This article appeared in the June 4th Issue of TV Times
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In Remembrance Of The "King"
Michael Hoover Brings Elvis Tribute To O.C.

By David Maull
TV Times

He dresses in flashy jumpsuits, gyrates to the rhythms of a four-piece backing band and travels across the country performing 300 shows a year. But that doesn't make Michael Hoover an Elvis Presley freak.

Although he can perform up to 90 Elvis songs and has seen his stage show become a full-time job, Hoover prefers to think of himself as someone who simply appreciates the music made by the late King of Rock N' Roll.

"I think I'm just more into the music," said Hoover, who doesn't admit to knowing every small detail of Elvis' personal life. "It's definitely a job ... but I still absolutely enjoy it."

Hoover, who lives in Stafford, Va., has been impersonating Elvis for 20 years, since before the singer's death in 1977. It's a career that began with his high school garage band in Rockville, Md. Along with Beatles and Rolling Stones covers, the band played plenty of Elvis tunes.

"I was doing Elvis before he died," Hoover said. "We had a full set of Elvis songs." It was after Elvis' death in 1977, however, that the band's focus shifted.

Elvis songs were always the most popular with audiences, and before long Hoover had donned the jumpsuit and was imitating the King's patented hip swirls. It would be exclusively Elvis for Hoover and the band from that point on.

Twenty years later, Hoover is still taking his "Memories of Elvis" show across the country, performing nearly every weekend. "I didn't know it would last. Maybe I'm a little surprised we're still doing it," he said. "Obviously, it's been a full-time thing for over 20 years so obviously we're doing something right."

But Hoover is also a serious musician, studying with the late Frederick Wilkerson, a voice coach who worked with Roberta Flack and Frank Sinatra. He also perfected Elvis' stage moves to make the show more genuine.

"The moves and the songs fit together real well. Each song Elvis did had its own set of moves," Hoover said. "I don't want the show to look like a put-on."

It was that commitment to authenticity that landed Hoover an appearance on the television show "Rosanne" in 1992.

While being fitted for a new jumpsuit in Hollywood, Hoover ran into Rosanne in a restaurant. He gave her a tape and promo package and a few weeks later received a phone call from Tom Arnold, Rosanne's husband at the time.

Hoover opened for Rosanne at a show in San Francisco, performed at her 40th birthday party at the Beverly Hills Hotel and made an appearance on her television show.

"She's great to work for," Hoover said. "That was my 15 minutes of fame I guess."

These days, Hoover and his "Sweetwater" band - guitarist George Joseph, drummer Buster Stanley, keyboardist Richard Moore and bassist Jack Thornton - travel nearly 80,000 miles a year to perform their show.

Each show lasts an hour and features about 18 songs. Hoover lists his favorites as "Burning Love," "Suspicious Minds" and "You Gave Me A Mountain," a Marty Robbins song that Elvis performed at his concert in Hawaii.

"I've been a musician forever," said Hoover, who can also be booked for private functions such as birthday and retirement parties. "I always knew I would be in music - a singer - one way or another."

Memories Of Elvis
WHAT: Michael Hoover and his band Sweetwater perform about 18 Elvis classics in their hour-long show.
WHERE: Jordan's Rooftop atop the Fenwick Inn on 138th Street and Coastal Highway in Ocean City.
WHEN: Sunday, May 24; Two shows at 8:45 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
COST: $12
SCHEDULE: To get dates for future shows, call Hoover's 24-hour telephone hotline at (301) 899-4846 or visit his website at www.michaelhoover.com.
FAN CLUB: Write to the Michael Hoover Fan Club, P.O. Box 74, Ruby, Va. 22545 or send e-mail to show@michaelhoover.com