Return of the King
Jeff Krick, Jr. is one of the most successful and endearing Elvis tribute artists in the country. In 2016, at only 19, Jeff placed as high as #6 at the prestigious “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Contest,” and in the Top 10 at the “Images of the King Contest” in Elvis’ hometown of Memphis. On Thursday September 28, Jeff brings the King to MetroWest. Grab tickets here.
atac: Hi Jeff, how does one decide to become an Elvis impersonator?
Jeff Krick Jr.: I was just a normal kid that went to high school everyday and played high school football. I always had a passion for music and singing, I always was a fan of Elvis Presley. My father “Jeff Krick” is an Elvis Tribute Artist, so as a child I grew up watching him. I also grew up when YouTube started growing and I could watch any video, movie, or live concert of Elvis I wanted at any time. About the age of 15, it hit me that I could really sing and I had the opportunity to grow and become an Elvis Tribute Artist.
atac: I noticed you’re using the term Elivs Tribute Artist. Is that your own thing, or a more correct term we should be using that’s specific to the artform?
JKJ: Some Elvis’s go as “Elvis Tribute Artist” and others go as “Elvis Impersonators”. I choose to go as a Tribute Artist as I’m paying tribute to Elvis Presley, I’m not impersonating him 24/7.
atac: You’ve played a lot of gigs, all over the place. Give us some highs and lows.
JKJ: One of the many highlights of my young career has been a performance cruise to Hawaii. We did 2 performances on the cruise ship and also saw where Elvis performed his iconic Aloha From Hawaii tv special that aired around the world in 1973.
Of course I immediately think of only a few years ago back in 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic. Every show was taken away basically overnight. A silver lining was that it gave me a lot of time to reflect and try to make my shows better once we were able to perform again.
Another major roadblock was actually back in April when I found out I had a nodule on the right side of my vocal cord; I’d been dealing with that from the beginning of January. I had to have surgery, couldn’t talk for 3 days, and for 2 weeks after that I had to gradually talk a little more each day. I lost about 2 months of shows.
atac: It seems you are back, and better than ever. Got any advice for others going through it?
JKJ: Always chase your dreams! Never let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough, or that something isn’t the career for you. Be true! At my shows, audiences get a heartfelt performance. I bring back memories, recreating an authentic experience. I won’t do anything Elvis didn’t do or sing.
atac: Knowing very little about the Elvis Tribute scene, I’m admittedly guessing here but, I assume it’s not a place with a lot of young people? Or maybe I’m wrong? Tell me a bit about the intergenerational aspect of your work.
JKJ: Believe it or not, Elvis is as famous today as he was on his dying day in 1977. So there is still quite a large number of fans that come out from all ages, young and old.
atac: I’m wondering what you think about the full Elvis—the good and the bad. How should we view Elvis today and where is Elvis going?
JKJ: Of course, nobody is perfect, but when it comes to Elvis—the man and his music—he was about as perfect as you could be from that standpoint. Elvis’ legacy is not going anywhere. He’s been gone 46 years now, and I guarantee he will be here going strong another 46 years.
atac: We ask our performers who they love to listen to. I have a guess, but tell me…
JKJ: I love listening to Sirius Radio’s channel 75 which features Elvis, of course. There’s times they give the history of a song he sang, or play an entire concert from the 1970’s. I also enjoy watching football; I played from an early age up through High School, but an injury kept me out senior season.
atac: What’s next for the young King?
JKJ: My mind is always racing with different ideas for my performances. I’ve started dabbling in the production side of the shows, bringing in many tribute acts from Conway Twitty to Roy Orbison—Johnny Cash, too. I also love working with a full band that backs all the entertainers for the shows.
atac. Jeff, thanks for your time. Can’t wait to see you this week at atac!
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Catch Elvis Lives: A Tribute to the King with Jeff Krick Jr this Thursday, September 28, 2023. Grab tickets right here.
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