The King is back
Published: Saturday, August 2, 2008 10:58 PM CDT
Local Elvis wins big internationally
Morgan Wall
Staff Reporter
David Muggeridge was just joking around when he left a message for his secretary from Elvis a few years ago. Little did
he know he would soon be traveling to competitions for Elvis impersonators and performing in concerts.
However, when his secretary played the message for the rest of the office, they encouraged him to do just that. Now, he
has won the world's largest Elvis festival securing a spot at Elvis Presley Enterprises' Ultimate Elvis competition in
Memphis for the second year in a row.
The competition will take place at Cannon Center for Performing Arts at the Memphis Cook Convention Center Aug. 9-
17. It also includes a guided tour of Graceland.
“It's really stiff competition,” Muggeridge said of the competition in Memphis. “Last year, I think I was right outside the
top 10. Hopefully, I'll do well this year.”
The Elvis festival he competed at to win this spot was held July 25-27 in Collingwood, Ontario. There were 132
competitors in four categories who competed in front of an international crowd. The festival has an $80,000 budget with
a paid staff of 200. Advanced tickets went on sale in January with $72,000 worth of tickets being sold by Feb. 5.
Muggeridge met people from as far away as India, the Czech Republic and Hungary.
Competitors are divided into four adult categories. They are non-professional early years and Vegas years, and
professional early years and Vegas years. There are also youth competitors. There is a winner for each category and
also an overall winner for the competition.
Muggeridge won the professional Vegas years category as well as the overall competition. That means he obtained the
highest overall score at the competition.
Elvis impersonators are judged based on their vocals, appearance, knowing the words to the song, pitch and an overall
feeling of giving off the impression that they could potentially be Elvis.
In order to win, he had to impress all seven judges who were working eight hours a day for three days at one of the
biggest competitions in the world.
“He's a really powerful entertainer. When you see his profile, sometimes he just looks like Elvis,” said Wendy King,
judging chair for the competition. “When he came out there, there was this passion. He keeps showing up as one of the
best.”
Muggeridge first went to the competition in Ontario in 2003. He met some of the former competitors who told him he
should continue on the competition circuit.
“They said, ‘You can't stop doing this. You're too good,'” he said.
He has been at the competition in Ontario since then and has recently begun branching out and going to other
competitions and concerts. The farthest he has traveled is to Elvis Expo 2004 in Las Vegas, Nev.
“That was fun, but it was a different experience,” he said of performing in Las Vegas. “They went all out, but they only
had it that one year. We were looking forward to going back.”
Muggeridge's favorite part of the competition is when he gets to sing. His favorite song to perform is “How Great Thou
Art.” At the competition in Ontario, he sang “You've Lost That Loving Feeling” with “American Tribute” in the final
round.
He also thinks the fans have a lot to do with his desire to continue to perform and compete.
“It's a lot of fun getting out there with the band and doing our thing. It's a heck of a song, and I'm well aware of where
my gift came from,” he said. “The best part besides singing is seeing the smiles on people's faces when you're done
performing. We know they're Elvis fans, but that's who we're there to please.”
Muggeridge chose the Vegas years Elvis as his model because Elvis' voice changed in the 1960s and the newer form
was truer to Muggeridge's own voice. He also says that he doesn't really look like an 18-year-old Elvis. He sings his
earlier songs, but not for competition.
His costumes come from the new owners of the same company that made Elvis' costumes.
“They're the closest thing to the originals you can find,” he said.
To anyone else with aspirations to become an Elvis impersonator, he has one piece of advice.
“You've got to be true to yourself and maintain who you are. I don't think I'm Elvis,” he said. “It's a lot of hard work, but
go for it. If you're willing to put the time and effort into it, it can be very rewarding.”
His last local concert was at Mount Airy High School in 2006. He hopes to schedule more performances locally this year
and has plans in the works with area organizations.
Contact Morgan Wall at mwall@mtairynews.com or 719-1929.
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