Dear Lisa,
Never before I felt the urge to ask you anything, but now I have to. I am an Elvis fan all my life, and no, I don't have sideburns or jumpsuits. I do have a great music collection and yes, in every room of my apartment there are several pictures of your father. But I am no groupie, and I don't see your father as an icon, or a god. I simply love his voice (and of course his looks, since I am not blind). But his music, his voice, was and is the thing that touches my soul, for over 40 years now.
My father died 22 years ago, and I still love him dearly. He was a great man, a loving man, and he worshipped the ground I was walking on. I think it was the same with yours. Like many women I think that a girl's father is someone special in her life, living or deceased. There were some things I loved especially about my father. He had a beard of which he was very proud. Even his hairdresser was proud of that beard. It was always well kept and clean. Besides that, he was handsome, good-looking and very charming. But oh, how I hate the thought of other men trying to look like my father did. I had only one father; a father who loved me dearly and I him. No one can replace him and no one can become even close to his charisma.
I have seen you with Miss Oprah and I can't help thinking that you are a very nice person with a loving heart; you even look like your father. Of course, you can't change the Elvis scene, but at least you could give your opinion about silly men trying to look like your father did. And, even more important: why are you letting EPE doing what they are doing with this impersonator contest on the grounds of Graceland? I know you can't stop men trying to look like your father, but at least you could keep them out of the home of your father. You had only one father and the world had only one Elvis. That's how it should be.
We try to keep the legend of your father alive, by taking care of ElvisNews.com, but since 2 weeks, since the news of that ridiculous contest of EPE, my husband and I are really thinking about stopping with this site. We still love your father's music, but oh boy, what's next? Do we have to make updates about some silly guy who looks like a fool with glued sideburns on his cheeks, posing for a picture in your father's living room?
No thank you, I will pass! So please, take a moment to consider this and let us know what you are thinking of this!
With lots of love and honest feelings,
Loes (Netherlands, Europe)
Update December 1, 2006:
We asked EPE to forward this mail and this was the reply: "Thanks. At some point we will post an FAQ feature regarding EPE's evolving position on Elvis tribute artists and regarding our ETA contest."