Meet the 'Blonde Elvis' of Mount Oliver: Tribute artists are alive and well
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Dan Casne, the "Blonde Elvis of Pittsburgh," performs at his Casne World, an old VFW hall in Mount Oliver, below. -
Casne World, in an an old VFW hall in Mt. Oliver, was remodeled by Dan Casne, 61. He performs as the "Blond Elvis" and his Little Vegas is known as "Graceland." -
Dan Casne, 61, the "Blonde Elvis of Pittsburgh," works on cranes in steel mills by day, but as a hobby he put together an Elvis Presley act that he performs in Casne World, an old VFW hall in Mount Oliver that he has remodeled. -
The Egyptian-themed office in Casne World, nicknamed by patrons "Graceland." -
Taking on the personality of Patsy Cline, Cathi Rhodes performs for the Golden Triangle Luncheon Cruise as part of Gateway Clipper's weekly tribute to music legends. Ms. Rhodes also has hosted radio shows on polka and bluegrass.
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Dan Casne makes his living redesigning and rewinding electromagnets used on overhead cranes in steel mills. It's a technical job, and not a bad-paying one. But his true calling just might be singing.
He discovered this when he was well into his 50s. Watching karaoke one night at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Mount Oliver about eight years ago, a member cajoled him to take his turn on stage.
"Sing some Elvis," he remembers the guy telling him.
An affable man with a personality as outsized as his biceps -- Mr. Casne is a former amateur weightlifter who could bench 350 pounds -- he good-naturedly complied.
He can't remember what song, exactly, came out of his mouth, just that it was good enough that partygoers asked if he'd do another Elvis number at an upcoming event. The one song he promised stretched into a set of seven or eight.
"I thought it would be the first time I ever did something like that, and the last," he recalls chuckling. "But they loved it."
Before he knew it, Mr. Casne, 61, who lives in Allentown, was not just getting all shook up in front of crowds, but became part of the Rat Pack-inspired musical act, The Legends. In the process, he was making many a middle-aged heart go aflutter with the swiveling hips and spangly costumes that marked Elvis Presley's Vegas years.
The musical phenomenon known as Pittsburgh's Blonde Elvis -- he wears long yellow locks instead of a coal-black pompadour -- was born.
It's not as outlandish as it sounds: Elvis actually was a dishwater blond who dyed his hair black, thinking it looked better on film.
Given that Pittsburgh's population is the oldest among large metropolitan areas outside of Florida, and that people tend to like the music they grew up with, it's no surprise a tribute act to one of America's greatest cultural icons -- even one with the wrong hair color -- would strike a chord.
"Oh, it brings back the memories," says retired Port Authority bus driver Jerry Contristano of Baldwin Borough, who's been attending Mr. Casne's shows for five years.
Oldies are popular enough that tribute acts -- it's a diss to call them impersonators -- abound in local venues. Gateway Clipper Fleet recently started offering Friday lunch cruises with rotating headliner "stars": Chris Denem singing Neil Diamond, Cathi Rhodes as country music singer Patsy Cline, Randy Galioto as Elvis and Bo Wagner, who does a Frank (Sinatra) & Dean (Martin) revue.
First Published August 15, 2010 12:00 am
