Almost Elton John – Memphis Flyer

Anyone who missed Elton John’s final stop in Memphis on his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour this October can almost see the Rocket Man play this Friday at Almost Elton John & the RocketMen: The Christmas Extravaganza at Lafayette’s.

The group, led by tribute artist Jerred Price, will play the annual holiday show as part of its monthly residency, blasting hits like “Tiny Dancer,” “Crocodile Rock,” and “Bennie and the Jets,” mixed in with a couple of Christmas songs and one of Price’s favorites, “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding,” an 11-minute rock ballad from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.

Ben Gibson

Jerred Price (left) and Elton

“It’s one of my favorites to perform because it goes from one end of the spectrum to the other,” says Price. “It goes from this dark, haunting-sounding song into a complete rock-and-roll jam session, and it’s just beautiful. So much fun.”

Price, who taught himself to sing and play Elton John covers at a young age, says he credits John for shaping him as a person.

“By far, he’s been my biggest influence as far as music, but also just as a human being with his humanitarianism and what he’s done for other people,” says Price.

Price has modeled his own humanitarian efforts after John, working as a commissioner for Memphis City Beautiful, a volunteer for numerous local organizations, and a fund-raiser for Elton John’s AIDS Foundation.

In addition to his philanthropic work, Price says he believes in giving back through his music.

“Music is the one thing when, at that moment, at least, people are smiling and they’re having fun,” he says. “And they don’t care if they’re sitting next to somebody that may not be the same color or political party as them.”

Almost Elton John & The RocketMen: The Christmas Extravaganza, Lafayette’s Music Room, Friday, December 20th, 10 p.m., $5.

By day, Jerred Price is a mild-mannered insurance adjuster. By night, he’s Almost Elton John, pounding out hits like “Daniel,” “Pinball Wizard,” and “Rocket Man” at the Hard Rock Cafe.

“Since I was 4 years old, my mom raised me on Elton John,” Price says, recounting his origin story. As a kid, he found John’s outlandish stage costumes “very intriguing.” Piano lessons followed, but he hated them. He didn’t like the strictness or care about proper hand usage. So he quit. “Mama, I don’t like this,” Price said, explaining how he sat down at the piano by himself and started learning how to play all of his favorite Elton John songs by ear. “And not just Elton John,” he adds, “but Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Little Richard too.”

Jerred Price Is No Honky Cat

Initially, Price resisted the urge to put on a feather boa and impersonate his musical hero at parties: “I said, no way. That’s so cliche. I don’t want to do that kind of stuff.” But eventually he caved to pressure, donned a pair of furry glasses, and went to work on the party circuit. He’s been in residence at Memphis’ Hard Rock Cafe for two years now, playing two shows a month as both Elton John and as himself.

“It’s fun,” Price says. “Elton’s almost 70 now, so we can’t see him in eight-inch platform shoes anymore. He outgrew all of that.” But you can almost see it Saturday, March 5th, when Almost Elton John sits down to the keyboard and crocodile rocks.

His gift is his song. And this one’s for you.