Our Guest Speaker on Monday 14 September was Taurean Kenny Mill (Kenny) - an amazing young man, and an entertainer tribute artist with a powerful singing voice. He is one of the youngest Elvis Presley tribute singers to win the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artists preliminary round in Australia to represent Australasia in the semi-final at 'Graceland' (Elvis's home) in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. Kenny concentrates somewhat on Elvis's 1970 period but favours very much his gospel songs. His most favourite is 'You Gave Me A Mountain'.
To achieve the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist the entertainer must master the physical vocabulary - mannerisms, the choreography, the vocal flourishes alongside the look. Kenny invests heavily in stage clothes (which he sources from Canada, USA, and Taiwan) and a very expensive hair piece. As he says, it is not cheap being an Elvis tribute artist. The voice has to be the top mark above all.
Kenny's talent as a tribute artist with his voice range has the ability to honour the original artist's version, not to just copy, but to totally adopt, which allows him to cover other artists such as Tom Jones, Dean Martin, and the Everly Brothers which makes him an extraordinary entertainer. Along with everything else, he has great attention to detail such as wearing a copy of the four-leaf clover ring Elvis famously wore during the final year of his performing life.
Taurean Kenny Mill is a very down to earth, lovely person and is humble and caring despite his acclaimed early success. He still can't believe, that he, a boy from Naenae, Lower Hutt (where he still lives) was able to visit Graceland, Memphis to sing Elvis's songs and hold in his hand a wallet that Elvis had used. As he emphasises, he never wants to impersonate, he just wants to pay tribute.