Being a fake is, generally speaking, a bad thing.
But when The Big E, another pretender to King Presley's throne, kicked off this year's Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival, the idea of a grown man dressing up like a dead rock star made perfect sense.
Just ask Robert Riggs, an Elvis fan since 1956, who sat waiting for The Big E to take the stage. "I've been to three of his shows," said Riggs, 66, of East Leroy. "He's excellent."
Even Karen Lane, who said "nobody can beat the King," had kind words for this mimic. "I have seen him six times," she said. "He mixes it up."
Though The Big E twists and struts with unabashed glee, the man behind those rubbery hips is in fact mild-mannered Steve Gagnon, a 45-year-old Coldwell Banker Realtor.
On stage, though, he's transformed into something else, much to the joy of women in the crowd. The question "What do you like best about The Big E?" drew quick responses: "His tall, skinny body," "his black leather," "how cute he is."
The hits kept coming. "Burning Love." "Love Me Tender." A break after 50 minutes gave The Big E time to change into his leather. After the 15-minute intermission, he returned, tearing right into "A Little Less Conversation."
And, as each song ended in applause, The Big E would smile at the crowd.
"Thang-ya-very-mudge," he would slur.
No, thang-you, Big E.
.......Andy Rathbun
Battle Creek Enquirer June 30, 2005
I thought before the show, this is just a guy from Battle Creek. So he won the Indianapolis Elvis Impersonator Competition, so he sold out 18 shows at the Discovery Theater. At best, this concert will probably be just campy fun, I thought.
I was wrong. Big E had the moves and the attitude of Elvis, but most importantly, he had the voice and singing style down pat. His 11-piece band, complete with horn section and go-go boot wearing female backup singers, made this a powerful Vegas-style show.
One could see in the faces in the audience that it was possible to believe this wasn’t just some guy from Battle Creek. If the Big E gives more performances here, then we can say once again that Elvis really does hang out in Kalamazoo.
....2001 Kalamazoo Gazette
On the back of the program for the State Theater’s “Big E Christmas Spectacular” is an advertisement for Realtor Steve Gagnon.
Gagnon, in a business suit, is shaking hands with his jump-suited alter-ego, the Big E, and the slogan reads: “Service Fit For a King.” It’s perfect. Just Perfect.
 Unlike many Elvis impersonators who take them selves way to seriously, Gagnon had fun with the shtick and makes sure the audience is in on the joke, too. Early on in Saturday night’s show, he got big laughs from the crowd when he lamented how ‘Cilla repeatedly refused to take his phone calls.
But on a serious note, Gagnon’s “Christmas Spectacular” was truth in advertising because it was a spectacle in every regard. Gagnon had 11 of the area’s best musicians backing him up: the TCE Band and Sweet Emotions. His black suited, sunglasses-wearing Memphis Mob flanked the stage throughout and escorted the King and his court up and down the aisles.
Mixing holiday favorites like “Blue Christmas,” he went through the laundry list of greatest hits, including “Viva Las Vegas,” “Teddy Bear,” and “Return To Sender.”
After more than two hours of hard work, Gagnon closed with a deeply emotional rendition of the “American Trilogy.” It climaxed with the unfurling of a giant American flag that brought the cheering audience to its feet.
.....Kalamazoo Gazette
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