R: I understand you wrote to Elvis. 

A: Yes

R: How old were you?

A: I’m gonna say I was nine or ten years-old.

R: And how did you find his address?

A: I didn’t actually find his address. Back then there was no internet or anything. And I didn’t know how to do anything, so I figured everyone lives in California. If you’re in the movies, you’re in California. And the only street I saw, probably from watching television, was Ventura Blvd. And so I just sent it to Ventura care of Elvis Presley.

R: Did you get a reply?

A: No.

R: Why not?

A: I think the postal service wasn’t advanced enough at that point to realize, oh, this is for Elvis Presley, let’s reroute it to Graceland. 

R: What year was that?

A: About ’76.

R: Do you remember what the letter said?

A: It was just expressing my admiration for him and his career. And that I wanted to be a singer as well.

R: What did you like about his career? His singing? His acting?

A: Both.

R: (flabbergasted) You liked his movies?

A: Everything, yeah.

R: Had you gotten a return letter, what would you have liked it to have said?

A: That he was happy to receive my letter and, you know, give me words of support in building a career in music. (Andre laughs). Or just some form of connection would have been enough.

R: Would you have liked an autographed photo?

A: Yeah, sure. I probably would have lost it, but yeah. By the way, I wrote that letter while sitting on the toilet. I just find it ironic that I was sitting on the toilet writing to Elvis and a year later, he would die on the toilet.

R: I have to remind you, this is a family paper, let’s just continue. 

R: You wrote this letter after you had written President Carter.

A: Yes, and Carter got back to me so I figured if the President writes back, the King would also write back.

R: What did Carter say in his letter?

A: He wished me well, and said he was grateful for my kind words of support.

R: Were you happy with that response?

A: Yes. 

R: It’s amazing you’ve became a professional singer despite not having heard back from Elvis, and the irony to me is that you’re not really like Elvis. I’d say you’re more like Tom Jones without the moves.

A:  Right, I’m without the moves because I play guitar.

R: If you didn’t play guitar would you move like Jones?

A: I’d move around a lot, but not exactly like Jones.

R: Too bad. Let’s move on. You just played a gig in Staten Island where you were very well received and even asked back. Did you feel like Elvis or Tom Jones?

A: Maybe a little more like Elvis in his early days when he would do, like, the hayrides and stuff because he played guitar back then, too.

R: Were you on a hayride in Staten Island?

A: No. It was a private party, an event, not just a bar.

R: Are you getting many groupies?

A: The word is more like followers. Yes, I’m getting all kinds because I play a wide range of music from the 50s on up, and I play at all kinds of events: corporate, street festivals, restaurants, wineries, private parties, biker rallies, weddings, you name it.

R: Perhaps you should consider changing your name to Elvis Carter Jones?

A: (He laughs). That’s a good name, actually.

For more on Andre Turan, go to: https://andreturan.wixsite.com/singer

Full discloser: We’re married!

RAMONA JAN is the Founder and Director of Yarnslingers, a storytelling group that tells tales both fantastic and true. She is also the roving historian for Callicoon, NY and is often seen giving tours around town. You can email her at callicoonwalkingtours@gmail.com.