Vermont Elvis fans forge enduring bond

GRAND ISLE, Vt. (WCAX) – All of us have our favourite singers, bands, or songwriters, although there’s all the time one that stands proud above the remainder. For one younger lady in Grand Isle, that artist is Elvis. After befriending an Elvis tribute artist in northern Vermont, an everlasting Elvis bond was born.

Twenty-eight-year-old Caitlin Rickson of Grand Isle loves pink, inexperienced, frogs, and above all — Elvis. “A few years, since I used to be 4 I feel,” Rickson defined.

“She’s simply been and all the time wished to decorate as Elvis and tackle his persona and take heed to his music and swoon over his character,” stated Rickson’s mother, Cindy.

Rickon says it began with an Elvis statue in Connecticut. “I like his music, I like his jumpsuits that he wore. I like one jumpsuit that he wore — it’s the Aloha,” she stated.

And luckily for her, one of many most interesting Elvis tribute artists, Mark Shelton, lives simply up in Newport. He bought his begin at North Nation Excessive Faculty at age 15. “I went on stage and sang ‘Heartbreak Resort.’ And after I sang ‘And since my child left me…’ and I moved my head and the water got here out, about 7,500 women got here screaming to the entrance of the stage — that’s sort of the way it occurred,” Shelton stated.

Rickson and Shelton met for the primary time at certainly one of his performances in 2016. No shock — she beloved him. “As a result of he’s cute,” Rickson stated. She stored going to his exhibits and giving him presents. Earlier than lengthy, the 2 have been good pals.

Cindy says the 2 are kindred spirits with a deep understanding of one another. She notes that Shelton has all the time handled Rickson — who’s developmentally delayed — as a singular particular person. “He’s not an impersonator or a tribute artist. He truly… his need, I imagine, is to let the character of Elvis be identified and to honor people as they’re. And that’s what he has finished with Caitlin,” she stated.

“We’re simply folks making an attempt to care for one another, it’s the entire deal,” Shelton stated.

Regardless of taking part in exhibits around the globe and securing a spot within the Worldwide Elvis Tribute Artist Corridor of Fame, Shelton has all the time been humble and fast to assist others. And so he got down to elevate $3,500 to get Rickson the jumpsuit of her desires — one so intricate that the majority tribute artists don’t even have it. He put out a tip jar at every present, telling Rickson’s story, and slowly the nickels and dimes added up for a shock that left her all shook up.

Adorned with rhinestones and outfitted with blue suede sneakers, Rickson is now able to hit the stage. And it’s all because of her pal within the north — Elvis.

“I feel the purpose is, you probably have a possibility — any of us have a possibility to assist somebody, to make their life higher, to make a dream come true — then do it,” Shelton stated.

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