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By the end of last year, right on the last day, we have sent an emailing to all the social media to alert that Elvis Presley would be 82 years old on January 8th and that 2017 marks the 40th anniversary over his death, for that purpose having our "Elvis & Friends 2017 - 40 Years Missing You" aligned for in March. The idea is always to make Elvis remembered and also to make ourselves available to help them in the works that they might be interested in presenting.
A few days later we have received a phone call from Renascença Radio. They wanted to present a special show for the Three King's Day, on January 6th, friday, and if we knew any Elvis tribute artist that might be present during the show to be interviewed and perform several musical segments, from 07:30 a.m. til 10:00 a.m. The show would be "Renascença Mornings with Carla Rocha". They also wanted Elvis 100% president there (Célia Carvalho) to be interviewed and talk about our initiatives. The person that we have suggested, for having the required characteristics to do what the radio demanded - and because he's going to be present on "Elvis & Friends 2017" - obviously was António Carlos Coimbra. Of course we both immediately said yes, in spite of the difficulties that that situation implied, mainly for António, who was coming from Vila Nova de Santo André. Although he was a bit hoarse, he got up at 04:00 a.m., together with his Elvira (as he calls his guitar), to sing and perform live at Renascença Radio.
As the King of Rock'n'Roll, Elvis was perfect to be talked about on that Three King's Day. Also present, for the same reasons, were Dom Duarte of Bragança, who was also interviewed in the studio.
What follows are the transcriptions of everything that was said and talked about during that show, with allt he stress and inherent problems that a live and direct show entails. In spite of being quite stimulating, it can also create some natural nervous situations.
Carla: We have with us, this morning, the King of Rock, on this Three King's Day. I don't know if you know this, but sunday, on January 8th, Elvis Presley would have turned 82 years old. And this year, 2017, already marks the 40 years over the death of the one who was the King of Rock, as he was always called. And he still is quite talked about today. Good morning, António Carlos Coimbra! António: Good Morning. Carla: He is the most international Portuguese Elvis tribute artist. António (some seconds in silence): Right... but we don't have many of those around anyway. Carla: But internationally, there are many. And I know, António, that you have already won a prize at the Las Vegas Elvis Fest - it wasn't that long ago, in 2011 - in the category of "Best Appearance". António: Exactly. I had the privilege of stepping on the same stage boards where Elvis sang more than 800 times. Carla: That, for an artist like you, with that adoration for Elvis, must have been... António: It was breath taking. Carla: I believe it! We are going to talk about that in a moment. We are also going to listen to António Carlos Coimbra singing, Elvis Presley, obviously, which is an inevitable mission that he has. This will be the most royal emission ever: we are going to talk about the three kings, of course and, about kings of music.
Carla: António Carlos Coimbra is the most international Elvis tribute artist, he is Portuguese and he will spend this morning at Renascença. Hi there, António, once again. And thank you for coming. You came from where...? António: I came from Vila Nova de Santo André and did something incredible, which was waking up at 04:00 a.m. Carla: Welcome to the club... António: But it's worth it... Carla: ... of those who wake up at 4! António: ... in order to be in such good company, as you are. Carla: Thank you, António. How did it happen, for you to turn out an Elvis tribute artist? António: I sing for many, many years now and write my own original songs. Above all, I'm a musician, I'm a producer... Carla: You have edited and original records. António: Yes, yes, I do. I have edited records, I have hundreds of written songs, I write music for actors in the theatre for more than 20 years now... Carla: Wow. António: My life is really connected to music. How did my passion for Elvis came out to be, is that your question? Carla: Yes, that calling to do Elvis, right? We have a video that is going to Facebook - visually, you are dressed as Elvis did, even the pompadour, I realize, that it must have taken some time to do this morning and the music, right? And your voice! How come you sound so much like him? António: What happens is that, since I started singing, my mates told me, "C'mon, don't sing that many Elvis songs!" and I said... "But, I never do!" I must have sang one or two and I spend all my life, in a way, trying to stay away from Elvis. Carla: So, those who listened to you, your music was... much similar to Elvis Presley's. António: The songs I sang on my first band with 16 years old, a group that performed in dance parties, they have told me, "Don't sing Elvis songs". And I said, "I won't." Carla: And you never sang any. António: I never sang any. Meanwhile, I ketp on writing my own songs, went on with my career, spent my whole life singing, right? I really can say that. And about... we're on 2017, isn't it, already? Carla: Yes, it's already 2017. António: There came a time when a colleague stepped inside my studio and, by chance, I was singing an Elvis song. And he said, "Hey man, why don't you stick to singing Elvis?" And as I love Elvis so much, always have, I thought about adding the useful to the pleasant. It's not worth it to run away from it: I like it. If I have the fortune of possessing a similar voice to the King, then let's profit from that and sing. Carla: And lets profit that you're here. António, what are you going to sing for us, by Elvis? António: Well, maybe a song from the beginning, from 1956, Love Me Tender. Carla: Okay, it's very inspiring, what you're going to listen to now, in your Renascença Radio, Love Me Tender. (António sang Love Me Tender, accompanying himself on his guitar. When he came to the end, the studio was filled with lots of applause). Carla: Congratulations, António! You were really born for this. You indeed have that gift. And you have that gift of... when we started talking and you started playing, the studio was empty, it was only me and Rui, checking all the atuning and to see if the sound arrived in the best conditions. And it did, congrats, it's spectacular! And, all of a sudden, you finish singing and the studio is filled with people... all the team... António: Well, this reminds me of something... Carla: What, what did you recall? António: When I was a kid, before I was 16 - I must have been around 14 - I was in highschool and I was always carrying my baby behind me, Elvira. Carla: Your baby? António: Right, Elvira. Carla: Elvira is your guitar? It's the guitar. António: It was baptized yesterday, precisely because of your show. Carla: Oh, and for a very good cause! António: And I recall a fine day when I had a flat and sat down on the ground, alone, singing and such... in my world. Carla: That is, changing the tire, no siree. António: I entertained myself, singing. When I finished singing - there was noboby there - I heard this big round of applause. The place was completely filled with people and I hadn't even realized about it. And now, it was similar, because so many came... Carla: Lots of them! And look, the question that remains is: did anyone helped you out the change the tire? António: If anyone helped me to change the tire? Huh... one must learn to do things in life for oneself! (Laughter and the show went on with other rubrics).
Carla: We have been listening to Elvis songs. António Carlos Coimbra has won a prize in Las Vegas, at the Elvis Fest, in 2011 and he is here. He has already done magic this morning. If you have missed that moment, you will have the chance to listen to António Carlos Coimbra, once again, singing Elvis Presley. (Another rubric follows).
Carla: António, what Elvis song are you going to sing? António: I'm thinking about a song that has a funny story, which is... many, many years ago, Johnny Cash was singing and there was a couple there who... I mean, the girl wanted to dance and he didn't want to. He kept saying, "No, baby, I don't want to dance, because you're stepping on my shoes, my new shoes, don't step on my shoes." He thought that very peculiar and told Carl Perkins this story. "Hey, man, I think you should write a song about this story". And he did. Carl Perkins recorded it and it was a big hit. Then Elvis recorded it and it was a super hit. Carla: Let's listen to the shoes song, then. Miguel: I suspect it's blue suede shoes...? António: Exactly. Carla: C'mon! (António sang Blue Suede Shoes, followed by another big ovation inside the studio). Carla: Yeah! And, once again, the studio fills with people because this man, António, has this ability of bringing all the people inside this studio, to applaude you. Congrats, António, don't go away, you'll stay there all morning! (News segments are followed, as well as the interview with Dom Duarte of Brangança, present in the studio, together with António).
Carla: ... this year the 40 years over his death are celebrated, it's the King of Rock, we know you're an Elvis Presley fan. And we have António Carlos Coimbra with us, this morning. He arrived early, he came purposedly from Santo André, he woke up at 4 in the morning and I think we cannot let this moment by and end this interview with a special song to you and all the people who are listening at this hour. António, what have you prepared for Dom Duarte? António: What have I prepared for Dom Duarte...? Carla: Tough question! António: Well, let's see... tell me which is your favorite Elvis song. Dom Duarte: No, no, go ahead and pick up one. António: I pick up one... okay. (António sings It’s Now Or Never, with a powerful ending. The hoarseness problems that he complained about the night before were never felt during his performances). Carla: Wow! Dom Duarte: Wow, wow! Carla: There are no differences! Miguel: It's not surprising, the prizes that he has won, right? Carla: Indeed! Dom Duarte, are you happy with this fabulous performance by António? Dom Duarte: He's very good. Carla: He's very good. António: I'm sorry, but I was looking more at Carla than you! Carla: No one is offended by that and Dom Duarte isn't for sure! (Other rubrics of the show follow).
Carla: We have been joined by António Carlos Coimbra this morning, to sing for us, there are many reactions by text message. Thank you so much, António because, indeed, it has been an inspiring morning and much thanks to your contribution. Now we are going to talk about a phenomenon, which is Elvis' pompadour. Paulo Espírito Santo joins us, he's 28 years old, he owns a barber shop downtown in Lisbon, called The Crow. Paulo, good morning. Elvis' pompadour is a phenomeno, right? And you can make it, right? I know you have that gift of making Elvis' pompadour. Can you explaing to people who love Elvis - and not only those, to those who want to try out the pompadour - who can they make one? Paulo: The hair cut is very important, it's convenient to make a hair cut with a professional who is used to work with the more classic cuts of back then... Carla: As you, for instance. Paulo:... for instance. And who likes it. Then, you just need a few products, some things with grease, since it's very associated to that time, having those pomades, grease, lots of dryer and... in this case, Elvis' pompadour, was quite long in front... the pompadour already existed before Elvis used it... Carla: So, he wasn't the creator of this style. Paulo: He wasn't, but he helped this style to became more popular then, also because of some rebellion, since the cuts, back then, were very military, very short. It was also a period that followed the war and the youngsters rebellion led them to make a longer and higher pompadour and for which he is known. Carla: How long a person, in the morning, can take to make the Elvis pompadour? Paulo: With a good hair cut, no more than 10 minutes. Carla: Just ten minutes...? Paulo: And with the right product, yes. Carla: The right product and the right hands. And sometimes, at home, we don't have those. Paulo: But with the right hair cut, you just need to apply some product, comb and dry and... Carla: So, let's talk with António and figure out: you're a master on Elvis pompadour, right? You have done it countless times for your shows. How long it takes you to make it? António: I don't make the pompadour, I study my hair... Carla: But you have to analyze the pompadour. António: Yes, but when I go to present my work on stake, I usually bring a wig... Carla: Oh! António:... because he had lots of hair, a very nice and amazing hair. Carla: And can we listen to you singing, once again? António: Of course. Carla: Profiting that Paulo is also here. Paulo joins us to listen to this great moment. There's a song that Miguel Coelho mentioned a bit while ago and which he adores: Are You Lonesome Tonight. Can we listen to that one? António: But of course. Carla: Good, let's go then. (António sings Are You Lonesome Tonight, followed, once again, but a big round of applause. "Very good!") Carla: Another inspiring moment this morning with António Carlos Coimbra! It's the most international Elvis tribute artist. Well, this morning you have... worked quite well! António (laughter): I started out since 4 a.m.! Carla: You have left Santo André to come directly to Renascença. (Other rubrics of the show follow).
Carla: Elvis Presley, the King of Rock, would have been 82 years old. We have invited an Elvis Presley tribute artist to be here all morning. And António is causing the chills to many people. Leandro has shared his work in Renascença's What'sUp, that he is conducting, and he's got the chills, with the music that you have been playing here all morning. Thank you for that. António: Thank you, for the invitation, for the company, because you're really great, this is an amazing team. And at home people don't have any idea of how things go on in here. Carla: You're right, we do have an amazing team and a very good working environment, which is excellent. (Some more tips are followed on how to make Elvis pompadour, with Paulo Espírito Santos' advice, from The Crow barber shop and other rubrics of the show).
Carla: We have been here with António Carlos Coimbra, singing Elvis Presley's songs during all morning and now we are joined by Célia Carvalho, who is the president of the Elvis fan club. She knows Elvis since forever, her mother was a super fan, but consciously, you're a fan since you're 9 years old, right, Célia? Célia: That's right. Well, my mother wasn't such a big, big fan. She liked Elvis... Carla: But your... this craze comes from where, then? Célia: She tells me that everything started already inside her womb, since she used to fall asleep by listening to him singing, when she was pregnant of me. Therefore, I think that his voice was always known to me, somehow. But consciously I only saw and realized who he was, even though I had already listened to him singing, with 9 years of age, 2 years after he had died. So, I found out he had already died, I became quite angry, since noboby told me that he was alive at the same time I was. But, somehow, it stayed with me, because I enjoyed the way he sang, the way he danced and, mainly, the irreverance and energy that he had. That stayed with me since I was 9 until today. Carla: And what have you got to say - I know that you came here listening to Renascença - what have you got to say about these performances by António this morning? Célia: What is funny is that I also know António's voice for many, many years now. I was 17 years old when I first heard him sing in a tape that he recorded, but his name wasn't mentioned in the tape - I didn't know it was him. And I only met him around 3 years ago. And when I heard him, I was immediately very impressed because he has a natural similar voice to Elvis, quite similar indeed. So much so that, sometimes, when I'm listening to him sing at home, he tricks me. Sometimes I think it's Elvis I'm listening to. So, this is a characteristic that he has, which is good for him and us. Because he also sings his own original stuff and he sounds like Elvis. And so, we think, if Elvis was alive, maybe he would be singing this and it would be like this. And that's very good for us. Carla: António, do you trick women a lot? António: Hey, don't say that, 'cause my wife is there.
Carla: Right, and she's waving!
Carla: Thank you, thank you! Carla: It has Simply the Best, by Tina Turner, sang by Elvis. António: Not by Elvis, by myself! (laughter)
Carla: That's right, I even forget
about it! Because you really fool us! Very good. Joining us now is also
Aurélio Carlos Moreira. He's an announcer at Renascença Group. He's the
announcer with more years of profession, more years in the active, it's
60 years of a career, congratulations, Aurélio. And Aurélio is here
because he also lived through these moments, right? How it was like...? Aurélio: I had the privilege of helping promoting Elvis Presley. Because in the 50's, more precisely, in '58, I've created a rubric in the radio titled "Music for Youngsters". And a year later, another one, called "Pastime for Youngsters", which was a show that, without false modesty, marked the radio in Portugal.
Carla: Oh, indeed, for sure. Carla: Huh, it wasn't very well accepted. Aurélio: Therefore, it was some work that had yet to be done. Then, I also had the privilege, through the show, of doing something that it is done every day today, which is promoting the movies. And the show promoeted Elvis' movies, including one that had a special promotion, King Creole, by Elvis. Therefore, there is a connection between me and the listeners to Elvis Presley. Carla: We'll get back at you to know how the fans were back then, what crazy things you have witnessed...
Aurélio: I will just make an
advance request to António Carlos.
Carla: And which one is that,
Aurélio? António: I already sang it... Carla: Considering Aurélio and the person he is and his 60 years of career, I think he deserves to... Aurélio: A minute is enough.
Carla: ... that you sing it, once
again. Carla: You can sing a little while longer, we love it very much. We are life, at Renascença. (António sings a bit of Love Me Tender). Carla: Oh, yeah! Very, very good. It's been a magnificent morning, we are talking about Elvis Presley today. We are also joined by Célia, who is the president of the fan club, by Paulo, who owns a barber shop where better than anyone they can make Elvis' pompadour, by Aurélio, who witnessed intensily those years of craziness with Elvis. And this sunday, Elvis would have turned 82 years old.
Célia: It's to talk about it? Carla: Very much! Célia: ... nothing better to profit from this chance to be present in this party. You just have to look in the Internet for "Elvis 100%", the fan club, that you are immediately forwarded to our Facebook, where all the details on this party are posted. Therefore, we are going to celebrate the 82 years he would be celebrating if he was alive and also marking somehow the 40 years that this year go by since Elvis has passed. So, it's a very important date in the world for all the fans and during the whole year many celebrations will occur to, somehow, celebrate the life, the career and legacy that he left us, all around the world. And we have that party scheduled for March 26h.
Carla: So, let's have a preview
here of that party, António. Do you sing us one more song? People are
asking on Facebook, and by text message. Can you sing us one more? Carla: Oh, yeah! (together with much applause). We are marking a Three King's Day with the King of Rock, in Renascença. (Another rubric of the show followed).
After another Renascença colleage, Ricardo, having asked António to sing Love Me, that was exactly what he did, for much happiness of everybody and much applause.
António: Thank you so much! Aurélio: From the radio point of view, I didn't realize about them, but when I filled shows where someone appeared singing Elvis Presley... Renascença had a competition in the 60's, "Os Caloiros da Canção", in which the competitors, each one of them, chose someone to impersonate. There were impersonations of the Everly Brothers, also of Ricky Nelson and someone also appeared to impersonate Elvis Presley, who ended up in the first places. Mainly when the movies came out. When we had Elvis Presley's movies, the audience reacted with those usual screams, essentially, the female screams.
Carla: Which were many, back then. Carla: Thank you, Aurélio, also for your magnificent testimony. (Music follows for the listeners).
Carla: Thank you so much to our
listeners who have joined us and are still with us on Facebook, direct,
therefore, connect yourself to Renascença's Facebook. Thank you, Paulo,
who owns a barber shop downtown in Lisbon, called The Crow, and who
makes, better than anyone, Elvis' pompadour. Thank you, Célia, who is
the president of the Elvis fan club. For any information, where can we
find you, Célia, very quickly...?
Aurélio: And Elvis keeps on
singing, every night, on Sim Radio, on "Suave é Noite" show, with the
most tender and romantic songs.
And, that's how it went. Some photos were taken (that you can see here), Renascença did some movies with António's performances and while he and Célia Carvalho were being interviewed that they have shared on their Facebook page (seen thousands of times), and which have received many extremely positive comments for the fact that the radio was dedicating some time to Elvis Presley and for having a singer that sounded so much like him. Let's leave you here with some of those comments:
Crisália Fernanda Duarte Batista: I'm loving this morning!!! It's good not to forget those who aren't here anymore. I really enjoyed listening to him sing and in the movies. He must be enjoying the fact that he was not forgotten. Have a nice weekend.
António Serrano: Good morning. Great Three King's Day and great performer. Elvis was an artist of my youth. When I close my eyes, he really sounds like the King. Have a nice weekend.
Luís Santos: Good morning, beautiful people!! I love to listen to the great Elvis Presley!! Thank you, RR, for this beautiful moment.
Graça Almeida: It really does sound like Elvis, in the voice and performance. Congratulations.
Abraão Ribeiro: I know many Elvis impersonators. António positively surprised me. Congrats, António. Good play of your guitar.
Saul Henriques: Three King's Day, with Elvis Presley! "The other Elvis"... Quite Good! Congrats for the spectacular performance!!
Pedro Ferreira Ferreira: Vila Real is listening. Congrats. Long live the King.
Mela Linhol: Wonderful... I'm listening to Suspicious Minds right now. I'm a fan since I can remember. Good morning.
Elsa Tavares: The similarity is remarkable! I wonder if he's an actor, too?...
Lucília Aurora Ferreira: Good morning. I'm delighted. Thank you.
João Faustino: Brilliant!!!
João Coutinho: It gives me the chills. RR, congratulations.
As for ourselves, we can only thank Renascença Radio for this chance of bringing Elvis to the listeners on the Three King's Day, two days before his birthday and also for the opportunity of announcing our next "Elvis & Friends", on 26/03/2017. |
