Pete Vallee

Pete Vallee, known professionally as Pete "Big Elvis" Vallee, is an Elvis impersonator. At one stage and possibly even now, he is the world's heaviest Elvis impersonator.

Pete Vallee
Also known asPete "Big Elvis" Vallee
Born1965[1]
Memphis, Tennessee
GenresRock
Gospel
Occupation(s)Singer, Elvis impersonator
Instrument(s)Guitar
Years active1996 - present

Background

Vallee was born in Memphis, Tennessee to a mother who was a singer. She ended her singing career to concentrate on motherhood.[2] The youngest of four children, Vallee grew up in a house that had pictures of his mother Delores Vallee with Kitty Wells, Elvis Presley and others. In 1971 when he was five, his mother divorced his alcoholic father.[3]

On July 15, 2010, he married Amanda Lasham, the daughter of Robert & Letitia Lasham. She is of Hawaiian and Philippine extraction and was raised in Hawaii.[4][3][5]

Elvis career

At the age of 13, Vallee learned to play guitar. Even at that age, he was quite sizable. One day when he was singing in a choir, his pastor heard him and commented that he sounded like Elvis. He later was in Washington as part of a group called Ricky and the Starfires.[6]

Vallee started his Elvis act around 1996 and came to Las Vegas in 1997.[7] He has been described as one of the longest-running, and most unusual, Elvis impersonators in Las Vegas.[8] He performs at The Piano Bar at Harrah's Casino doing Elvis' 40-minute sets three times on afternoons.[9]

On Feb. 27, 2017, Vallee was honored with a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars.

Venues

Vallee had a residency at Harrah's Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. During his performances, he handed out maracas and Elvis wigs to audience members and invited them to get involved.[10]

Health

Weight loss

In 2005, he weighed 960 pounds (68st 8 lb, 435 kg). Five years later, he had dropped down to 450 pounds (32st 2 lb, 204 kg). At one stage he had to weigh himself on the scales in a post office which he had to access from the back entrance so he wouldn't be seen. He achieved his weight loss with diet and exercise, and with help from his manager Lucille Star.[3]

Accident

In September 2015, Vallee was hospitalized after being involved in a road accident on Blue Diamond road that resulted in leg lacerations and bruises.[11]

Ancestry

In a 2004 Las Vegas Mercury article, Vallee has said that there are three other Elvis love children other than himself. One is a woman called Desiree Presley who Vallee said Presley when he was alive acknowledged as his daughter. He said the other two were male. Vallee's publicist, Lucille Star said she believed Vallee was Presley's son. They were hoping to get a sample of Lisa Marie Presley's DNA [12] He has had two birth certificates. One from Memphis, the other from Canada. Vallee said that when his mother Delores was dying, she told him that she had an affair with Presley who was introduced to her by Kitty Wells.[3] Apparently, his mother had an affair with Presley in 1964.[13]

Films

The Big Elvis Files

An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, dated August 28, 2014 mentioned that Vallee was to appear in a film The Big Elvis Files. In addition to some fellow Las Vegas performers, Cook E. Jarr was to appear in the film.[14] Most of the writing and co-production was handled by his brother Guy Vallee who also had a small part in the film.[15][16] The film was about two policeman from the city who were on the run. They sought refuge in La Conner, a small town in Skagit County where they come across "Big Elvis".[17] Among the people to appear in the film which included locals from Skagit, the actual sheriff and mayor of La Conner appeared in the film.[18]

Big Elvis

In 2018, Paul Stone created a short film titled Big Elvis,[19][20] a biography of Vallee's life and career, as well as his claim to be Elvis's biological son. It was met with positive reviews.[21] It was also nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Tribeca Film Festival.[22]

References
  1. "About Us".
  2. Toronto Star Wed Jun 09 2010 Vegas Elvis impersonator is a Big Hunk o’ Love By: Kathleen Kenna
  3. Winegardner, Mark. "Big Elvis: The Greatest Weight-Loss Story You'll Ever Read". Details. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  4. Las Vegas Sun Friday, July 16, 2010 Big Elvis, the King of Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall, finds a fitting bride By John Katsilometes
  5. Important Occasions.com 07/04/2010 Pete "Big Elvis" Vallee & Amanda Lasham Weddiing Bells Are Ringing!
  6. Toronto Star Wed Jun 09 2010 Vegas Elvis impersonator is a Big Hunk o’ Love By: Kathleen Kenna
  7. Las Vegas Review-Journal August 28, 2014 A day in the life of … a Las Vegas Elvis By F. Andrew Taylor
  8. Los Angeles Times December 30, 2015 Elvis impersonators are in the building for Presley's birthday concerts in Las Vegas Jay Jones
  9. Rox News October 18, 2012 5 free things to do when you visit Vegas
  10. Daily Herald 30/10/2012 Yes, there are free things to do in Las Vegas, Big Elvis
  11. Las Vegas Review-Journal October 1, 2015 The Scene and Heard By Norm Clarke
  12. Las Vegas Mercury February 19, 2004 Music: The King and I by Roberta Ostroff
  13. Huffington Post 06/04/2012 'Big Elvis' Peter Vallee, 500-Pound Presley Impersonator, On A Diet
  14. Las Vegas Review-Journal August 28, 2014 A day in the life of … a Las Vegas Elvis By F. Andrew Taylor
  15. LA CONNER PD – THE BIG ELVIS FILE MOVIE About
  16. Skagit Valley Herald Sep 1, 2014 Big Elvis takes care of business in La Conner, Elvis Presley impersonator wraps up filming with brother By Evan Marczynski
  17. Lincoln Theatre La Conner PD: The Big Elvis File
  18. Living In Skagit La Conner PD: The Big Elvis File by Waterfront Cafe about Waterfront Cafe in La Conner
  19. "Big Elvis". 20 June 2018.
  20. "Big Elvis". 20 April 2018.
  21. "A Wonderful Short Film About a 960 Pound Elvis Impersonator Who Believes Elvis is His Father". 25 June 2018.
  22. "Big Elvis - IMDb".
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