in 1977, his popularity just skyrocketed and so did my career. I started touring and playing in all different venues, from Las Vegas to everywhere in-between. This year alone I’ve played in 44 states.”
Ehlert’s long-standing act, filled with unbridled energy and enthusiasm, has earned him some degree of celebrity all his very own; in addition to being the very first-ever inductee into the Elvis Performer’s Hall of Fame, Ehlert has also appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, Fox and CBS.
Angie Butterfield and her husband Rich were among the many audience members who took in Ehlert’s show; Angie, herself a big fan of Elvis, said she had been hearing of Ehlert for many years and jumped at the chance to finally see him.
“It’s astounding how Dave can so perfectly embody the voice styling and mannerisms of Elvis, but yet somehow still makes it all his own instead of simply copying him,” she said. “And the way he effortlessly switches between other singers and their personas and then back to Elvis, just like changing shoes…he’s such a talented man, and a great performer.”
Ehlert talents extend beyond music; he is also a history buff who performs educational monologues for schools and libraries in-character as famous American leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, as well as a thrice-published author of both non-fiction (an autobiography) and fiction (a sci-fi spoof about an Elvis impersonator invasion and a murder mystery involving an Abraham Lincoln impressionist).
“I never get tired of performing, no matter how I do it,” he said. “I’ve been very fortunate to be able to make a living doing what I love…making music and entertaining people, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”
To find out more about Dave Ehlert, visit www.livetributeproductions.com.
