Locals and out-of-towners flocked to Sunday evening to witness Elvis, alive and well, singing from the stage. As Darlene Meezak from La Crescenta said with a smile "Who doesn't love Elvis? I grew up in the sixties; every girl was in love with Elvis. We thought he was dead, but here he is the park tonight!"
Elvis fans began arriving at 4:30 p.m., an hour and half before the start of the show. The Sunday night gig is part of the summer music in the park series, sponsored by the City of La Cañada and the Chamber of Commerce.
Folks didn't mind waiting in the heat - they were eager to hear Steve Roth's tribute to the king of rock and roll. Lily Leal, from Monterey Park, who knows Roth personally, gushed "I'm excited to see him. I think he's got the dark hair (that Elvis had) and he'd make a good impression."
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People came from as far as Whittier, Anaheim, and Buena Park to see Roth perform. Onhand were members of a nation-wide Elvis club, "The Jailhouse Rockers." Pamela Shell, Patty Finger, Diane Clark, Lorraine O'Brien, and Ron O'Brien (who is an Elvis impersonator himself) are all members of the Jailhouse Rockers, and they sat front and center, all happily awaiting the moment "Elvis" would take the stage.
These Rockers explained that they come to see this show every year, and that Roth is their "second favorite" Elvis (Raymond Michael of Moorpark comes first). Roth is "fantastic," though, O'Brien explains, noting that Roth "has the wig, the whole Regalia," on top of the fact he can rock it out like Elvis can.
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Tom Bertchell, a Tujunga resident and member of the La Cañada Kiwanis, has been coming to music in the park for the past five years with his wife. "He's very good," he said of Roth, affirming that he definitely sounds like Elvis. Bertchell has only missed one concert this summer. Bertchell thinks the Elvis tribute is one of the most successful turnouts of each summer, along with the Neil Diamond tribute (which has yet to come this year).
"It's a great community event to bring the community together. It's a great job that the does," Bertchell said.
Next week, join other La Cañadans as they listen to the sweet sounds of the Jack Lantz Big Band.
