elvis and an eta, leaping around!

"Woohoo!
Is that him?
Was that a special on tv about Elvis Presley?"

No, that isn't him, but this guy is an Elvis Tribute Artist.
Most likely, he was called an Elvis impersonator, as I don't think the ETA label was in use yet in the early 1990's.
This fellow is Michael St. Gerard and he was in two movies and a ten-episode series as a young Elvis.

"But this photo you took tonight was not from any of those, was it?"

Oh, you catch on quick, don't ya?
Then again, perhaps you simply know me so well.
(smile)
Tonight, he was part of "Memphis Melody", s5e21, of my weekday date with "Quantum Leap".
He was the 19-year-old Elvis that my man, Scott Bakula here, had temporarily deposed from his body.

"Hey, I recognize that photo! You took that shot down at the Brunswick festival!"

Oh, I see your confusion, but notice the sideburns.
Sam Beckett's are much shorter than those that are standard on the ETAs.
Even so, they certainly are long enough to get the point across!

"That's funny!
I got the 'point' of that hair pun!
Nicely done!"

Oh, I knew you'd appreciate that little joke!
You'll like this, too - I call it "hip-swiveling time"!
Dig those crazy, butt-accentuatin', pants he's wearing!

"Woooooo, please catch me while I swoon!"

Hey, don't fall out just yet!
But you will most def want to keep that in mind for later when it's time for sweet dreams.

"Oh, you know I will, girlfriend!"

Well, you'll want to have this mental image handy, too, for sure.
Lord, please give me a dancing man with hair on his chest... and soon!
It isn't too late for this birthday, so how about it?
In fact, how about this man, the one right here?
Is he taken?

"'Fraid he is, dear.
Since 1999, he's been married to a dancer.
Plus, that version of him, from 1993, is long gone with time."

Dagnabbit.
Well, I sure am glad to have been able to enjoy him tonight.
Plus, his talented self did all the singing and dancing and guitar-strumming, too!
As the song goes, what a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!

"Speaking of songs, which one did he cover?"

He didn't sing just once, my dear!
He sang a whopping five times, with "Dixie" being in the background of the show, not front and center like the other four tunes.
"Amazing Grace" and "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?" were performed as a duet, early on, in the diner as he tried to help a shy singer.

"Did Elvis really do that? Sing with other unknowns to help launch their careers?"


Not that I've ever heard tell.
No, that was purely a gesture by Beckett.
In fact, in the show, it almost changed history and lost Elvis his career!

"Yeah, Sam sometimes goofs things up before he makes them better.
I think we've all done that from time to time, right?
Part of the whole human experience?"

You know it, girlie!

"You know that I know what I know!
But what I don't know is what are the other two songs on the show?"

Well, one of them was a favorite of mine, "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" - not to be confused with another favorite, "Kentucky Rain", written by someone else.
(smile!)
In fact, all the songs on the show were from different writers - pretty cool, right?

"Oh, that was a nice touch!
That allowed five different songwriters to get a bit of royalty money."

I know!
I wonder if the songs were selected for that particular reason?
Maybe there's a book out there, somewhere, that might tell that story...

"Oh, please, do quit your dawdling!
What was the final song???
And why so many diner photos?"

Honestly, if I'd thought of it sooner,
I would have taken photographs throughout the show!
As it was, all of these with Sam were taken when he sang "Baby Let's Play House", the final song of the episode.
He was in the diner to try to hook the studio executive, to make sure Elvis got his career start that day, as he originally had before the leap.

"And did it work?"

You tell me, sunshine!
You're the one that went to Las Vegas to dance to his music for several days in a row!

"No, I'm pretty sure that was you who did that!
Something about it being birthday60..."

Yes, yes, I admit it!
And it was soooo worth every penny...
especially that ride in the elevator with Ryan...
and those nights of dancing with Victor every night...
good times, really good times!

"Very much so!
I do hope some times like those will be possible in time for next year's birthday.
It needs to be a blow out, ya know."

Trust me, I am well aware of that need.
We'll have to keep the faith, but follow the science until then.
Keep the faith, but follow the science.

"Amen to that."

Indeed.
I am so blessed to have been born when I was and to have had that birthday in 2018.
Good memories, good music, and Elvis in all his different versions.
And, then, to have that memory brought back by this time travel show...
how perfect!
(smile!)
i thank You, God.