Michael Cullipher knew early on that he wanted to be an Elvis Tribute Artist. He was four years old when he first discovered Elvis Presley. His parents took him to the Ozark Mountain Hoedown in Eureka Springs, AR and Michael got a taste of what could be when he saw his very first tribute artist in the form of Mike Nichol’s who is famous for his role of Tater “Chip” Patches in Branson, MO. Looking back, Michael realizes that this was the start of his lifelong dream. Michael remembers it so vividly: “I was so amazed! I thought he was the coolest thing I had ever seen!” It wasn’t very long before Michael begun practicing all the moves and trying to imitate the voice of Elvis. His desire became so strong that he began to pray every day that he would grow sideburns and sound like Elvis.
Michael’s dream became a reality at nineteen years old. He entered and won the Elvis Extravaganza contest in 2009. He was hooked and a career was born! Michael’s winning streak continued as he went on to become the first runner up later that year in the Elvis Extravaganza in Florida. 2009 also began a five year run with Branson’s Elvis Festival Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest where he placed in the top 5 every year including a coveted 3rd place win in 2012. He went on to place in the Images of the King contest at the Lodge of the Ozarks in Branson, MO later that year.
2010 started a tradition of touring the great state of Arizona playing up to as many as 30 shows in one month! Michael has an amazing fan base in Arizona that brings him back year after year. The upcoming tour in 2015 will allow him to compete in the E.P. Expo contest in Yuma, AZ. The rest of the year was spent hitting the casino circuit throughout Oklahoma, honing his craft and boy has it paid off!
In 2012, Michael was presented with the prestigious Ed Birchall Award for Humanitarian Service from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for his contribution to various charitable events throughout Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. Proceeds from Michael’s shows were donated to buy Christmas presents, sponsor outings for children and help with school expenses for those in need. He often volunteered to perform for residents of local nursing homes, as well as cancer research fundraisers and March of Dimes events. Read article at http://www.okdhs.org/library/news/rel/2012/05/oov05162012cullipher.htm
2013 was an exciting year for Michael; not only did he compete and place in the E.P. Expo in Shawnee, OK, he won the Sugar Creek Casino Ultimate Elvis Preliminary Round in Hinton, OK which qualified him for a spot in the Semi-Finals in Memphis. While he didn’t win, it was a great honor for Michael to be included with the top 29 Best of the Best in the Elvis Tribute Artist World as sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. “The Semi-Finals was like the Superbowl of the Elvis World! Being on the same stage with the best guys in the world was one of the biggest highlights of my career!” http://www.elvis.com/events/ultimate_eta_contest/past_contests/2013ultimateeta.aspx
In 2016, Michael continued his residency at the Rock n' Roll Cafe Memphis. During that time, Michael competed in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Tupelo contest hosted by Tom Brown where he was awarded 3rd overall. He went on to also compete in the EPIC Kentucky Preliminary where he placed 1st and moved on to receive 2nd overall in the EPIC final in Memphis, TN. At the end of 2016, Michael was recruited to perform a month long tour in the Dominican Republic with 'Elvis Presently', a D & D Entertainment Production. In 2017, Michael's famous Arizona tour took flight with sold out crowds. Leading up to Elvis Week 2017, Michael competed in the 38th Annual EP Continentals in Mount Dora, Florida where he won 2nd place and earned a Top 20 spot in the 2017 Graceland Ultimate ETA Contest in Memphis, Tennessee. While a win was not in the cards, Michael looks forward to next year. Michael is currently touring the United States.
Michael has been performing for many years. In 2014, After another successful tour of Arizona, Michael went on to compete and place in the 2014 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Preliminary Round in Council Bluffs, IA. Then a chance visit to the Rock n Roll Café while in Memphis to perform at a wedding brought all of Michael’s dreams full circle. June 7th started his reign as the house Elvis at the café, directly across the street from the Graceland Mansion! An opportunity like this is the holy grail of gigs for an Elvis Tribute Artist, and judging by the packed house that Michael played to nearly every night for years, Elvis fans would agree. While that show is no longer running, you can find videos of some of Michael's performances on Youtube. You can also Catch up with Michael on the Road as he still tours and there is always chance to meet some of Elvis’ close personal friends and family. You never know who might show up at his shows. After all, Memphis was Elvis’ home and the Birthplace of the Blues!
Michael has been fortunate in his career, he has had the chance to meet and perform with and for many of Elvis’s friends and family. A recent highlight in his career was recording Suspicious Minds with Ben Cauley Jr., member of the Memphis Horns, who played trumpet on the original recording with Elvis at American Sound Studios in Memphis. This honor makes Michael and Elvis the only two people to record this song with Ben. Not only is Ben a great musician who has played on over 600 songs, with artists such as Michael Jackson, Cher, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett and Sam and Dave, but he is also the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. “Recording with Michael was phenomenal! He was Elvis all over again! Most enjoyable! Mike, we must do it again!” Michael got to spend some time with Elvis’s personal physician, Dr. Nick and his son Dean and was privileged to some very personal and interesting facts about Elvis Presley. Michael asked Dr. Nick what Elvis’s favorite song to do to get the girls to scream was and was told “Polk Salad Annie”. Michael does Elvis proud on his version of Polk Salad and in true Elvis fashion is rewarded with screams from the ladies in the crowd. Gene Mason, longtime friend of Elvis and local Memphis Music Icon is a great friend of Michael’s and can be found at many of Michael’s shows. “Michael is a great friend. He likes all of the things that I like. He is a very personable guy and we have a lot of fun. I like the way that he brings Ben Cauley to the stage. Some of the things he says about me, embarrasses me, but it’s nice that he says it. Michael is very likeable. Everybody that I bring to his show enjoys it. He’s a great singer!” Louise Smith (Gene Smith’s widow, Elvis’s first cousin) can usually be found at all of Michael’s shows and is proud to call him a friend. “When I first met Michael at the Rock n Roll Café, I never dreamed he would turn out to be a dear, dear friend of mine. At first, he was my friend but now he is a part of my family. He is a fantastic entertainer. Michael makes everyone feel as if they are a part of the show. A few nights ago, I got the greatest honor from Michael. As he started to sing Young and Beautiful, he walked over to me and kneeled down in front of me and sang the entire song directly to me making me feel like I was really something special to him. If you are in Memphis, you better stop by the café and see one of the greatest entertainers out there, in my opinion.”
Michael believes that God is his Creator and Savior, and gives all the glory to him for his gift and is blessed to say that some of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of his career has been singing and performing Elvis's gospel music. Michaels’ goal as an Elvis Tribute Artist is to present the best memory of Elvis Presley possible.
Michael’s dream became a reality at nineteen years old. He entered and won the Elvis Extravaganza contest in 2009. He was hooked and a career was born! Michael’s winning streak continued as he went on to become the first runner up later that year in the Elvis Extravaganza in Florida. 2009 also began a five year run with Branson’s Elvis Festival Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest where he placed in the top 5 every year including a coveted 3rd place win in 2012. He went on to place in the Images of the King contest at the Lodge of the Ozarks in Branson, MO later that year.
2010 started a tradition of touring the great state of Arizona playing up to as many as 30 shows in one month! Michael has an amazing fan base in Arizona that brings him back year after year. The upcoming tour in 2015 will allow him to compete in the E.P. Expo contest in Yuma, AZ. The rest of the year was spent hitting the casino circuit throughout Oklahoma, honing his craft and boy has it paid off!
In 2012, Michael was presented with the prestigious Ed Birchall Award for Humanitarian Service from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for his contribution to various charitable events throughout Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. Proceeds from Michael’s shows were donated to buy Christmas presents, sponsor outings for children and help with school expenses for those in need. He often volunteered to perform for residents of local nursing homes, as well as cancer research fundraisers and March of Dimes events. Read article at http://www.okdhs.org/library/news/rel/2012/05/oov05162012cullipher.htm
2013 was an exciting year for Michael; not only did he compete and place in the E.P. Expo in Shawnee, OK, he won the Sugar Creek Casino Ultimate Elvis Preliminary Round in Hinton, OK which qualified him for a spot in the Semi-Finals in Memphis. While he didn’t win, it was a great honor for Michael to be included with the top 29 Best of the Best in the Elvis Tribute Artist World as sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. “The Semi-Finals was like the Superbowl of the Elvis World! Being on the same stage with the best guys in the world was one of the biggest highlights of my career!” http://www.elvis.com/events/ultimate_eta_contest/past_contests/2013ultimateeta.aspx
In 2016, Michael continued his residency at the Rock n' Roll Cafe Memphis. During that time, Michael competed in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Tupelo contest hosted by Tom Brown where he was awarded 3rd overall. He went on to also compete in the EPIC Kentucky Preliminary where he placed 1st and moved on to receive 2nd overall in the EPIC final in Memphis, TN. At the end of 2016, Michael was recruited to perform a month long tour in the Dominican Republic with 'Elvis Presently', a D & D Entertainment Production. In 2017, Michael's famous Arizona tour took flight with sold out crowds. Leading up to Elvis Week 2017, Michael competed in the 38th Annual EP Continentals in Mount Dora, Florida where he won 2nd place and earned a Top 20 spot in the 2017 Graceland Ultimate ETA Contest in Memphis, Tennessee. While a win was not in the cards, Michael looks forward to next year. Michael is currently touring the United States.
Michael has been performing for many years. In 2014, After another successful tour of Arizona, Michael went on to compete and place in the 2014 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Preliminary Round in Council Bluffs, IA. Then a chance visit to the Rock n Roll Café while in Memphis to perform at a wedding brought all of Michael’s dreams full circle. June 7th started his reign as the house Elvis at the café, directly across the street from the Graceland Mansion! An opportunity like this is the holy grail of gigs for an Elvis Tribute Artist, and judging by the packed house that Michael played to nearly every night for years, Elvis fans would agree. While that show is no longer running, you can find videos of some of Michael's performances on Youtube. You can also Catch up with Michael on the Road as he still tours and there is always chance to meet some of Elvis’ close personal friends and family. You never know who might show up at his shows. After all, Memphis was Elvis’ home and the Birthplace of the Blues!
Michael has been fortunate in his career, he has had the chance to meet and perform with and for many of Elvis’s friends and family. A recent highlight in his career was recording Suspicious Minds with Ben Cauley Jr., member of the Memphis Horns, who played trumpet on the original recording with Elvis at American Sound Studios in Memphis. This honor makes Michael and Elvis the only two people to record this song with Ben. Not only is Ben a great musician who has played on over 600 songs, with artists such as Michael Jackson, Cher, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett and Sam and Dave, but he is also the sole survivor of the plane crash that killed Otis Redding. “Recording with Michael was phenomenal! He was Elvis all over again! Most enjoyable! Mike, we must do it again!” Michael got to spend some time with Elvis’s personal physician, Dr. Nick and his son Dean and was privileged to some very personal and interesting facts about Elvis Presley. Michael asked Dr. Nick what Elvis’s favorite song to do to get the girls to scream was and was told “Polk Salad Annie”. Michael does Elvis proud on his version of Polk Salad and in true Elvis fashion is rewarded with screams from the ladies in the crowd. Gene Mason, longtime friend of Elvis and local Memphis Music Icon is a great friend of Michael’s and can be found at many of Michael’s shows. “Michael is a great friend. He likes all of the things that I like. He is a very personable guy and we have a lot of fun. I like the way that he brings Ben Cauley to the stage. Some of the things he says about me, embarrasses me, but it’s nice that he says it. Michael is very likeable. Everybody that I bring to his show enjoys it. He’s a great singer!” Louise Smith (Gene Smith’s widow, Elvis’s first cousin) can usually be found at all of Michael’s shows and is proud to call him a friend. “When I first met Michael at the Rock n Roll Café, I never dreamed he would turn out to be a dear, dear friend of mine. At first, he was my friend but now he is a part of my family. He is a fantastic entertainer. Michael makes everyone feel as if they are a part of the show. A few nights ago, I got the greatest honor from Michael. As he started to sing Young and Beautiful, he walked over to me and kneeled down in front of me and sang the entire song directly to me making me feel like I was really something special to him. If you are in Memphis, you better stop by the café and see one of the greatest entertainers out there, in my opinion.”
Michael believes that God is his Creator and Savior, and gives all the glory to him for his gift and is blessed to say that some of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of his career has been singing and performing Elvis's gospel music. Michaels’ goal as an Elvis Tribute Artist is to present the best memory of Elvis Presley possible.
