TWO LEGENDS, ONE VOICE: An Interview With Jesse Aron

I always feel a bit weird sliding into a tribute artist’s inbox. It usually feels a little like saying, "Hey there! Would you like to video chat with a total stranger for an hour and tell me all the personal details of your life?" You just throw that message out into the digital void on the off-chance it actually gets read, half-expecting it to end up in the spam folder or buried at the bottom of a completely bottomless inbox. I figured it couldn't hurt to try anyway, so I shot off a quick note to Jesse Aron, honestly not expecting much back.

Imagine my absolute shock when he replied almost immediately, and with so much enthusiasm! I actually had a mini moment of panic when he agreed. I sat there thinking, How on earth am I going to interview THIS GUY?! We are talking about a man with two world champion titles and a massive career. As it turns out, all that panic was for absolutely nothing because Jesse is just the nicest, most down-to-earth guy. Talking to him felt less like an official interview and more like grabbing a casual drink with an old friend.

Jesse's future as an Elvis Tribute Artist was pretty much written in the stars from day one. His parents played in a classic rock band, and his dad actually did an Elvis tribute during some of their sets, so Jesse grew up completely surrounded by rock and roll. Man, that is just such a cool sentence to say, isn't it? He always loved to sing, but he mostly kept his talents hidden away in his basement. That is, until a friend introduced him to the wonderful world of karaoke. He decided to step up to the mic, gave it a shot, and sang "Kentucky Rain." The crowd went absolutely wild. That one single performance sparked an incredible career that has now spanned nearly three entire decades.

Those early karaoke performances started getting a ton of traction, and it didn't take long for him to build up a seriously dedicated local following. That little community quickly became his village. They would follow him from venue to venue, help him haul gear, set up and tear down equipment, take tickets at the door, and do basically anything they could to help him launch his career. Seriously, tell me that doesn't sound like the plot of a feel-good Disney movie! Even though he eventually moved away from his hometown in Wisconsin, he still has a fiercely loyal group of fans who eagerly wait to see him every single time he goes back to visit. It just goes to show that when you treat people right from the very beginning, they stick by you for the long haul.

Fast forward to 2009, and Jesse was starting to feel a pretty heavy dose of burnout. Back then, Elvis tribute artists weren't really the massive deal they are today, and they certainly weren't considered "cool" by the mainstream. Those were the days when most people just thought of Elvis parodies, oversized plastic sunglasses, and sky-high, cartoony pompadours. He was honestly ready to close that chapter of his life for good, but he decided to enter the Memphis "Images of the King" contest as a final hurrah. He went into it just wanting to have some fun, never expecting a single thing to come out of it.

Jesse: I never stood in the front. I'd never made top ten EVER in my life in Memphis. When they announced me as the winner that day…I was all the way in the back and had to come to the front. I was very emotional, and I'll never forget it as long as I live. It was one of the first big goals I was able to reach, and certainly not without blood, sweat, and tears.

Winning that specific competition changed everything and opened up so many doors for him. Aside from the nice cash prize, he walked away with something that was worth way more in the long run: major publicity. The organizers of "Images" reached out to the local newspapers in his hometown to share the big news of his victory, which gave him a huge promotional boost and helped him land a ton of steady work. That sudden wave of local publicity was absolutely instrumental in launching his success to the next level.

Fast forward again into the 2010s. The Collingwood Elvis Festival was widely considered the biggest Elvis event in the world at the time. To put it into perspective, think of the Ultimate competition and then double or triple the size of it. Tribute artists from every corner of the globe traveled there to compete, and it wasn't unusual to see well over 100 ETAs packed into a single week. That is a whole lot of black hair dye and rhinestones in one place! The very first time Jesse threw his hat in the ring, he walked away with third place, and then he landed comfortably in second place for the next three years straight. But in 2013, he finally snatched the crown. He won the single biggest Elvis competition on the planet.

So, what exactly do you do after you've climbed the tallest mountain in your field? If you are Jesse, you just look around for another mountain to conquer. He started entering Ultimate competitions all over the world. But Jesse wasn't just a one-trick pony, and he found a whole new way to connect with audiences by tapping into another musical legend.

Jesse: I was already a Roy Orbison fan, and back in Wisconsin I'd do themed shows. For Halloween every year, I'd do a different character and dress up and perform. Roy was the one that stuck, and I never stopped getting requests for me to keep doing that. I saw no reason I couldn't do both. The Elvis community is so saturated, but the Roy Orbison world? I could count all of us with both hands and not use all my fingers. And sometimes you can get burnt out and it's good to switch it up and do something different for a little while.

When I asked Jesse if he had any wild or crazy fan stories over the years, he just laughed and asked me how much time I had. He has definitely had his fair share of overzealous fans and internet stalkers lighting up his inbox. Because of all that craziness, he has learned to be pretty cautious about who he lets into his personal circle. Whenever he gets a new friend request, he makes a point to scroll through their page to look for any obvious red flags. He is pretty quick to weed out the folks who just love to argue online, the ones who seem completely obsessed, or anyone posting downright bizarre things. Unfortunately for him, most of my weird quirks are safely set to private, so Jesse only figured them out after he'd already accepted my request. I'm totally kidding, of course! Well... mostly...

I was honestly just so incredibly grateful that he agreed to sit down and chat with me. Jesse talked a lot about how important it is to stay relevant and keep yourself out there in front of the fans, because the truth is, there are just so many ETAs in the industry right now. If you step away from the spotlight for even a little while, it feels like you have to start all over again from scratch. After spending the last eight years working hard as an entertainment director, Jesse is finally gearing up for his big comeback and diving right back into the competitive world. After all, there is still an Ultimate title out there with his name on it! Jesse told me he's "still got a lot of gas in the tank" and has zero plans of slowing down anytime soon. The phone is still ringing and the emails keep pouring in, so he's just going to keep riding this wave. Eventually, he wants to transition back into being an entertainment director, but for right now, he is having a blast rocking the jumpsuit and putting on those iconic Orbison shades.

Jesse had so much fantastic, real-world advice for upcoming tribute artists that I'm already planning to write a completely separate article just to cover it all. He is a true veteran of this industry and a total powerhouse of knowledge, so you up-and-coming ETAs might want to grab a pen and paper. Here is a little bit of Jesse's hard-earned wisdom.

1. Get a real job as backup. I cannot stress this enough. I see so many guys that are coming up and just jump into this full force and do it full-time. We don't have insurance, we don't have sick days, and most of the time you're living paycheck to paycheck.

2. Time is not our friend. You can't go back and say "I wish I'd done this or that." Do as much work as you can. If you've got other interests that might pay the bills a little better for you so you can provide for whoever you're with, do those things.

3.  Get a job. Get a GOOD job. And if you want this to be your good job, learn the business top to bottom. Understand the whole production and everything that goes into it. Learn how the lights work, how they do sound, how stage production works. Not only is it helpful to you, but you may find a new interest you can turn into a side job. You'll also be easier to work with if you have an understanding of all aspects of it.

4.  Have a partner/someone in your life with a full time job that could support you if necessary. You want to be able to provide for them, but also have something to fall back on if you were unable to continue working.

5.  Have fun while you're young. You should be happy and having so much fun at that age. It shouldn't have to be a job until you're ready to go out on your own. Take this time to enjoy yourself and save up some money.

6.  Don't focus solely on winning. Nothing is more exciting than competing against other people in the same field as you, and you get such a rush from it. You get focused on needing to win, but what happens when you do? Then what? Look how many Ultimates there are. How many of them do you still see around? So don't focus on winning cash prizes, focus on doing things that give you long-term validation.

7.  Know when to stop. I've always told myself that, once putting on the jumpsuit doesn't feel exciting anymore, it's time to step back.

8. 
   

Looking back at everything Jesse shared with me, it is so incredibly clear that his journey is about so much more than just collecting shiny trophies or titles. It is about a genuine, lifelong love for the music, an immense respect for the legendary artists he portrays, and a deep appreciation for the community that lifted him up in the first place. From his early days of singing "Kentucky Rain" to a packed local crowd in his hometown in Wisconsin, all the way to taking home the biggest crowns in the world, Jesse has managed to stay completely grounded through it all. He knows exactly who he is, whether he's under the stage lights or just hanging out at home.

It is incredibly easy to get caught up in all the flash, the glamour, and the pure spectacle of the tribute world, but hanging out and chatting with Jesse really reminds you of the true heart behind the performance. It takes real grit, some serious business savvy, and a whole lot of humility to navigate this industry for nearly thirty years and still come out the other side with a giant smile on your face and plenty of passion left to give. Whether he is channeling the King or completely rocking the stage as Roy Orbison, Jesse brings a level of raw authenticity that you just can't fake. He has paved an amazing path for the next generation of performers to follow, and if they are smart, they will really take his words to heart.

As our conversation started winding down, I couldn't help but feel a renewed appreciation for the craft and the incredible, hard-working people who keep this musical history alive week after week. It is a wild, wonderful, and slightly chaotic world, and getting a peek behind the curtain with someone who has truly seen and done it all was an absolute treat. I honestly can't wait to see what Jesse does next as he steps back into the competition ring. No matter where the music takes him, one thing is completely certain: as long as he is holding the microphone, the audience is in for an unforgettable show. So here's to the next big chapter, the next mountain to climb, and many more miles out on the road. Thank you so much, Jesse, for keeping the magic alive and for taking the time to share your incredible story with me.

Jesse's website

Jesse Aron is a world-renowned tribute artist from Janesville, Wisconsin. In 2009 Jesse won his first world championship in Memphis Tennessee at the Images of The King World Championship Competition which is the longest running Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in the world.In 2013 Jesse was named Grand Champion at the Collingwood Elvis Festival in Collingwood Ontario Canada, the world’s largest Elvis festival and competition.

In the course of his career, Jesse has functioned as entertainment director for many productions earning the respect of industry professionals and artists. His understanding of the complexities of behind-the-scenes essentials required to produce high-quality shows is seen among the high approval ratings of audience members, fans and industry insiders.  With the support of his wife Tarie, Jesse travels the world entertaining music fans with selections from the eras of Baby Boomers through Rock-n-Roll

Never one to settle or stop achieving, Jesse continues to compete in Elvis tribute artist contests in order to keep his talent at its highest level and remain current among his peers. The combination of show performances and competitions delights his fans who not only enjoy hearing him sing or watching him compete, but who have made wonderful friendships and memories as a result. Jesse’s goal is to make people happy through the power of music.