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Role as Elvis is small 'thankyouverymuch' to rock-and-roll KingTyler Hilton auditioned for the role of Johnny Cash in the movie "Walk the Line," but he ended up getting the part of Elvis. The movie based on Cash's life is being filmed in Memphis.
"Oh, Lord, it's awesome," said Tyler, 20. "We've been doing costume and hair. It's a dream. It's like playing dress up with a whole bunch of guys into rock and roll."
Tyler, who is from Palm Springs, Calif., is a singer whose CD, "Tyler Hilton," is slated to be released in August.
He became an Elvis fan after a visit to Graceland with his parents when he was about 8 years old. "I was like, 'This guy is just cool. I want to be him.' So I started combing my hair like him. Just even before I knew the songs. I didn't know about Brylcreem or any of that pomade they were using. I'd just get gel and the hair spray. I'd be slicking it down and combing it over like Elvis."
He also adopted Elvis's way of dressing. "Elvis was all into Hank Snow and the country singers of the time. They were all wearing those Texas bow ties and so were the bluesmen. The same as Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. When they were all that young they had their crazy rock-and-roll styles, but it was still very country looking and very formal looking."
Tyler was drawn to Elvis's music because "it's in that same vein of the blues and all that stuff that I really like, the rockabilly and country and blues."
During his audition, he sang Cash's "Long Black Veil," but he was then asked if he knew any early Elvis. "I just kept playing them early Elvis and they were like, 'Wow, OK, man.' "
Tyler is impressed with The Dempseys, a local band whose members are in the movie playing The Blue Moon Boys, Elvis's backup band that included Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana and Bill Black.
Tyler and Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Johnny Cash, and singer Waylon Payne, who plays Jerry Lee Lewis, are friends. "It's like the rock and roll Three Musketeers type of thing," Tyler said.
Tyler wants to move to Memphis. "We've been going out every night. I know the waitresses and the bartenders in a lot of the restaurants. Really, I've been digging the city more than I thought I would.
"It was very important for me to make time to do this movie because it was the smallest of thank-you's if I do the part right. To play Elvis is very cool for me."
