Community Corner

Dexter Tribute Artist Embraces the Spirit of Elvis

Dave Pace talks about conquering stage fright on his journey to becoming an impersonator.

Thousands of Elvis fans from across the country will descend on Ypsilanti to shake up Riverside Park during the 12th annual Michigan ElvisFest this weekend.

The two-day music festival, which kicks off Friday, features 11 Elvis tribute artists as well as artists honoring Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and the Blues Brothers, among others.

Dave Pace of Dexter, one of the festival’s longtime performers, said ElvisFest is something he looks forward to.

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“I won’t be able to attend this year, unfortunately,” he said. “It is an amazing event. There’s nothing else like it anywhere.”

Pace has been performing as a tribute artist for about a decade.

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“I’ve always been inspired by Elvis,” Pace said. “There is just something about his charisma. He has some true talent. If you’re a die-hard Elvis fan, then his music is all you want to hear.”

Growing up in the late 1950s, Pace said he found himself experiencing firsthand the “Elvis craze” that swept the nation and the madly thumping hearts of teenage girls everywhere.

“I remember when Elvis came on The Ed Sullivan Show and everyone was just blown away,” Pace said.

At the ripe age of 12, Pace received his first guitar and immediately began teaching himself music.

“I would play in talent shows with some buddies when I was in school, but it never amounted to much because I was always real shy and used that as an excuse to avoid the stage,” he said.

It wasn’t until decades later, when his sister invited him to ElvisFest and ignited his love of the king once more, did Pace shake his stage fright.

“I saw all these people celebrating Elvis’ life and I thought, ‘These guys rock! I can do this,’” Pace said. “I got the karaoke going and a jumpsuit, and that was it.”

Pace said he performs throughout the year exclusively in Michigan. He can be seen at birthday parties, retirement parties, farmers’ markets and tribute shows.

“I’ve even played at a few funerals, which at first was a bit strange,” he said. “After the first couple of times doing it, I was fine. You learn quickly it’s not about you, it’s about Elvis and the music that touched so many people.”

One of his favorite moments occurred in 2004 while working at Chelsea’s Sounds & Sights festival.

“I was singing and this man in a wheelchair just had tears rolling down his face,” Pace said. “My thought was, ‘If I can pick up this cookie that Elvis dropped and make people happy, why not keep doing it?’ It was a very powerful moment for me as a performer.”

Another fond memory was being asked to perform at the Redford Theatre in Redford for a 2006 celebration of Elvis’ birthday.

“It was like I was on The Ed Sullivan Show,” he said.

Pace said depending on the crowd, his music repertoire covers Elvis' early career as well as his later gospel tunes.

“We do all the hits; ‘Jailhouse Rock,’ ‘Teddy Bear,’ and ‘Amazing Grace’ are always crowd-pleasers,” he said. "Around the Fourth of July, the crowds love when we do 'The American Trilogy.'"

As for his stage fright, Pace said he’s still a little shy but he has learned to live with it.

“The first time you walk out on that stage in front of 10,000 people and it’s just you and the microphone … you are ready to start climbing the walls,” he said. “But when the drums kick in and you walk out to the cheering fans, it’s a neat feeling knowing that they are there to see you.”

ElvisFest takes place Friday from 5 p.m.-midnight, and Saturday from noon to midnight. Tickets are $15 for Friday and $20 for Saturday or $30 for both days and are available at the gate (cash only). Children 12 and are admitted for free. For more information, visit www.mielvisfest.org.


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