The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll has crooned through the halls of Creston Village Assisted Living & Memory Care every Valentine’s Day for the past two years.
“People will tell me when I’m still in costume, ‘I saw you years ago in this venue at this year, and you were so great in concert then,'” the Paso Robles’ facility’s Executive Director Adam Bramwell said. “They all know it’s me, but they play along with the game.”
Bramwell is the senior living community’s very own Elvis Presley impersonator. Close to Valentine’s Day, he shaves off his moustache to prepare for the role. It takes him an hour to change into his white bedazzled Elvis suit. He’s used to taming his hair with pomade on a regular basis—helping Bramwell craft the Elvis coif much quicker. Finally, he practices singing a week before his performance for almost 100 residents at Creston Village. Until then, his practice audience is his family in San Luis Obispo.
“All I listened to is Elvis so I can get all the lyrics, because part of the problem is I normally wear glasses, and my Elvis sunglasses are not prescription, so I can’t see to read the lyrics,” Bramwell said with a laugh.
Though his impersonation at Creston Village is more recent, Bramwell has been regaling community members with his Elvis act for a decade. He stepped in when a nursing home where he previously worked couldn’t find a local imitator.
“I was raised on good rock ‘n’ roll, and when I started in senior living, I quickly realized that basically everybody loves Elvis,” he said. “Even if you don’t love Elvis, you at least respect Elvis. And if nothing else, an Elvis impersonator is funny.”
Since then, he’s watched a lot of videos of Elvis in concert to imitate the singer’s speech patterns and movements.
Bramwell does a smaller performance for the 15 people who live in the memory care section, followed by a larger show for the rest of the assisted living residents. This year, he performed his rendition of “Love Me Tender” to a woman in hospice with her husband of more than 50 years by her side.
“Oftentimes in this setting, most of our residents are widows or widowers and Valetine’s Day can be a sad holiday because you think of people that you love that are now gone,” he said. “This gives everybody an opportunity to not only have a moment of quiet and have some romantic songs, but also just have some fun.”
Bramwell’s favorite Elvis song to perform is 1961’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love.” He said the residents love other classics like “Hound Dog” and “Jailhouse Rock.” The executive director added that he never gets too comfortable with his set list, adding a new song or two to his lineup every year.
He’s also hoping to not feel too much at home in his Elvis suit procured from Amazon. A family trip to Elvis’ private retreat Graceland last summer saw Bramwell return not only with souvenirs for the senior living residents but also a purpose for himself.
“Graceland has a really nice [Elvis costume] they sell that’s like 1,000 bucks,” he said. “That’s my goal for next year … to pony up and get an authentic one from Graceland.”
In the meantime, Bramwell didn’t forget his impersonation roots. The nursing home where he introduced his act hasn’t managed to find an Elvis replacement. Bramwell stepped in once more.
“I went back to that community because there was a woman there, huge Elvis fan, and I saw her just her last year,” he said.
Fast fact
• Must! Charities opened applications for the Pitch—an initiative designed to help local nonprofits refine their message, amplify their impact, and connect with key supporters. The three-month coaching experience provides nonprofit leaders with expert coaching, strategic insight, and a dynamic platform to amplify their mission. Nonprofits serving SLO County can apply by May 2. Visit mustcharities.org to fill out an application. Δ
Reach Staff Writer Bulbul Rajagopal at brajagopal@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 6, 2025.