YOUR FAVORITE ETA'S FAVORITE ETA: An Interview With Tyler Christopher

While conducting interviews for this blog, I often ask the artists who they think I should talk to next. I can't even tell you the amount of times I heard "Tyler Christopher, I love that guy!" And after spending time chatting with Tyler myself, I can confidently join that chorus. Whenever his name comes up in conversation now, I’m right there saying it too.

It isn't just his fellow ETAs that love Tyler—the fans feel the exact same way. In the Tupelo competition earlier this year, he walked away with the coveted People's Choice Award. He explained to me that Tupelo does something extra special for that category that he really appreciates: to vote for People's Choice, fans put money in a dedicated jar for their favorite contestant, and when the contest wraps up, every single dollar collected gets donated to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Me: I imagine winning People's Choice is like winning Miss Congeniality in the Miss America contest. Crying, holding a bouquet of flowers, and waving at everyone.

Tyler: Haha, yeah a bit. I always feel like if you win the people's choice award, that's the biggest thing. I'll take the fan's votes any day!

To understand why Tyler has built such a deep, authentic connection with Elvis fans and his fellow performers, you have to look back at where his journey started. Some of Tyler's earliest memories in life are bound together with his father and the King of Rock 'n' Roll. His dad was a massive Elvis fan, and Tyler fondly recalls sitting in his father's work truck listening to Elvis cassettes on repeat, while their VCR at home was constantly running Elvis movies. Tragically, Tyler's father passed away unexpectedly just two days shy of Tyler's sixth birthday.

In the painful wake of that loss, listening to Elvis became much more than just entertainment—it became a vital bridge helping him feel connected to his father's memory. Elvis remained a comforting, constant presence in his life from that moment forward. While other kids his age in the late 90s were trading Pokémon cards, playing on Nintendo 64, or listening to pop hits on their walkman, Tyler wanted to go straight to his room and sing Elvis. He'd spend hours on end watching Elvis' live performances over and over again, studying every twitch, gesture, and vocal cue, practicing the iconic moves until he perfected them.

Without even realizing it at the time, young Tyler was actively training for his future career.

The defining turning point came when he was about 12 or 13 years old and saw a professional ETA perform live for the very first time. After seeing legends of the craft like Ryan Pelton and Sean Klush take the stage, it was like being hit by a bolt of lightning: he knew instantly that this was what he was meant to do with his life.

Tyler was completely unstoppable after that realization. He doubled down on his practice routine and began entering every local talent show or singing competition he could possibly find. Around that time, a local performer who had been a popular tribute artist in his own heyday saw something genuinely special in Tyler's raw talent. Tyler recorded a tape of one of his performances for him, having no idea that the recording was going to be passed along to Ronnie Craig. For those who might not know the name (and I will freely admit that I had to look him up myself!), Ronnie Craig is a powerhouse promoter behind many of the biggest Elvis festivals and competitions in the country.

At just 16 years old, Ronnie Craig extended an invitation to Tyler to compete at the prestigious Lake George Elvis Festival. Tyler took the stage and ended up winning first place in the early Elvis division. His tribute career snowballed rapidly after that major win.

As a young performer, Tyler focused primarily on the 1950s era during his early days as an ETA. By his mid-20s, he began expanding his repertoire to tackle the sleek '68 Comeback era, before finally mastering the iconic 1970s jumpsuit years. While most fans and tribute artists have one specific favorite era they prefer, Tyler loves them all equally. His modern self-produced shows encompass Elvis' entire career trajectory, starting with the explosive 50s and movie years, moving into the leather-clad '68 special, and building all the way through the high-voltage Vegas concert years.

How exactly does one person maintain the sheer physical stamina required for a comprehensive, full-career retrospective show? In his own words, he relies on a "ridiculous workout routine."

Tyler: My show is two and a half hours. I do the 50's, a quick change and then 60's, another change for 68, then I get ten minutes of intermission to change into the 70s wig and sideburns. It's fast paced and high energy, so if I don't want to feel like I'm gonna die on that stage, I have to train like an athlete. It's a mix of boot camp and CrossFit stuff. I work out at least 4 days a week. Half of my workout is lifting at a very fast pace with almost no breaks and a ridiculous amount of repetitions. I do like 300 reps in 20 minutes. And then the last 20 minutes of my workout is what they call HIIT, or high intensity interval training. It's like the burpees and the high knee running, the lunges and jumps…It's the only thing that I find keeps me in stage condition.

While he was laying out the details of this regimen, I was sitting there looking at him in a mixed state of shock, awe, and sheer horror! Props to him for his dedication to his health and conditioning, but what he described sounds like absolute torture to the rest of us.

Then again, Tyler has never been afraid of hard work or taking bold chances. Early on, his mother encouraged him to learn a practical trade as a backup option to a performing career, knowing that entertainment can be notoriously unpredictable. Taking her wise advice, he learned how to be an excellent drywaller and painter from a young age. At 22, he took the leap to start his own painting company, running that business full-time while simultaneously producing and performing his Elvis shows on nights and weekends. That early experience as a small-business entrepreneur made his eventual transition into being a full-time performer so much easier. Because when you strip away the lights and costumes, being an ETA is a business, and you have to know how to manage the backend operations just as well as the stage performance.

Tyler doesn't compete in many ETA contests anymore, but for the best reason imaginable: he keeps a completely packed schedule of private shows year-round! Performing his own custom shows is the ultimate dream for many tribute artists, but he acknowledges there is a small trade-off. You don't always get as much recognition in outside regions as you do in your primary market. It is deeply satisfying being able to build the exact show you want, but sometimes he sincerely misses seeing his fellow ETA friends on the contest circuit.

When discussing the contest world, Tyler revealed the exact mindset that makes him so widely respected among his peers:

Tyler: The contests are difficult because everyone has their own vision of Elvis. And it's difficult because you're standing there competing next to some of your friends that you really respect and appreciate. You'll have times when he beats you and you beat him. I want to win, but I also want him to succeed. The top five in Tupelo was strong. Everyone brought their own thing to the table, and we all felt it really could have been any one of us. You have to not take yourself too seriously either and just enjoy it. At the end of the day, if you're doing it because you love it and you love Elvis, it'll always be rewarding. Trophies and titles are great, but you shouldn't let that validate who you are as an entertainer.

That grounded perspective comes straight from his foundation at home. Tyler's mother has always been his biggest supporter, and she instilled in him from childhood the absolute importance of spirituality and family. She taught him to put those core values above all else and to never sacrifice them for temporary fame or fortune. Tyler shared that the thing he is proudest of in his career—more than any trophy or accolade—is that he has been able to achieve his professional goals without ever compromising his family or his personal values. Sure, it might have taken him a little longer to reach the top on his own terms, but he wouldn't change a single thing about his path.

Today, he carefully structures his performance schedule to spend as little time away from his loved ones as possible. Living near Cincinnati puts him in an ideal geographic hub to do regional shows, allowing him to return home either the same night or the very next morning. Monday through Thursday, you'll usually find him right at home doing pre-production work for his upcoming dates, picking up his daughter from school, and walking his dogs alongside his wife. He's had plenty of lucrative offers over the years for lengthy national tours, but Tyler is perfectly content right where he's at. He knows what matters most in life and sticks to it with unwavering devotion.

In an industry where it is so easy to get swept up in the chase for titles, trophies, and constant travel, Tyler Christopher stands out not only for his elite physical talent and stage presence, but for the clarity of his heart off of it. He honors Elvis Presley's memory not just through precise vocal delivery and relentless athletic effort, but by embodying the warmth, humility, and genuine generosity that made the King so beloved. It doesn't take long when speaking with him to see why the entire tribute community speaks of him with such warmth—Tyler is a world-class entertainer who has built a career grounded in faith, integrity, and love. He’s the real deal, and I couldn't be happier to say: I love that guy too!

Tyler's website