Nathan Belt, 28, from Texas, is a multi-talented singer, songwriter and musician who is also making a name for himself in ETA circles these days with his tribute to Elvis Presley.
As a child, he was always surrounded by music. His Dad loved to listen to gospel music on Sundays before church, and Nathan grew up with the sounds of The Statesmen Quartet, Happy Goodman Family, The Bill Gaither Trio, The Imperials, The Stamps, and more.
Nathan also remembers the “guitar pullin’s” at holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter – consisting mostly of great country music classics.
Nathan discovered Elvis at an early age and says, “The first time I remember recognizing an interest in music was when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I had found an Elvis Presley 45 of my Dad’s that had ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ on the A-side and ‘ I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)’ on the B-side, and I listened to it over and over again on my Fisher-Price record player! I pretended to play guitar and danced like Elvis, not even knowing who he was or how he performed.“
By his early teens, Nathan had become a Garth Brooks fan, and had received his first guitar as a Christmas present. His Dad showed him some chords – and from that moment on Nathan was in his bedroom practicing for hours on end.
In l994, Nathan announced to his surprised parents that he’d be singing in the school talent show – the following night. He proved to everyone that he could sing, and from then on he wanted to be on stage performing – which he later did throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, becoming a regular at many venues.
A few years later, Nathan met Billy Burnette (son of rockabilly legend Dorsey Burnette) who took a great interest in him, producing a 5-song CD and taking it to Nashville. Soon, Nathan was contacted by Ginny Johnson, a representative from Hamstein Music and flown to Nashville and Austin. He was presented with a contract, but eventually he and his parents decided the timing wasn’t right.
Then, in 2001, Nathan received another call from Ginny who had joined a new company and was still interested in working with him.
This time, he packed his belongings and moved to Nashville to take the plunge. He signed with Marathon Key Productions and became a writer with the legendary publisher, Acuff-Rose Music.
Says Nathan, “I had the time of my life meeting and writing with legendary songsmiths who were heroes to many people. I also had a great experience in the studios recording my demos with the top A musicians in Nashville.”
After 3 years, Acuff-Rose was bought out by Sony Music with the majority of writers being laid off – and Nathan was one of them.
However, he took advantage of this opportunity to move back to Texas and reconnect with family and friends. He also began performing regularly at what has become his “home venue” - The Grapevine Opry - singing and playing guitar.
Nathan reports that he has a strong interest in different styles of music and has “a ton of influences.” In addition to Elvis, he also performs tributes to the music of Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin.
He emphasizes, however, that he does not perform “as” these artists, but focuses on their music.
He says that Elvis Presley is the only artist he has ever performed a “full out, in costume” tribute to.
After performing Elvis’ music during part of the Grapevine Opry’s “fifties” show, Nathan suggested to the show’s producer, Rocky Gribble, that they create an entire show dedicated to the music of Elvis Presley. Rocky said, “OK. You write the script and make the song selections, and we’ll see what we can do.” Soon Nathan was performing the whole show, and that is where his “Elvis tribute” truly began.
He donned his first jumpsuit and put together a set list that focused on the ‘70's concert years. Then a horn section was added for a “Vegas” element and more authenticity (which is what Nathan strives for). This quickly became one of their most highly demanded shows – and Nathan reports that each Elvis show now has a waiting list of over 300 names for tickets.
I asked Nathan if this has made him appreciate Elvis and his talents more, and he replied, “I can answer you with a solid YES! I strive for real authenticity and to have that you need to study every aspect of Elvis. Diving into his history and music you discover things that the average fan would probably never think of or realize. His vocal range, for example, was absolutely magnificent!!! It never failed him and is amazing to listen to. He was an incredible talent that felt music like no one else. It’s as though the words, rhythm and sounds flowed through his blood, into his heart and out of his mouth!”
Nathan continues, “The hardest thing for me, while performing an Elvis tribute, is staying in character as I’m so used to being myself on stage. Tribute artists such as Shawn Klush and Donny Edwards have a knack for staying in character, talking like Elvis, using the same gestures, and so forth. I have to work at it, but I have been told it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
When asked if there are any other ETA’s he admires or who have been especially helpful, Nathan states, “One of the first ETA’s I saw perform was Eddie Miles. I saw in him a great tribute that was very respectful and it truly honored Elvis. His tribute inspired me to do the same. As far as others, I admire the ones who seem to show a true respect for the man and the hero that Elvis was to so many of us. I would also like to mention Vince King, a tribute artist who has become a great friend and encourages my every step. He’s been very helpful to me and given me great advice!”
I asked Nathan about some of the compliments that he’s received and he answered, “The majority of people usually appreciate the authenticity of the performance. My vocals are probably my strongest feature, and I’m very honored and proud to say that they are complimented the most.”
As far as ETA highlights to date, Nathan says, “Meeting and performing with Johnny Thompson and Trent Carlini. Those two guys are Vegas all-stars who have a lot of years of experience behind them. They both were very kind and gave great advice for me as a performer.”
In 2007, Nathan entered an “Ultimate” preliminary, placing second to Trent Carlini. He adds, “The only contest I’ve entered this year to date (2008) was the Elvis Extravaganza Preliminary in Poteet, Texas at the Strawberry Festival. I’m proud to say that I took home 1st place and was in the company of some great friends and tribute artists.“
Nathan’s other plans this year include his shows that are scheduled with The Grapevine Opry on a regular basis, and venturing to the UK to perform a concert in October at the Princess Theatre in Clacton on Sea, Essex, UK. He also wants to focus on performing more successful tributes.
Finally, when I asked Nathan if he had any closing words, he said, “ I’d like to say thanks to all the friends and fans that have supported me and stood behind me all these years! Also, to the fellow ETA’s that have encouraged me and given me great advice throughout this adventure! I look forward to many more years and realizing many more dreams in the future! God Bless!”
Many thanks to Nathan Belt for this interview, and best wishes to Nathan for continued success. Be sure to check out Nathan’s MySpace pages at www.myspace.com/nathanaselvis and look for him on YouTube also. (All photos courtesy of Nathan Belt)
CAROL@LADYLUCKMUSIC.COM
As a child, he was always surrounded by music. His Dad loved to listen to gospel music on Sundays before church, and Nathan grew up with the sounds of The Statesmen Quartet, Happy Goodman Family, The Bill Gaither Trio, The Imperials, The Stamps, and more.
Nathan also remembers the “guitar pullin’s” at holidays such as Thanksgiving and Easter – consisting mostly of great country music classics.
Nathan discovered Elvis at an early age and says, “The first time I remember recognizing an interest in music was when I was about 5 or 6 years old. I had found an Elvis Presley 45 of my Dad’s that had ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ on the A-
By his early teens, Nathan had become a Garth Brooks fan, and had received his first guitar as a Christmas present. His Dad showed him some chords – and from that moment on Nathan was in his bedroom practicing for hours on end.
In l994, Nathan announced to his surprised parents that he’d be singing in the school talent show – the following night. He proved to everyone that he could sing, and from then on he wanted to be on stage performing – which he later did throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas, becoming a regular at many venues.
A few years later, Nathan met Billy Burnette (son of rockabilly legend Dorsey Burnette) who took a great interest in him, producing a 5-
Then, in 2001, Nathan received another call from Ginny who had joined a new company and was still interested in working with him.
This time, he packed his belongings and moved to Nashville to take the plunge. He signed with Marathon Key Productions and became a writer with the legendary publisher, Acuff-
Says Nathan, “I had the time of my life meeting and writing with legendary songsmiths who were heroes to many people. I also had a great experience in the studios recording my demos with the top A musicians in Nashville.”
After 3 years, Acuff-
However, he took advantage of this opportunity to move back to Texas and reconnect with family and friends. He also began performing regularly at what has become his “home venue” -
Nathan reports that he has a strong interest in different styles of music and has “a ton of influences.” In addition to Elvis, he also performs tributes to the music of Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Tom Jones, Neil Diamond, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin.
He emphasizes, however, that he does not perform “as” these artists, but focuses on their music.
He says that Elvis Presley is the only artist he has ever performed a “full out, in costume” tribute to.
After performing Elvis’ music during part of the Grapevine Opry’s “fifties” show, Nathan suggested to the show’s producer, Rocky Gribble, that they create an entire show dedicated to the music of Elvis Presley. Rocky said, “OK. You write the script and make the song selections, and we’ll see what we can do.” Soon Nathan was performing the whole show, and that is where his “Elvis tribute” truly began.
He donned his first jumpsuit and put together a set list that focused on the ‘70's concert years. Then a horn section was added for a “Vegas” element and more authenticity (which is what Nathan strives for). This quickly became one of their most highly demanded shows – and Nathan reports that each Elvis show now has a waiting list of over 300 names for tickets.
I asked Nathan if this has made him appreciate Elvis and his talents more, and he replied, “I can answer you with a solid YES! I strive for real authenticity and to have that you need to study every aspect of Elvis. Diving into his history and music you discover things that the average fan would probably never think of or realize. His vocal range, for example, was absolutely magnificent!!! It never failed him and is amazing to listen to. He was an incredible talent that felt music like no one else. It’s as though the words, rhythm and sounds flowed through his blood, into his heart and out of his mouth!”
Nathan continues, “The hardest thing for me, while performing an Elvis tribute, is staying in character as I’m so used to being myself on stage. Tribute artists such as Shawn Klush and Donny Edwards have a knack for staying in character, talking like Elvis, using the same gestures, and so forth. I have to work at it, but I have been told it’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
When asked if there are any other ETA’s he admires or who have been especially helpful, Nathan states, “One of the first ETA’s I saw perform was Eddie Miles. I saw in him a great tribute that was very respectful and it truly honored Elvis. His tribute inspired me to do the same. As far as others, I admire the ones who seem to show a true respect for the man and the hero that Elvis was to so many of us. I would also like to mention Vince King, a tribute artist who has become a great friend and encourages my every step. He’s been very helpful to me and given me great advice!”
I asked Nathan about some of the compliments that he’s received and he answered, “The majority of people usually appreciate the authenticity of the performance. My vocals are probably my strongest feature, and I’m very honored and proud to say that they are complimented the most.”
As far as ETA highlights to date, Nathan says, “Meeting and performing with Johnny Thompson and Trent Carlini. Those two guys are Vegas all-
In 2007, Nathan entered an “Ultimate” preliminary, placing second to Trent Carlini. He adds, “The only contest I’ve entered this year to date (2008) was the Elvis Extravaganza Preliminary in Poteet, Texas at the Strawberry Festival. I’m proud to say that I took home 1st place and was in the company of some great friends and tribute artists.“
Nathan’s other plans this year include his shows that are scheduled with The Grapevine Opry on a regular basis, and venturing to the UK to perform a concert in October at the Princess Theatre in Clacton on Sea, Essex, UK. He also wants to focus on performing more successful tributes.
Finally, when I asked Nathan if he had any closing words, he said, “ I’d like to say thanks to all the friends and fans that have supported me and stood behind me all these years! Also, to the fellow ETA’s that have encouraged me and given me great advice throughout this adventure! I look forward to many more years and realizing many more dreams in the future! God Bless!”
Many thanks to Nathan Belt for this interview, and best wishes to Nathan for continued success. Be sure to check out Nathan’s MySpace pages at www.myspace.com/nathanaselvis and look for him on YouTube also. (All photos courtesy of Nathan Belt)
CAROL@LADYLUCKMUSIC.COM
“Elvis was an incredible talent that felt music like no one else. It’s as though the words, rhythm and sounds flowed through his blood, into his heart and out of his mouth!” -
Nathan Belt
Nathan Belt
Nathan as himself.........singer, songwriter & musician
The Ultimate Elvis "Love Me Tender" Preliminary in Longview, Texas,2007, was Nathan's first contest. Nathan placed second, with Trent Carlini placing first. Pictured here are (L to R) Nathan Belt, Trent Carlini & Vince King
