THE ULTIMATE PROMISE: An Interview With Lain Crew

They say it takes a village, but for Lain, it really just took one very dedicated grandmother. She was the one who bought the first suits, studied the old recordings with him, and set the bar high with her motto: 'If you’re gonna do something, do it right. Especially if it's Elvis.' Talking to Lain about his journey back to the competition stage, you get the sense that the glitzy jumpsuits and the trophies are great, but the re

al prize is the bond they’ve built through the music. It’s a story about a grandson, a grandmother, and a shared dream that’s survived every voice crack and family hurdle along the way.

Lain grew up listening to Elvis, but didn’t actually know who he was. In 2013, his grandmother took him to Graceland and that’s when everything clicked into place. At ten years old, he was drawn to the glitz and glamour of the jumpsuits and airplanes, and it sparked his dream of being a performer. His performances started small; a little disney CD player given to him by his grandmother to practice singing Elvis songs. Really, his grandmother is the one that inspired him. She loved Elvis and taught her grandson the signature dance moves and shared her knowledge about him. 

She’s definitely Lain’s number one fan. She didn’t just teach him the moves, but also bought him his first suits and old Elvis recordings to study. And his grandmother has a personal connection to Elvis: she met him in 1973! So Lain was bitten by the Elvis bug and began performing at just ten years old. And just one year after starting his tribute artist journey, he took home two major titles: He won the youth division of both the “Images Of The King” contest and “The Epic.” That’s a pretty good start!

He continued performing until the age of 15, when a series of family tragedies derailed him from his tribute career. About two and a half years ago, he began again and has been doing as many competitions as he can. Last year he estimated that he did eight contests. He won the Nebraska contest and qualified for the Ultimate, and placed in the top ten. He said he promised his mother and grandmother that one day he’d win the Ultimate, so that’s his goal. I’d say he’s on his way!

Not every performance is a knockout, so I asked Lain about his worst performance. He chuckled and said he knew immediately which one it was. 

Lain: In 2021, I’d just gotten back to the contests and I had a bit of an ego. Let’s just say that I got humbled really quickly…I decided that I was going to do the jumpsuit era and perform “Rags to Riches” and “Words.” I had hit the notes five minutes before in the car, so I was a bit overconfident. “Rags to Riches” was fine, then at the very end my voice just kind of cracked. It was definitely a learning experience for me. I learned that my goals were a little unrealistic and that I needed more practice. I couldn’t just go out there after having done nothing in several years. 

A shining moment for Lain was winning the fan favorite award in Wisconsin. He says he’s gotten addicted to the thrill of being top five or top ten in contests. He savors the silent anticipation, the drum rolls, and the announcement of the winner. He said, should he ever win Ultimate, it would be bittersweet, because he wouldn’t be allowed to compete again. 

Since he started performing so young, Lain said he’s had his fair share of bullying, but that it helps to have so many people in his corner. He likes to keep his circle close and said that his friends are more like his family, and he’s met some pretty great people from the competitions and the tribute artist world. 

Naturally, I had to ask him about nursing home stories. Though he’s never been propositioned by a 90 year old (I think he’s probably fine with that) he did do a show at a senior center that stood out. They decided to play a joke on him and threw women’s underwear at him while he was performing! Luckily he laughed it off and said that sometimes the smaller senior centers are the ones you get the best memories in. Though he agreed that the residents have no qualms about telling you that they didn’t like you. 

And unfortunately, the truth is that not everyone is always going to like you. Lain had some good advice for dealing with this. 

Lain: You have to know how to take constructive criticism well. Growing up, especially during my teenage years, I thought that I knew everything.

Me: I think every teenager thinks that. 

Lain: I used to get really offended when I received criticism, but I look back on that now and realize I should’ve just taken it. They were trying to help by giving me constructive criticism, not trying to hurt my feelings. I’d much rather have people in my corner that are honest with me. That way I know what I need to work on. 

He’s since taken his own advice and gotten help from other tribute artists like Cody Ray Slaughter, who helped him iron out the kinks with his makeup as well as nailing some of Elvis’ moves. Don’t be afraid to reach out to your fellow tribute artists for tips! 

It’s also important not to focus on copying Elvis move for move and end up ignoring the part of your performance that matters most.

Lain: You need to be able to get through to the audience. You need to interact with them. If I point at somebody and do a little move or an eyebrow wiggle, that makes them smile, and that’s my main goal. It’s so rewarding to see people smile and know you’re the reason. 

And Lain’s advice for aspiring tribute artists? Make sure your look is good, but don’t bankrupt yourself in the process. 

Lain: Don’t go to party city and buy a white jumpsuit and big sunglasses. But at the same time, don’t go off the deep end and buy $10,000 worth of clothes. You want to look as close to Elvis as possible, but within reason. And don’t get discouraged, because being a tribute artist takes a lot of time and practice. Take advantage of the ETA community, there’s so many resources and contacts out there that are willing to help. Make those connections. 

Talking to Lain, you get the sense that the ten-year-old kid with the Disney CD player is still in there-just with a much better wardrobe and a lot more wisdom. He’s found a way to bridge the gap between being a fan and being a phenomenon, all while keeping his feet firmly on the ground. He’s the first to admit he doesn't have all the answers, but as long as he’s making an audience smile or nailing a move his grandmother taught him, he’s already won the biggest prize there is. It might be a little bittersweet when he eventually clinches that Ultimate title, which he fully intends to do, but if his journey so far is any indication, this is only just beginning. Keep an eye on Lain- he’s doing it right, just like his grandmother told him.

Lain Crew is a multi award winning Elvis Tribute Artist. Ever since the age of 10, Lain has been performing across the United States. Now at the age of 22, he recently was awarded the top 10 finalist in the Ultimate Elvis Contest in Memphis! Outside of Elvis, he does community work and ministry. His main goal is to replicate Elvis as much as possible, and give people the chance to experience what it might have been like to see Elvis in person.