Robert Washington (impersonator) facts for kids

Robert Washington (born August 16, 1958) is an American entertainer. He is famous for being an Elvis impersonator. He has won many awards for his performances.

Robert made history as the first African American to win the 'World Champion Elvis Impersonator' title. This was a really big deal! Even Elvis Presley's former bodyguard, Sam Thompson, said Robert sounded a lot like Elvis.

Robert's Early Life

Robert grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1974, he went to an Elvis Presley concert. He was very impressed by the show.

On the day Elvis Presley died in 1977, Robert was at Marine boot camp. It was also his 19th birthday. He served in the United States Marine Corps until 1981.

Robert's Career as Elvis

Robert started singing Elvis songs for his family and friends after Elvis passed away. In the early 1980s, he began performing on stage. He would lip-sync to Elvis tunes.

Robert says his first real stage show was in 1983. Later, he started using his own voice in competitions. He became known for performing songs from Elvis's 1968 "comeback" TV special.

TV Shows and Documentaries

Robert has appeared in several TV shows and documentaries. In 2000, he was in a TV documentary called Elvis and the Men who would be King. Footage of Robert was also in the 2001 documentary Almost Elvis. This film showed him performing in 1999.

Winning Contests

By August 2001, Robert had performed in ten "Images of the King" contests. These are big Elvis impersonation events in Memphis. He won the main event in 2003.

In December 2013, fans voted him number one. He won the Online Viewer's Choice Award on the Elvis World Championships website.

Live Performances

In 2007, Robert toured Europe with a show called "Original Elvis Tribute". He received many good reviews from people who saw him perform.

In January 2013, he performed at the Capitol Theater in Olympia, Washington. In July 2012, he had two shows in Aroostook County. His shows often included two parts. One part featured songs from Elvis's early days. The second part focused on Elvis's Las Vegas shows from the 1970s.

Films Robert Appeared In

• Elvis and the Men who would be King – 2000, a TV documentary
• Almost Elvis – 2001, a documentary film
• The Notebook – 2004, a feature film
• Baby Let's Play House – 2008, a short film
• The Faithful: The King, the Pope, the Princess - a feature film that was being made As of 2016^[update]

More About Elvis Impersonators

• Clearance Giddens, another African American Elvis impersonator