Hey gang, we're in Makati, Philippines and we're going to RJ Bistro for a very special Elvis show.
I've been a fan of Elvis ever since I first heard him sing when I was
About 8 years old and I heard him sing Hound Dog, and Don't Be Cruel on the radio.
Not only do I love Elvis. I want to see how they do him in Asia. It's pretty obvious
He's not only the greatest of all time. He's the greatest of all time by far.
No one else has come close to him. He's been dead for over 40 years and his music is still selling.
Can you tell us what your first Elvis Presley experience was it was?
It was 1987. I was 14 years old. I was watching a local channel and
it was a surprise because everybody was talking about Elvis Presley and
Being a 14-year old teenager. I don't know anything about Elvis.
it just so happened that day I believe
They were celebrating the 10th anniversary of his passing
So I was so captured by
Everybody talking about how good the man was
On stage and off the stage and they kept on playing music of Elvis and I got hooked on it
That was the first experience I had with him
Listening all day and the next day
You know, I can't believe it. I'm asking my my aunts my uncle my father
Do they have an album of Elvis and they were laughing at me? They said you should be listening to menudo
or a
Duran Duran or Spandau Bally the at that time, but I was looking for an Elvis album and since then
I'm a fan. I'm a big fan and I love the king. You obviously have to be a fan
to do what you do.
You couldn't not be a fan.
I wish he's still alive is you know, men nowadays
It's so rare to see such passion and love and you know thoughtfulness and whatever
Elvis has it all honestly
I mean if he could reincarnate anytime soon, I will marry him nobody. Like I said his music touched people like
There was never a performer
that could perform like him.
And he had more feeling in his songs than anybody and I think when he's saying
Everybody that was listening to him thought he was singing to them
He made you feel like he was singing to you.
I mean he's singing right through your soul.
Right throught your soul, so that's what I love about I tell people
That when God sings he uses Elvis' voice.
Definitely true. Cause human beings were not meant to sound that good
They were not meant to sound that good nobody else sounds that good. Exactly. the closest they can come to it is by impersonating him.
And they say that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery and I do believe
He's been dead for 40 years and they're still buying his music
People are still making a living impersonating him because people want to see him.
More than anyone that has ever lived.
There was a that was an Elvis impersonator that I went to see and he made the comment
In our lifetime, there will only be one Elvis.
I think there will only be one Elvis ever. Of all time.
I think we've seen the greatest there ever was I'm fortunately older than you. So, I was around when
Elvis hit it big. I was eight years old. I heard of singing on a radio
I've loved him ever since I wanted to go see him in person
Unfortunately, that didn't happen
So Douglas you're originally from Japan
Did you grow up with Elvis when you were in Japan?
Well, they call me from the Elvis from Japan, but I'm actually born in Arkansas from the US
Okay, your southern boy like Elvis. True. But what it got you into Elvis?
Well, I first heard Elvis when I was knee-high to a grasshopper
And he was singing on The Ed Sullivan Show. He was singing a song called
Don't Be Cruel. Wow, and he had this funny name and I said, gee, guy only has one name
But I like that song and my sister used to play that song
All day long. She had that big 78 record look like a hood cap and it turned white
So she was the Elvis fan and got me interested. That's how I got started. And what has Elvis meant to you over the years?
Elvis is uh
Is an icon he's the king of rock and roll and of course people here will never look like him
We don't sound like him, but we love him.
He is our Idol and all we wanted to do is keep his legacy glowing for the next generation and that's what we're doing
So that that's what we do. We don't
You know, it's only one Elvis. A lot of people trying to impersonate him and forget about it
But just keep perpetuating his image and his legacy. That's what I want to do
He's been dead, I'm sure longer than you've been alive.
Yes, I think Elvis is just a legend.
He's the king of rock n' roll.
And I'm glad you're exposing his music to a younger generation because they'd really be missing out
So Dad, what do you think of his performance? I liked it, real upbeat
I recognized his suit right away as being from the television special, the Christmas special from
1968 some people called it a comeback special. I never understood why because as far as I was concerned Elvis never left
He was making movies though instead of doing concerts and has been about what eight years or something
I think since he and performed on stage when he
Made that special I suppose it was a comeback to the stage
When you do a good job as Elvis the way the crowd loved him and if you do a good job
They love you and that's got to be a great feeling to be on stage
It was really great. And to have people respond the way they do. I can see the people they they really appreciate what I'm singing.
It was really awesome and all I just you know those lines, you know
I can't explain it. Just coming out of my my mouth, singing
It's just really hard to imagine.
What inspired you to start
singing Elvis Prseley songs? See, way back when I was 14. I heard the song No More
And when I heard that No More song, I've kept him playing that cassette thing
Just to get that lyrics and then I keep on singing that song
over and over again
then I asked my mom to buy me a guitar and
then
I never knew how
My cousin would come to our house to tune my guitar
so I learned how to tune it by ear and then after that, you know, I
bought some
minus one and then later and I bought some
Songs song sheets with chords and then I keep on playing and That's Alright Mama, My Happiness
Don't Be Cruel
Heartbreak Hotel, you know, Don't Be Cuel. Don't Be Cruel was my favorite actually.
Don't Be Cruel for a long time was his favorite. I guess he finally
liked It's Now or Never better when he recorded that but don't be cruel was his biggest seller along with hound dog and
That don't be cruel when I heard that as a year old kid. That was it that came on the radio
Been a fan ever since yeah it's a beautiful song. Yeah, and you know what?
When I was nineteen years old, I recorded My Happiness, That's Alright and then I gave it to my mom
as a gift.
Which is interesting because that's what Elvis did before he was famous. He recorded a couple of record for his mother
Yeah, I just gave it to my mom. I still have the receipt.
and
Well, the tapes were lost
Which is you know, just like Elvis, his intention was to give it as a gift
And to be heard as well
So that's my intention too. So I lost the tapes, but I've got the receipt.
He loves his mom, I love my mom too so much my mom passed away five years ago
and I'm sure she's just
if she's still here now, I'm sure she'd be proud of me.
She knows that I wanted to sing on stage and this is like a break for me.
Well, that's something you have in common with Elvis because he lost his mother. Yeah
I had read that
She's in the audience
in his second movie Loving You when he's up on stage singing songs like Teddy Bear and he couldn't watch that
for a long time because his mothers in the audience in that movie
Okay, it's been 41 years really yeah 41 years today he died
It's incredible that people are still talking about him. He made such an impression on the whole world. Yeah
on everyone. It's too bad he never got to make a tour in Europe and Asia especially here in the Philippines.
Yeah, it would have been unbelievable if he to come over here
So I'm here with the main man the guitar man
RJ an icon here in the Philippines and owner of RJ bistro
So RJ what made you decide to start putting on these Elvis shows?
Well, we didn't want the memory of Elvis to go away. As far as the younger generation was concerned
so we wanted to refresh their their minds every birthday and
Death anniversary of Elvis because Elvis was unique. God never made another one like him
He had everything looks, talent, charisma
Everything. He was great. He moved different. His hair was different everything was different about him
He could represent everybody, you know
So I think it was unique really unique and God never made another one like him
So we didn't want that memory to go away
We want to be on the younger generations to experience the source of what they hear today, then even the Beatles idolized Elvis
What do you have to say about RJ's Elvis show? It was great. It was the highlight of my trip
And really the one highlights of my life because something that I enjoyed he let me I didn't know he was gonna do this
Let me interview
That the other people know and I checked those last two guys
The girls were younger because Elvis was already dead when they were born. Yeah
Yeah, so he's a little new experience for them right those other guys
The one guy was a little boy and they talked about what I call Elvis moments
You have things like the first time you ever heard him that they never forgot
And he touched themso much it made him cry on different occasions.
So I really enjoed hearing those guys talk about Elvis because I feel the same way. Elvis makes me cry
I listen to some of the songs I swear and listen to God sing.
And he makes you cry because no singer has ever touched people the way he did and you can tell these guys were touched.
Heard Elvis sing and that was it
I remember one day I was in the shower. I was singing loud enough for my father to hear it in the garage
and my father was
Asking my mom. Can you please tell that boy to shut up?
and my mother said I recall this my mother said
Let him be you don't know maybe in the future. He will be the Elvis Presley of the Philippines and
It stuck on my head and last year. They had a contest for Elvis of Asia.
23 contestants out of seven countries the champion of Japan Italy
Singapore, I believe Indonesia and
some some Filipino
Elvises also they joined. I got I got the title last year.
well
Your your story is a perfect example of what I try to tell my son and tell people that Elvis Presley's music
Touched people like no other singer. There's ever been and you're an example of that you talk about
How you heard him couldn't believe what you're hearing and you've never forgotten. Yeah, it changed your life
I was touched because you're during that time, you know
My parents are having you know
The usual stuff, they quarrel, you know, and I'm an only child just like Elvis
So no brothers no sisters
so I'm on my own on carrying the burden of your parents, you know, yeah, you know fighting so I
Went on and put my records and play it out loud. Loud enough for them to go out of the house and they'll talk outside
And I play my Elvis all day long. And since I'm the only child so I have my ways
Again
Last June of this year, I went to Graceland. Oh, I've always wanted to go there. Oh, well, you know
Lucky me because that was the grand prize of me winning the of Elvis of Asia.
So the grand prize is a nine-day tour from Nashville to Memphis to New Orleans
Did you get to stay in the Heartbreak Hotel? It's not around anymore
No, I stayed in Sheraton Hotel just adjacent to Beale Street where the action is
But the good thing there three days in Memphis. I went over Sun Studios
and of course the mansion  and the museum and the meditation and man when I was in the meditation
garden, I cried. Well, I don't think you have to be ashamed of that.
Yeah, I have always wanted to go there at this time of the year. They have the candle light vigil
Who else after 40 plus years of being dead, do they have a candlelight vigil? I tried to tell my son
In all of the people I've ever heard of through history, I only know two people
whose births they celebrate and
And whose the day they died people remember and they mourn or pay their respects
I said one of those was Jesus and one was Elvis. I said all the other people who ever lived
Those are the only two people that are remembered both their birthday and their death and ironically
They're both called king.
But just like Elvis said there's only one King, Jesus Christ. Yeah, he didn't claim it.
He never claimed it you never but it just shows you how he touched things people. I tell people that when
God sings he uses Elvis's voice because people were not meant to sound that good. I swear he's got some songs that
do make you cry. Yes, and I swear I'm listening to God sing because you go, this can't be a human being and
Can't be a human being making this song. Imagine Elvis Presley as the king of rock'n'roll. He's not only a king of rock'n'roll
He's the king of gospel. Yeah, and you haven't heard gospel til you hear him sing it
It's just like you talk about where you remember things like when I first turned up sing Don't be Cruel
I was a eight-year-old boy doing the dishes me and my brother grabbed the frying pan and pretended it was a guitar.
We used to do that. That was 1956 tells you how old I am
But like if I had a name a favorite song, I can't really name one for sure
But if I had to name one, I'd probably pick one of his gospel songs
Crying in the Chapel and I remember where I was when I first heard it
I was driving down Main Street in my hometown where I'm from, I was on 9th and Main and
Crying in the Chapel came on
It's just I mean, I was already a big Elvis fan for years
But when I heard that song it just blew me away. And I remember where I was when I heard that song
Yeah, things like that. They're clear. I never forget
Yeah
Just like I was telling my wife they were showing the Elvis
Concert from Hawaii and one thing I remember about Hawaii. Maybe my favorite song from that concert...I'll Remember You
Yes, I know it. I feel you. and I said here's another experience
I
never
forgot
But he's singing that song which I said is one of my I got five Elvis songs picked out that you play at my funeral
If you play music at my funeral and you play these that's one of yeah, but I said when he did that concert in
Hawaii there's a moment in there that I never forgot
It's only a couple seconds, but he's singing that song
I'll remember you and he turns around and he looks at his band and he smiles as
If to say you can tell that he's really happy
The crowd is really into it
He sings and he turns around and he smiles at the band as if to say look what I can do with my voice
Look at how many people are loving what I'm doing with my voice and it's only a couple of seconds
But I never forgot that when I saw that concert and he turned around
It's another thing that has stuck with me all my life
I cried from some of his songs because he touches you and like I said
He makes you feel like he's singing to you. Doesn't he? Yeah, when you hear him sing, you think he's singing to you.
That's the you know
The word big difference is an understatement. It's more than that
Compared to other singers. Yeah, it is more than that.
Yeah no one comes close.
and I think here they'll be listening to him a hundred years from now that we're listening this music the guys that are singing the
singing today, where will they be? I think they'll still be listening to Elvis
Dad, what do you think of the Elvis show? I loved it. It's the highlight of my trip
What's the most special thing about it so far?
Well, I enjoyed the performances of course, but something I wasn't counting on was
interviewing some of the Elvis impersonators and
That really was meaningful to me because I loved hearing about what I call Elvis moments where they talked about
certain things in their life
that really touched them like the first time they ever heard or saw Elvis and it was something they never forgot and
Obviously it changed their whole life because I've had moments like that myself
You can really relate to them, right with their experience how they started
admiring Elvis
Singing Elvis Presley songs. Exactly what he meant to their life. He changed their life and I can say the same thing
About him because I can't sing like him or anything like that
But I enjoy his music so much and he was so inspirational
He brought such pleasure to my life, but he also inspired me. I think I'm like a lot of guys
That could say this
Although I never saw him perform in person, and I never met him. I love that man for the pleasure
he brought to my life and for the
Inspiration that he was to me and I think there are millions of people that could say the same thing
Is there any specific effect but Elvis had on you like well?
One of the things he does for me and I'm sure a lot of people
He might be singing to hundreds of people at one time
But he made every person who was listening to him feel like he was singing to them
And he just touched something in people that other singers just don't seem to be able to reach
And what sets Elvis apart from all other musicians?
Well, first of all, he obviously has the greatest voice
I've also never seen a performer who did a better job of
dancing
Moving to his own music while he was singing I never seen anyone else
That could do it that well, probably the next best would be Tom Jones who was a friend of Elvis. What are the top three?
characteristics of Elvis that you really admire
Well, of course his talent for singing
His talent for performing some people don't think he was a good actor, but if you watch some of his movies
I think he was a great actor on some of those movies. There's a movie called Follow that Dream where it plays a simple
Hillbilly type character and he has to be a lawyer in court and defend his father
And he just does an amazing job in that scene
Defending his father in court. I think that was a
Oscar winning performance
and I don't think a lot of people have given him credit for just how good of an actor he was and then just
To be that good he just inspires you he inspires you because he can make you feel he touches people emotionally
as you saw when I interviewed some of those impersonators he changed their lives and
Sometimes right from the very beginning the very first time they heard him or saw him
He changed their life from that moment on their life was never the same. There are so many
Singers musicians
Have become popular after Elvis, but if you could talk to young people now, would you tell them?
Well, would you encourage them to listen to Elvis?
well
I would encourage them to listen to Elvis if they want to listen to the best singer of all time the best singer by far
Who by the way inspire a lot of the people of today, but they're not as good as he is
But he inspired them and some of them are very talented and very good but there's nobody close to Elvis
I think that we listening to him a hundred years from now how many people from today?
Will they be listening to a hundred years from now?
