Clearance Giddens: Difference between revisions

Clearance Giddens
Clearance Giddens
Birth name	Clearance Giddens
Also known as	Clarence Giddens, Black Elvis
Born	Virginia United States
Genres	Rock; Gospel
Occupation(s)	Painter, singer, elvis impersonator
Instrument	Guitar
Years active	1988–present

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Clearance Giddens is an Elvis impersonator called "Black Elvis". He performs sporting a pompadour, sideburns, and bright red jumpsuit. Giddens' Black Elvis act regularly appeared on national TV programs in the 1990s, and he was cast as Black Elvis in the 1992 film Honeymoon in Vegas.^[1]^[2]

Early life

Giddens grew up in Painter, Virginia and works as house painter.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] He received his first guitar as a gift from his mother.^[7] Upon leaving school, he worked in local fields to support his family.^[8] Giddens' parents are devout Christians and his mother was initially hesitant about his Elvis act because she considered it worldly.^[9]

Clearance Giddens's early influences are country and gospel music, specifically Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Roy C.^[10]^[11] His family didn't have a TV, so he only watched it at his uncle's house about once a month. He remembers being in disbelief in his early teenage years when he first saw Presley dancing and singing on TV since he hadn't ever heard a white singer with so much soul before.^[12]^[13] He recalls hiding in the closet to listen to Elvis because his strict Christian mother did not allow rock and roll in the house.^[12]

Before Giddens started his Elvis act, he was a member of a gospel group called the Gospel Specials who sang with artists such as Al Green and Solomon Burke.^[5] He is also credited as guitarist as well lead vocalist on two tracks by a group called Gospel Expressions who released an album, Good Times Bad Times.^[14]

Career

Origin of Black Elvis

Giddens learned to strum "Love Me Tender" because it was a favorite of his then-girlfriend, a devoted Elvis fan. As he was clowning around singing Elvis songs, she suggested he seriously pursue an Elvis impersonator career.^[15]^[16]^[17] He remembers thinking "Black Elvis? Nobody's going to buy that."^[16] Giddens mentioned the idea to his boss, who was so enthusiastic that he got Giddens a Saturday gig performing at a restaurant the crew had recently painted. Giddens was so nervous that his legs shook but the crowd roared and tipped him generously. A chef accompanied him on piano and lead guitar, and the room was so full that Giddens' friends had to watch through the window from outside. The duo continued getting gigs and the chef eventually quit his restaurant job. By 1987, Clearance Giddens was performing as Black Elvis across the Eastern shore of Virginia.^[16]^[17] His ex-girlfriend saw his success and asked for a portion of his earnings for inspiring him. He denied the request.^[17]

Television and film career

Giddens' Black Elvis performance attracted international media attention, and reporters noted his talent and "raw dynamism".^[18] For his first national TV spot, he faced his fear of flying to attend The Arsenio Hall Show in California but was so exhausted upon arriving that he slept through his performance. Shortly after waking up that evening, he answered a knock at his hotel room from Entertainment Tonight staff, who asked him to be on the show.^[18] He continued to receive TV appearance invites, and he performed for various programs including Hard Copy, Inside Edition, Viva Elvis weekend,^[19] and the Howard Stern Show.^[11] In one appearance on the Geraldo Show, a Black audience member told Giddens that imitating a white performer was betraying his race, and a different Elvis impersonator replied that what Giddens was doing was beautiful, causing the audience to applaud.^[20]

A Hollywood casting director reached out about a film role that involved parachuting out of a plane with other Elvis impersonators as part of a recurring joke in the 1992 romantic comedy Honeymoon in Vegas, which starred Nicolas Cage, James Caan, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Even though he said he couldn't get over his fear of jumping out of a plane, he was cast as Black Elvis and appeared in other scenes.^[21]^[8] In 1995 he appeared in the film Home for the Holidays shaking Jodie Foster's hand.

Live performances and music

In the early and mid 1990s, Giddens kept up a regular performance schedule. Memorable events include his Jailhouse Rock duet with Jimmy Buffet at the Jimmy Buffet Bar in Key West and the United States Postal Service-sponsored show in Washington D.C. in honor of an Elvis stamp.^[18]^[22]^[10] Clearance Giddens remained in disbelief as he became more and more successful, sometimes questioning his own talent. He once challenged a fellow Black Elvis impersonator named Robert Washington to a head-to-head showdown and did not get a response.^[23] Giddens struggled to book shows of his own despite his growing profile, and he made his act sound more intriguing by performing with a band called The Flamin' Caucasians (and later The White Trash Band).^[24] By 1994, he was earning about $2000 per show.^[25] After seven years of Elvis classics like Blue Suede Shoes, Clearance Giddens was ready for something new. He released singles of his own and subtly altered his look, trimming his sideburns a little bit and wearing cowboy hats.^[26]^[25]

Giddens became a father in the mid-1990s and realized he could not keep up with both parenthood and his touring schedule. He stepped back from the Black Elvis circuit so that he could be a dad.^[7] He has said he is proud of his daughter. In a 2014 interview, Giddens reported that she had grown up and was studying to become an obstetrician.^[7]

Reception

Giddens was generally praised for the personality he brought to his "Elvis" and his charisma on stage. He sometimes strayed from Elvis Presley's style, and unlike some other impersonators, he played the guitar on stage. He was compared to foundational member of rock and roll, such as Chuck Berry.

2000s

Clearance Giddens continued his Black Elvis career on a smaller scale, with Italian restaurant owner Franco Nocera booking shows and a keyboard player named Snowflake providing backup. In addition to regular appearances at local venues and parties,^[15]^[27] he makes appearances in various productions, such as a 2018 Apple ad that showed Elvis impersonators talking on a group Facetime calls.^[28]^[29] He still considers his life to be unbelievable.^[27] He appears in the book I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators.^[30]^[31]

Discography

EPs and albums
Title	Catalogue	Year	Notes #
Jump, Shout, Scream		1993	^[32]
Can You Feel the Flavor?		2009	As Black Elvis^[33]

Filmography

List
Title	Role	Director	Year	Notes #
Viva Elvis – Channel 4 1×75 1991 Elvis Special, presented by Jonathan Ross	Himself		1991	^[34]^[35]
Honeymoon in Vegas	Black Elvis	Andrew Bergman	1992	^[36]
Homicide: Life on the Street				^[10]

Stage

List
Title	Role	Director	Year	Notes #
Seoul House	Delivery driver		1991	^[37]

References

^ The Free Lance Star August 15, 1991 Page 3, Scene, Elvis is everywhere Especially in Memphis, where wannabes compete by Woody Baird
^ The Enquirer January 24, 1993 No Ordinary Hunka-hunka Burning Impersonator As Black Elvis, Singer Clearance Giddens Has Appeared On TV And In A Recent Feature Film. By Cheryl Squadrito
^ Daily Press June 10, 1994 Elvis Has Left The Image, Well, Not Exactly, But Black Elvis Is Eyeing Nashville by Sam McDonald
^ Crutchley Enterprises Meet the staff, Clearance (Elvis) Giddens Archived 2015-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b Spin August 1989 Volume Five Number Five Page 65, Black Elvis by Mark Mobley
^ Library of Congress Thunder Castle, State Route 607 vicinity, Painter, Accomack County, VA
^ ^a ^b ^c ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'
Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News Archived 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ ^a ^b Elvis Information Network Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'
^ The Free Lance Star, Thursday September 22, 1994 D2 from page D1 Elvis
^ ^a ^b ^c The Baltimore Sun September 16, 1995 Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis
^ ^a ^b Blue Virginia Monday, September 28, 2009 From the "Too Fun Not to Mention" File
^ ^a ^b Secrets of the Eastern Shore, July 18, 2015 – Characters / Meet Black Elvis, the Pride of Itty Bitty Painter on Virginia's Eastern Shore – written by Jim Duffy
^ delmarva now, Dec. 18, 2014 – Va. Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left' – Jennifer Cording
^ Discogs Gospel Expressions – Good Times Bad Times
^ ^a ^b Eastern Shore Post, October 23, 2018 – Do Drop Inn Celebrates 50 Years of Lifting Spirits By Stefanie Jackson
^ ^a ^b ^c The Free Lance Star September 22, 1994 Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz
^ ^a ^b ^c "Seeing Black Elvis perform is, well, astounding". The Daily Times. 1995-07-02. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Black Elvis still finds his career unbelievable". The Daily Times. 1995-07-09. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
^ The Virginian-Pilot, Sunday, June 4, 1995 – THOUSANDS SIGHTED HONORING THE KING AT VIVA ELVIS WEEKEND – BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
^ Race and the Subject of Masculinities Harry Stecopoulos, Michael Uebel Page 205, All the King's Men
^ New York Times Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Acting credits
^ Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Saturday, February 9, 1991 Page 17, People, Pages/Elvis By Any Name
^ Wounds of Returning: Race, Memory, and Property on the Postslavery Plantation Jessica Adams 51 – 52
^ Santa Cruz Sentinel February 10, 1991 Page 51, Whoah! That Isn't Elvis
^ ^a ^b "Elvis has left the image". Daily Press. 1994-06-10. p. 78. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
^ "Black Elvis". Daily Press. 1994-06-10. p. 72. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
^ ^a ^b ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'
Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News Archived 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ Shore Daily News, Dec 4, 2018 – Two Eastern Shoremen Make the National Media
^ Local Scoop – Black Elvis scooped by Mark Atkinson
^ Cherokee County Herald April 17, 1991 Page 3, Picking hits is science to trivia task Ethel Anne DeVare
^ Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators Edited by Marie Cahill I am Elvis: a guide to Elvis impersonators
^ The Free Lance Star September 22, 1994 – Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz
^ Spotify – Can You Feel the Flavor, Black Elvis
^ Channel X Viva Elvis Archived 2015-10-01 at the Wayback Machine
^ YouTube Viva Elvis (1991)- Part 4 of 7 #Channel 4 UK#
^ TV Guide – Honeymoon In Vegas, Cast
^ Los Angeles Times May 17, 1991 'Seoul House': Rap Opera to Social Commentary :
Stage: Set in a Korean-owned store in a black neighborhood, the multimedia piece has found itself mirroring recent news events. by Diane Haithman

Links

[1] The Free Lance Star August 15, 1991 Page 3, Scene, Elvis is everywhere Especially in Memphis, where wannabes compete by Woody Baird

[2] The Enquirer January 24, 1993 No Ordinary Hunka-hunka Burning Impersonator As Black Elvis, Singer Clearance Giddens Has Appeared On TV And In A Recent Feature Film. By Cheryl Squadrito

[3] Daily Press June 10, 1994 Elvis Has Left The Image, Well, Not Exactly, But Black Elvis Is Eyeing Nashville by Sam McDonald

[4] Crutchley Enterprises Meet the staff, Clearance (Elvis) Giddens Archived 2015-07-07 at the Wayback Machine

[auto2-5] Spin August 1989 Volume Five Number Five Page 65, Black Elvis by Mark Mobley

[6] Library of Congress Thunder Castle, State Route 607 vicinity, Painter, Accomack County, VA

[:2-7] ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'
Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News Archived 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine

[auto5-8] Elvis Information Network Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'

[9] The Free Lance Star, Thursday September 22, 1994 D2 from page D1 Elvis

[auto3-10] The Baltimore Sun September 16, 1995 Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis

[auto4-11] Blue Virginia Monday, September 28, 2009 From the "Too Fun Not to Mention" File

[auto1-12] Secrets of the Eastern Shore, July 18, 2015 – Characters / Meet Black Elvis, the Pride of Itty Bitty Painter on Virginia's Eastern Shore – written by Jim Duffy

[13] rva now, Dec. 18, 2014 – Va. Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left' – Jennifer Cording

[14] Discogs Gospel Expressions – Good Times Bad Times

[auto-15] Eastern Shore Post, October 23, 2018 – Do Drop Inn Celebrates 50 Years of Lifting Spirits By Stefanie Jackson

[:0-16] The Free Lance Star September 22, 1994 Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz

[:1-17] "Seeing Black Elvis perform is, well, astounding". The Daily Times. 1995-07-02. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.

[:3-18] "Black Elvis still finds his career unbelievable". The Daily Times. 1995-07-09. p. 22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.

[19] The Virginian-Pilot, Sunday, June 4, 1995 – THOUSANDS SIGHTED HONORING THE KING AT VIVA ELVIS WEEKEND – BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER

[20] Race and the Subject of Masculinities Harry Stecopoulos, Michael Uebel Page 205, All the King's Men

[21] New York Times Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Acting credits

[22] Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Saturday, February 9, 1991 Page 17, People, Pages/Elvis By Any Name

[23] Wounds of Returning: Race, Memory, and Property on the Postslavery Plantation Jessica Adams 51 – 52

[24] Santa Cruz Sentinel February 10, 1991 Page 51, Whoah! That Isn't Elvis

[:4-25] "Elvis has left the image". Daily Press. 1994-06-10. p. 78. Retrieved 2024-09-22.

[26] "Black Elvis". Daily Press. 1994-06-10. p. 72. Retrieved 2024-09-22.

[:5-27] ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'
Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News Archived 2015-09-27 at the Wayback Machine

[28] Shore Daily News, Dec 4, 2018 – Two Eastern Shoremen Make the National Media

[29] Local Scoop – Black Elvis scooped by Mark Atkinson

[30] Cherokee County Herald April 17, 1991 Page 3, Picking hits is science to trivia task Ethel Anne DeVare

[31] Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators Edited by Marie Cahill I am Elvis: a guide to Elvis impersonators

[32] The Free Lance Star September 22, 1994 – Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz

[33] Spotify – Can You Feel the Flavor, Black Elvis

[34] Channel X Viva Elvis Archived 2015-10-01 at the Wayback Machine

[35] YouTube Viva Elvis (1991)- Part 4 of 7 #Channel 4 UK#

[36] TV Guide – Honeymoon In Vegas, Cast

[37] Los Angeles Times May 17, 1991 'Seoul House': Rap Opera to Social Commentary :
Stage: Set in a Korean-owned store in a black neighborhood, the multimedia piece has found itself mirroring recent news events. by Diane Haithman

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Infobox musical artist  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
+{{Infobox musical artist
 | name            = Clearance Giddens
 | image           =
 | caption         =
 | image_size      =
-| background      = solo_singer
 | birth_name      = Clearance Giddens
 | alias           = Clarence Giddens, Black Elvis
 | birth_date      =
-| birth_place     = [[Virginia, United States]]
+| birth_place     = [[Virginia]] United States
 | death_date      =
 | death_place     =
 | origin          =
 | instrument      = Guitar
-| genre           = [[Rock music|Rock]]<br />[[Gospel music|Gospel]]
+| genre           = Rock<br />[[Gospel music|Gospel]]
-| occupation      = Painter, [[Singing|singer]], [[Elvis impersonator]]
+| occupation      = Painter, singer, [[elvis impersonator]]
-| years_active    = 1988 – present
+| years_active    = 1988–present
 | label           =
 | associated_acts =
 }}
-'''Clearance Giddens''' is an [[African American]] [[Elvis impersonator]] from [[Melfa, Virginia]], who has been billed as the "Black Elvis". He has appeared on ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'' and the ''[[Geraldo (TV series)|Geraldo Show]]'', and in the film ''[[Honeymoon in Vegas]]''.<ref>''The Free Lance Star'' August 15, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19910815&id=TG9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FeQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6819,2312991&hl=ko Page 3, Scene, Elvis is everywhere ''Especially in Memphis, where wannabes compete'' by Woody Baird]</ref><ref>''The Enquirer'' January 24, 1993 [http://articles.philly.com/1993-01-24/news/25961643_1_impersonator-black-elvis-clearance-giddens No Ordinary Hunka-hunka Burning Impersonator As Black Elvis, Singer Clearance Giddens Has Appeared On Tv And In A Recent Feature Film. By Cheryl Squadrito]</ref> In the early 1990s, he also sang on stage in a duet with [[Jimmy Buffett]] singing "[[Jailhouse Rock (song)|Jailhouse Rock]]".<ref>''Pittsburgh Post Gazette'', Saturday, February 9, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19910209&id=5K5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bG4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6449,2309615&hl=ko Page 17, People, Pages/Elvis By Any Name]</ref> He is listed in the book ''I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators''.<ref>''Cherokee County Herald'' April 17, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=354&dat=19910417&id=Sa0vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gj4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6748,1511242&hl=ko Page 3, Picking hits is science to trivia task Ethel Anne DeVare]</ref><ref>'' Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators'' Edited by Marie Cahill [https://books.google.com/books?id=fXTZAAAAMAAJ&q=I+Am+Elvis:+A+Guide+Clearance&dq=I+Am+Elvis:+A+Guide+Clearance&hl=ko&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAGoVChMI5t-LleeUyAIVCR2UCh2mzAGK I am Elvis: a guide to Elvis impersonators]</ref>
+'''Clearance Giddens''' is an [[Elvis impersonator]] called "Black Elvis". He performs sporting a [[Pompadour (hairstyle)|pompadour]], [[sideburns]], and bright red jumpsuit. Giddens' Black Elvis act regularly appeared on national TV programs in the 1990s, and he was cast as Black Elvis in the 1992 film ''[[Honeymoon in Vegas]]''.<ref>''The Free Lance Star'' August 15, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19910815&id=TG9WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=FeQDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6819,2312991&hl=ko Page 3, Scene, Elvis is everywhere ''Especially in Memphis, where wannabes compete'' by Woody Baird]</ref><ref>''The Enquirer'' January 24, 1993 [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927141830/http://articles.philly.com/1993-01-24/news/25961643_1_impersonator-black-elvis-clearance-giddens No Ordinary Hunka-hunka Burning Impersonator As Black Elvis, Singer Clearance Giddens Has Appeared On TV And In A Recent Feature Film. By Cheryl Squadrito]</ref>
-==Personal background==
+==Early life==
-Giddens is a house painter by trade and had worked as a painter for Crutchley Enterprises in Virginia for years.<ref>''Daily Press'' June 10, 1994 [http://articles.dailypress.com/1994-06-10/features/9406100133_1_black-elvis-blue-suede-shoes-garth-brooks Elvis Has Left The Image, Well, Not Exactly, But Black Elvis Is Eyeing Nashville by Sam McDonald]</ref><ref>Crutchley Enterprises [http://www.crutchleyenterprises.com/staff.html Meet the staff, Clearance (Elvis) Giddens] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707132215/http://www.crutchleyenterprises.com/staff.html |date=2015-07-07 }}</ref> Some sources say he comes from Melfa, Virginia, but he actually grew up in [[Painter, Virginia]] which is a small town in [[Accomack County]].<ref>'"Spin'' August 1989 Volume Five Number Five [https://books.google.com/books?id=kPkc1_IBN2kC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22Elvis&source=bl&ots=ug5FC154zs&sig=HEY0WcGsR7qXWP-eZSxuIDCX4Po&hl=ko&sa=X&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAmoVChMIwOHg7--UyAIVwy6mCh1tcwgs#v=onepage&q=%22Clearance%20Giddens%22Elvis&f=false Page 65, Black Elvis by Mark Mobley]</ref><ref>Library of Congress [https://www.loc.gov/item/va0032/ Thunder Castle, State Route 607 vicinity, Painter, Accomack County, VA]</ref> He comes from a devoutly religious family. He grew up being raised by his parents, with his mother being an old fashioned type of God fearing Christian. His first guitar came from his mother.<ref>ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 [http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'<br>''Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television'' Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175932/http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ |date=2015-09-27 }}</ref> After he left school and to help support his family, he found work in the local fields.<ref>''Elvis Information Network'' [http://www.elvisinfonet.com/almostelvis.html Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left']</ref>
+Giddens grew up in [[Painter, Virginia]] and works as house painter.<ref>''Daily Press'' June 10, 1994 [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927132820/http://articles.dailypress.com/1994-06-10/features/9406100133_1_black-elvis-blue-suede-shoes-garth-brooks Elvis Has Left The Image, Well, Not Exactly, But Black Elvis Is Eyeing Nashville by Sam McDonald]</ref><ref>Crutchley Enterprises [http://www.crutchleyenterprises.com/staff.html Meet the staff, Clearance (Elvis) Giddens] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707132215/http://www.crutchleyenterprises.com/staff.html |date=2015-07-07 }}</ref><ref name="auto2">''Spin'' August 1989 Volume Five Number Five [https://books.google.com/books?id=kPkc1_IBN2kC&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22Elvis&pg=PA65 Page 65, Black Elvis by Mark Mobley]</ref><ref>Library of Congress [https://www.loc.gov/item/va0032/ Thunder Castle, State Route 607 vicinity, Painter, Accomack County, VA]</ref> He received his first guitar as a gift from his mother.<ref name=":2">ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 [http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'<br>''Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television'' Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175932/http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ |date=2015-09-27 }}</ref> Upon leaving school, he worked in local fields to support his family.<ref name="auto5">''Elvis Information Network'' [http://www.elvisinfonet.com/almostelvis.html Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left']</ref> Giddens' parents are devout Christians and his mother was initially hesitant about his Elvis act because she considered it worldly.<ref>''The Free Lance Star'', Thursday September 22, 1994 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5128,4771809&hl=ko D2 ''from page D1'' ''Elvis'']</ref>
+Clearance Giddens's early influences are country and gospel music, specifically Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Roy C.<ref name="auto3">''The Baltimore Sun'' September 16, 1995 [https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/09/16/black-elvis-thats-the-way-it-is/ Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis]</ref><ref name="auto4">Blue Virginia Monday, September 28, 2009 [http://bluevablog.blogspot.com/2009/09/from-too-fun-not-to-mention-file.html From the "Too Fun Not to Mention" File]</ref> His family didn't have a TV, so he only watched it at his uncle's house about once a month. He remembers being in disbelief in his early teenage years when he first saw Presley dancing and singing on TV since he hadn't ever heard a white singer with so much soul before.<ref name="auto1">Secrets of the Eastern Shore, July 18, 2015 – [https://www.secretsoftheeasternshore.com/eastern-shore-black-elvis/ Characters / Meet Black Elvis, the Pride of Itty Bitty Painter on Virginia's Eastern Shore – ''written by Jim Duffy'']</ref><ref>[[DelmarvaNOW.com|delmarva now]], Dec. 18, 2014 – [https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/18/va-shore-icon-black-elvis-one-tour-left/20582927/ Va. Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left' – Jennifer Cording]</ref> He recalls hiding in the closet to listen to Elvis because his strict Christian mother did not allow [[rock and roll]] in the house.<ref name="auto1"/>
-When Giddens began his Elvis act, and there was opposition in his family, especially from his mother because of it being too worldly in her view.<ref>''The Free Lance Star'', Thursday September 22, 1994 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=5128,4771809&hl=ko D2 ''from page D1'' ''Elvis'']</ref>
+Before Giddens started his Elvis act, he was a member of a gospel group called the Gospel Specials who sang with artists such as [[Al Green]] and [[Solomon Burke]].<ref name="auto2"/> He is also credited as guitarist as well lead vocalist on two tracks by a group called Gospel Expressions who released an album, ''Good Times Bad Times''.<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/Gospel-Expressions-Good-Times-Bad-Times/release/6578360 Gospel Expressions  – Good Times Bad Times]</ref>
 ==Career==
+===Origin of Black Elvis===
-During the course of his career, he has appeared on shows such as ''The Arsenio Hall Show'', ''[[Hard Copy]]'', ''[[Inside Edition]]'',  ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'', ''the Geraldo Show'', and ''[[The Howard Stern Show|Howard Stern]].<ref>Blue Virginia Monday, September 28, 2009 [http://bluevablog.blogspot.com/2009/09/from-too-fun-not-to-mention-file.html From the "Too Fun Not to Mention" File]</ref>
+Giddens learned to strum "[[Love Me Tender (song)|Love Me Tender]]" because it was a favorite of his then-girlfriend, a devoted Elvis fan. As he was clowning around singing Elvis songs, she suggested he seriously pursue an Elvis impersonator career.<ref name="auto">''Eastern Shore Post'', October 23, 2018 – [https://www.easternshorepost.com/2018/10/23/do-drop-inn-celebrates-50-years-of-lifting-spirits/ Do Drop Inn Celebrates 50 Years of Lifting Spirits ''By Stefanie Jackson'']</ref><ref name=":0">''The Free Lance Star'' September 22, 1994 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6606,4768651&hl=ko Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz]</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1995-07-02 |title=Seeing Black Elvis perform is, well, astounding |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-seeing-black-elvis-perfo/155751350/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |work=The Daily Times |pages=22}}</ref> He remembers thinking "Black Elvis? Nobody's going to buy that."<ref name=":0" /> Giddens mentioned the idea to his boss, who was so enthusiastic that he got Giddens a Saturday gig performing at a restaurant the crew had recently painted. Giddens was so nervous that his legs shook but the crowd roared and tipped him generously. A chef accompanied him on piano and lead guitar, and the room was so full that Giddens' friends had to watch through the window from outside. The duo continued getting gigs and the chef eventually quit his restaurant job. By 1987, Clearance Giddens was performing as Black Elvis across the Eastern shore of Virginia.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> His ex-girlfriend saw his success and asked for a portion of his earnings for inspiring him. He denied the request.<ref name=":1" />
-===Early years===
-His early influences are Elvis Presley, James Brown, Roy C, country and gospel music.<ref>''The Baltimore Sun'' September 16, 1995 [http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-09-16/news/1995259103_1_elvis-began-black-elvis-giddens Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis]</ref><ref>Blue Virginia Monday, September 28, 2009 [http://bluevablog.blogspot.com/2009/09/from-too-fun-not-to-mention-file.html From the "Too Fun Not to Mention" File]</ref> As a child, he saw Presley on black & white television and with Presley moving and singing the way he did, Giddens couldn't believe what he saw. he had never seen a white guy move like that before.<ref>Secrets of the Eastern Shore, July 18, 2015 - [https://www.secretsoftheeasternshore.com/eastern-shore-black-elvis/ Characters / Meet Black Elvis, the Pride of Itty Bitty Painter on Virginia’s Eastern Shore - ''written by Jim Duffy'']</ref>
-<ref>[[DelmarvaNOW.com|delmarva now]], Dec. 18, 2014 - [https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/18/va-shore-icon-black-elvis-one-tour-left/20582927/ Va. Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left' - Jennifer Cording]</ref> His mother was a strict Christian and Giddens recalled having to hide in the closet while listening to some of Presley's more racey lyrics.<ref>Secrets of the Eastern Shore, July 18, 2015 - [https://www.secretsoftheeasternshore.com/eastern-shore-black-elvis/ Characters / Meet Black Elvis, the Pride of Itty Bitty Painter on Virginia’s Eastern Shore - ''written by Jim Duffy'']</ref>
+=== Television and film career ===
-Before Giddens started his Elvis act, he was a member of a gospel group called the Gospel Specials who sang with artists such as [[Al Green]] and [[Solomon Burke]].<ref>'"Spin'' August 1989 Volume Five Number Five [https://books.google.com/books?id=kPkc1_IBN2kC&pg=PA65&lpg=PA65&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22Elvis&source=bl&ots=ug5FC154zs&sig=HEY0WcGsR7qXWP-eZSxuIDCX4Po&hl=ko&sa=X&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAmoVChMIwOHg7--UyAIVwy6mCh1tcwgs#v=onepage&q=%22Clearance%20Giddens%22Elvis&f=false Page 65, Black Elvis by Mark Mobley]</ref> He is also credited as guitarist as well lead vocalist on two tracks by a group called Gospel Expressions who released an album, ''Good Times Bad Times''.<ref>Discogs [http://www.discogs.com/Gospel-Expressions-Good-Times-Bad-Times/release/6578360 Gospel Expressions  – Good Times Bad Times]</ref> After the gospel group broke up, his girlfriend at the time who was an Elvis fan gave him some encouragement. She liked hearing Giddens sing "[[Love Me Tender (song)|Love Me Tender]]".<ref>''Eastern Shore Post'', October 23, 2018 - [https://www.easternshorepost.com/2018/10/23/do-drop-inn-celebrates-50-years-of-lifting-spirits/ Do Drop Inn Celebrates 50 Years of Lifting Spirits ''By Stefanie Jackson'']</ref>
+Giddens' Black Elvis performance attracted international media attention, and reporters noted his talent and "raw dynamism".<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=1995-07-09 |title=Black Elvis still finds his career unbelievable |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-black-elvis-still-finds/155753168/ |access-date=2024-09-21 |work=The Daily Times |pages=22}}</ref> For his first national TV spot, he faced his fear of flying to attend ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'' in California but was so exhausted upon arriving that he slept through his performance. Shortly after waking up that evening, he answered a knock at his hotel room from ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'' staff, who asked him to be on the show.<ref name=":3" /> He continued to receive TV appearance invites, and he performed for various programs including ''[[Hard Copy]]'', ''[[Inside Edition]]'', [[Viva Elvis (Cirque du Soleil)|Viva Elvis]] weekend,<ref>''The Virginian-Pilot'', Sunday, June 4, 1995 –  [https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950604/06040031.htm THOUSANDS SIGHTED HONORING THE KING AT VIVA ELVIS WEEKEND –  BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER]</ref> and the ''[[The Howard Stern Show|Howard Stern Show]]''.<ref name="auto4"/> In one appearance on the ''Geraldo Show,'' a Black audience member told Giddens that imitating a white performer was betraying his race, and a different Elvis impersonator replied that what Giddens was doing was beautiful, causing the audience to applaud.<ref>''Race and the Subject of Masculinities'' Harry Stecopoulos, Michael Uebel [https://books.google.com/books?id=6o8mjm8YnmgC&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22&pg=PA205 Page 205, All the King's Men]</ref>
+A Hollywood casting director reached out about a film role that involved parachuting out of a plane with other Elvis impersonators as part of a recurring joke in the 1992 romantic comedy ''[[Honeymoon in Vegas]]'', which starred [[Nicolas Cage]], [[James Caan]], and [[Sarah Jessica Parker]]''.'' Even though he said he couldn't get over his fear of jumping out of a plane, he was cast as Black Elvis and appeared in other scenes.<ref>''New York Times'' [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927165351/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/22995/Honeymoon-in-Vegas/cast Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Acting credits]</ref><ref name="auto5"/> In 1995 he appeared in the film [[Home for the Holidays (1995 film)|Home for the Holidays]] shaking [[Jodie Foster]]'s hand.
-His Elvis impersonating career came about in 1988 when at a dinner, a friend suggested he try doing an Elvis act at a diner in [[Onancock, Virginia|Onancock]]. What came about as a result, was him turning into a kind of phenomenon.<ref>''The Free Lance Star'' September 22, 1994 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6606,4768651&hl=ko Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz]</ref>
-===1990s===
-He started to get serious about it in the early 1990s and started out with a Philadelphia-based backing band called The Flamin' Caucasians. He started getting bookings in Virginia Beach and then an article about him in ''[[Spin Magazine]]'' brought him national attention.<ref>''The Baltimore Sun'' September 16, 1995 [http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-09-16/news/1995259103_1_elvis-began-black-elvis-giddens Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis]</ref> In 1992, he appeared in the film ''Honeymoon in Vegas'' that starred [[James Caan]], [[Nicolas Cage]] and [[Sarah Jessica Parker]]. He played the part of Black Elvis.<ref>''New York Times [https://web.archive.org/web/20150927165351/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/22995/Honeymoon-in-Vegas/cast Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), Acting credits]</ref> Giddens was surprised with his rise to fame.<ref>''Elvis Information Network'' [http://www.elvisinfonet.com/almostelvis.html Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left']</ref>
-Like another African American Elvis impersonator [[Robert Washington (singer)|Robert Washington]], Giddens did quite well in appearances. He played the Elvis Impersonator circuit along the East Coast and made a living from it.<ref>''Wounds of Returning: Race, Memory, and Property on the Postslavery Plantation'' Jessica Adams [https://books.google.com/books?id=Kj_PWmyolnsC&pg=PA1900&lpg=PA1900&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22Geraldo&source=bl&ots=Hbsx0p4hBY&sig=if0jydidoe7GaRfQLZVFkADB-D4&hl=ko&sa=X&ved=0CDEQ6AEwA2oVChMI762R6IGVyAIVDCmUCh0whA1z#v=onepage&q=%22Clearance%20Giddens%22Geraldo&f=false 51 - 52]</ref> At one stage, his backup band was called The White Trash Band.<ref>''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' February 10, 1991 [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/66936385/ Page 51, Whoah! That Isn't Elvis]</ref>
-In June 1995, Giddens appeared at the Viva Elvis weekend. Giddens took to the stage, beginning his show with "[[Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On]]".<ref>''The Virginian-Pilot'', Sunday, June 4, 1995 -  [https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1995/vp950604/06040031.htm THOUSANDS SIGHTED HONORING THE KING AT VIVA ELVIS WEEKEND -  BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER]</ref>
+=== Live performances and music ===
-Not long after Giddens's rise to fame he discovered he was about to be a father again and was left with the choice of going out on the road or being a father so he chose the latter.<ref>ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 [http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'<br>''Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television'' Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175932/http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ |date=2015-09-27 }}</ref>
+In the early and mid 1990s, Giddens kept up a regular performance schedule. Memorable events include his ''[[Jailhouse Rock (song)|Jailhouse Rock]]'' duet with [[Jimmy Buffett|Jimmy Buffet]] at the Jimmy Buffet Bar in [[Key West]] and the [[United States Postal Service]]-sponsored show in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington D.C.]] in honor of an Elvis stamp.<ref name=":3" /><ref>''Pittsburgh Post Gazette'', Saturday, February 9, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19910209&id=5K5RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bG4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6449,2309615&hl=ko Page 17, People, Pages/Elvis By Any Name]</ref><ref name="auto3"/> Clearance Giddens remained in disbelief as he became more and more successful, sometimes questioning his own talent. He once challenged a fellow Black Elvis impersonator named [[Robert Washington (singer)|Robert Washington]] to a head-to-head showdown and did not get a response.<ref>''Wounds of Returning: Race, Memory, and Property on the Postslavery Plantation'' Jessica Adams [https://books.google.com/books?id=Kj_PWmyolnsC&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22Geraldo&pg=PA1900 51 – 52]</ref> Giddens struggled to book shows of his own despite his growing profile, and he made his act sound more intriguing by performing with a band called The Flamin' Caucasians (and later The White Trash Band).<ref>''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' February 10, 1991 [https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/66936385/ Page 51, Whoah! That Isn't Elvis]</ref> By 1994, he was earning about $2000 per show.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=1994-06-10 |title=Elvis has left the image |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press-elvis-has-left-the-image/155760520/ |access-date=2024-09-22 |work=Daily Press |pages=78}}</ref> After seven years of Elvis classics like [[Blue Suede Shoes]], Clearance Giddens was ready for something new. He released singles of his own and subtly altered his look, trimming his sideburns a little bit and wearing cowboy hats.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1994-06-10 |title=Black Elvis |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-press-black-elvis/155760487/ |access-date=2024-09-22 |work=Daily Press |pages=72}}</ref><ref name=":4" />
+Giddens became a father in the mid-1990s and realized he could not keep up with both parenthood and his touring schedule. He stepped back from the Black Elvis circuit so that he could be a dad.<ref name=":2"/> He has said he is proud of his daughter. In a 2014 interview, Giddens reported that she had grown up and was studying to become an [[Obstetrics|obstetrician]].<ref name=":2" />
-;Reaction
-During the early 1990s when Giddens appeared on the ''Geraldo Show'' there were some mixed reactions. One member of the audience who happened to be black, verbally criticized Giddens for betraying his race by imitating a white entertainer. He said to Giddens that it was very disrespectful to them, meaning African Americans that he wasn't representing them by being someone he couldn't be. A white woman in the audience yelled out that Giddens has her vote and commended his performance and as a Black Elvis, she liked him. She also mentioned that Elvis dealt with a lot of black people. A white Elvis impersonator Russ Howe shook the hand of Giddens and said what he was doing was beautiful which was met by applause from the audience.<ref>''Race and the Subject of Masculinities'' Harry Stecopoulos, Michael Uebel [https://books.google.com/books?id=6o8mjm8YnmgC&pg=PA205&dq=%22Clearance+Giddens%22&hl=ko&sa=X&ved=0CBsQ6AEwAGoVChMIio_09eqUyAIVhymUCh2xygzw#v=onepage&q=%22Clearance%20Giddens%22&f=false Page 205, All the King's Men]</ref>
-===2000s===
+=== Reception ===
+Giddens was generally praised for the personality he brought to his "Elvis" and his charisma on stage. He sometimes strayed from Elvis Presley's style, and unlike some other impersonators, he played the guitar on stage. He was compared to foundational member of rock and roll, such as [[Chuck Berry]].
-On March 29, 2008, he was booked to appear at Quizzo Bowl IV, held at the Blue Horizon on 1314 North Broad Street, Philadelphia.<ref>Johnny Goodtimes [http://johnnygoodtimes.com/2008/03/quizzo-bowl-ivits-on/ Quizzo Bowl IV…It’s On!]</ref>
+===2000s===
-In December, 2014, Giddens and backing group, billed Black Elvis and Snowflake appeared at a Christmas Party and Toy Drive at Little Italy, [[Nassawadox, Virginia]].<ref>ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 [http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'<br>''Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television'' Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175932/http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ |date=2015-09-27 }}</ref>
+Clearance Giddens continued his Black Elvis career on a smaller scale, with Italian restaurant owner Franco Nocera booking shows and a keyboard player named Snowflake providing backup. In addition to regular appearances at local venues and parties,<ref name="auto"/><ref name=":5">ABC 12 News Now December 19, 2014 [http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/ Eastern Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left'<br />''Clarence Giddens, who earned fame as Black Elvis, is back on stage and performing after earning fame two decades ago in movies and on television'' Jennifer Cording, Eastern Shore News] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927175932/http://www.13newsnow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/19/eastern-shore-icon-black-elvis-has-one-more-tour-left/20629921/|date=2015-09-27}}</ref> he makes appearances in various productions, such as a 2018 [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] ad that showed Elvis impersonators talking on a group [[FaceTime|Facetime]] calls.<ref>''Shore Daily News'', Dec 4, 2018 – [https://shoredailynews.com/headlines/two-eastern-shore-men-make-the-national-media/ Two Eastern Shoremen Make the National Media]</ref><ref>Local Scoop – [https://www.localscoop.com/eastern-shore-virginia/black-elvis Black Elvis ''scooped by Mark Atkinson'']</ref> He still considers his life to be unbelievable.<ref name=":5" /> He appears in the book ''I Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators''.<ref>''Cherokee County Herald'' April 17, 1991 [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=354&dat=19910417&id=Sa0vAAAAIBAJ&sjid=gj4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6748,1511242&hl=ko Page 3, Picking hits is science to trivia task Ethel Anne DeVare]</ref><ref>'' Am Elvis: A Guide to Elvis Impersonators'' Edited by Marie Cahill [https://books.google.com/books?id=fXTZAAAAMAAJ&q=I+Am+Elvis:+A+Guide+Clearance I am Elvis: a guide to Elvis impersonators]</ref>
-As of 2018, Giddens was making appearances at the Do Drop Inn restaurant and lounge in [[Franktown, Virginia]].<ref>''Eastern Shore Post'', October 23, 2018 - [https://www.easternshorepost.com/2018/10/23/do-drop-inn-celebrates-50-years-of-lifting-spirits/ Do Drop Inn Celebrates 50 Years of Lifting Spirits ''By Stefanie Jackson'']</ref>
-===Recent activity===
-In late 2018, Giddens was one of a group of Elvis impersonators that were featured in [[Apple Inc.|Apple's]] [[FaceTime|Group Facetime]] Service commercial.<ref>''Shore Daily News'', Dec 4, 2018 - [https://shoredailynews.com/headlines/two-eastern-shore-men-make-the-national-media/ Two Eastern Shoremen Make the National Media]</ref><ref>Local Scoop - [https://www.localscoop.com/eastern-shore-virginia/black-elvis Black Elvis ''scooped by Mark Atkinson'']</ref>
 ==Discography==
@@ Line 68: / Line 61: @@
 |
 | 1993
-| <ref>''The Free Lance Star'' September 22, 1994 - [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6606,4768651&hl=ko Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz]</ref>
+|<ref>''The Free Lance Star'' September 22, 1994 – [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6606,4768651&hl=ko Elvis Noir, The King borrowed from black musicians; now a black singer's borrowing back by Michael Zitz]</ref>
 |-
 ! scope="row" | ''Can You Feel the Flavor?''
 |
 | 2009
-| As Black Elvis<ref>Spotify - [https://play.spotify.com/album/0JzdRWK1tpKAf60NZ1GBdj?play=true Can You Feel the Flavor, Black Elvis]</ref>
+| As Black Elvis<ref>Spotify – [https://play.spotify.com/album/0JzdRWK1tpKAf60NZ1GBdj?play=true Can You Feel the Flavor, Black Elvis]</ref>
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 88: / Line 81: @@
 ! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes #
 |-
-! scope="row" | ''Viva Elvis'' - Channel 4 1×75 1991 Elvis Special, presented by [[Jonathan Ross]]
+! scope="row" | ''Viva Elvis'' – Channel 4 1×75 1991 Elvis Special, presented by [[Jonathan Ross]]
 | Himself
 |
 | 1991
-| <ref>Channel X [http://www.channelx.co.uk/viva-elvis/ Viva Elvis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001021147/http://www.channelx.co.uk/viva-elvis/ |date=2015-10-01 }}</ref><ref>Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGIogJTuvW0 Viva Elvis (1991)- Part 4 of 7 #Channel 4 UK#]</ref>
+|<ref>Channel X [http://www.channelx.co.uk/viva-elvis/ Viva Elvis] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001021147/http://www.channelx.co.uk/viva-elvis/ |date=2015-10-01 }}</ref><ref>YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGIogJTuvW0 Viva Elvis (1991)- Part 4 of 7 #Channel 4 UK#]</ref>
 |-
 ! scope="row" | ''Honeymoon in Vegas''
@@ Line 98: / Line 91: @@
 | [[Andrew Bergman]]
 | 1992
-| <ref>[[TV Guide]] - [https://www.tvguide.com/movies/honeymoon-in-vegas/cast/129084/ Honeymoon In Vegas, Cast]</ref>
+|<ref>[[TV Guide]] – [https://www.tvguide.com/movies/honeymoon-in-vegas/cast/129084/ Honeymoon In Vegas, Cast]</ref>
 |-
 ! scope="row" | ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]''
@@ Line 104: / Line 97: @@
 |
 |
+|<ref name="auto3"/>
-|  <ref>''The Baltimore Sun'' September 16, 1995 [http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-09-16/news/1995259103_1_elvis-began-black-elvis-giddens Black Elvis: That's The Way It Is By Dail Willis]</ref>
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 122: / Line 115: @@
 |
 | 1991
-| <ref>''Los Angeles Times'' May 17, 1991 [http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-17/entertainment/ca-1849_1_seoul-house 'Seoul House': Rap Opera to Social Commentary :<br> Stage: Set in a Korean-owned store in a black neighborhood, the multimedia piece has found itself mirroring recent news events. by Diane Haithman]</ref>
+|<ref>''Los Angeles Times'' May 17, 1991 [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-17-ca-1849-story.html 'Seoul House': Rap Opera to Social Commentary :<br> Stage: Set in a Korean-owned store in a black neighborhood, the multimedia piece has found itself mirroring recent news events. by Diane Haithman]</ref>
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 131: / Line 124: @@
 ==Links==
 * [http://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/virginia/2014/12/18/va-shore-icon-black-elvis-one-tour-left/20582927/ ''Delmarva Now:'' Va. Shore icon Black Elvis has 'one more tour left']
-* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkYvlsF2iPI Youtube: "BLACK ELVIS" The KIng is back... and he's black. 1996 WBFF TV]
+* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkYvlsF2iPI YouTube: "BLACK ELVIS" The KIng is back... and he's black. 1996 WBFF TV]
 * [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19940922&id=1egyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ugcGAAAAIBAJ&pg=6606,4768651&hl=ko ''The Free Lance Star'' September 22, 1994 article]