Quebec tribute artist ready for final Elvis Presley contest in Memphis | Globalnews.ca

When Valleyfield, Ky., Residents Sylvain Leduc Pays tribute to the king of rock n’ roll, details matter.

“If I’m dressed up, have hair, have the right jewelry, and I’m on stage. I feel it. I can feel Elvis’ presence with me.”

The tribute artist grew up listening to classics like ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ with his father and uncle. When Elvis Presley died, Leduc began to involve the singer in school performances.

“I think it captured a lot of hearts and really captured mine,” he told Global News.

The Elvis look-alike calls his home a mini-graceland west of Montreal. Portraits of the king hang alongside photographs from Leduc’s career.

He began entering professional competitions in 2015 to keep Elvis’ legacy and music alive.

“I started with Lake George as my first festival, which I took, I won there and just kept going,” Leduc said.

Performing is now his full-time job and he often does seven or eight shows a week for nostalgic fans.

“It’s about bringing joy, bringing that Elvis music to them,” he said. “It’s really funny.”

Leduc’s manager, Sharon Murray, says Leduc’s is as good as it gets other than Elvis.

“If Elvis didn’t do it, Sylvain wouldn’t do it. So you’re looking at the real deal, as best as you can,” Murray said.

There is a revival of interest in the king. Director Baz Luhrmann’s biopic about a rock legend is currently topping the box office charts.

Leduc hasn’t seen the film yet but is making plans with her son.

“It’s going to boost everyone’s career, I believe, and it’s going to bring in a lot of young, young people as well,” Leduc said.

The Quebec tribute artist took first place at the Penticton Elvis Festival in British Columbia last Sunday. It was the qualifying competition for the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest this August in Graceland, Memphis.

He was previously placed in the top ten, but this time he is expected to bring in a performance contract with Elvis Presley Enterprises as well as a prize of US$20,000.

“I’ll be the first person in Canada to bring it home. So I’ll love that,” Leduc said.

Until then, he will continue to move, rattle and roll upcoming performances In preparation for the biggest Elvis competition in the world.