Michael Didio, Sr. grew up in southern California, living in several cities including Burbank, Van Nuys and North Hollywood. As a high schooler, he attended North Hollywood and Van Nuys High. Employment highlights of his California days were security and cooking jobs at restaurants like Bob’s Big Boy and Denny’s, Reynolds Security, Inc. and Burns Security, Inc.
Always an Elvis fan, Mike knew Elvis was “The King” even before Elvis got that title. Back in the early 70s, he used to hang in front of Elvis’ Belair home with friends, hoping to get to meet the King of Rock ‘n Roll!
In 1989 Mike, his wife, Debbie, and his son, Mike, Jr., moved to Nashville and Mike took a job at the International House of Pancakes next to Vanderbilt University. One day, by accident, he was coloring his hair to cover up some gray and mistakenly used jet black dye – he styled his hair and went on to work.
That night in 1991, the Vanderbilt students who patronized the restaurant started calling him “Elvis” and so “Elvis D” was born.
His first appearance as an Elvis impersonator was a live broadcast for WLAC radio, which occurred in 1991 at the Starlite Club in Nashville. From there, he started performing for small shows in and around Nashville doing events like birthdays and private parties.
In 1993, he heard that the U.S. Post Office on Broadway was going to honor The King of Rock ‘n Roll on a 32-cent stamp. He got into his jumpsuit and headed for downtown Nashville to be first in line the purchase the very first sheet of stamps. When he arrived at the post office, he was swamped by the media! Channel 4 Live at 11:00 am with Dan McDaniels featured his story, along with Channel 2 and Channel 5, as well as the local press.
Elvis D was a smash and became a media darling!
Through this exposure, a local restaurant, owned in part by Tomkats Catering of Nashville, called and had an idea for a promotion for the Broadway Dinner Train. In consultation with Mike, the Elvis Love Train was born, and Elvis D headlined the act.
More media coverage ensued, and the Elvis Love Train was featured on most of the previously mentioned media outlets, including TNN and WNPT’s Tennessee Crossroads. As fate would have it, the story was picked up by Entertainment Tonight and went national.
Other promotions were organized such as at the Italian Street Fair in September 1994 and the January 1995 Hard Rock Café “Tribute to Elvis,” where half of the revenue generated from food sales were donated to The Wish Foundation. Mike then organized a show himself with other Elvis impersonators the VFW Club in Nashville, again raising funds for the Children’s Wish Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia.
1995 and 1996 were busy years, including performances at the MD Walkathon hosted by Hal Ketchum and Demetria Kalodimos, again at the Italian Street Fair, the Centennial Park “Viva Las Vegas,” sponsored by The Nashville Scene, The Chuck ‘n Julia Show on Channel 58, and the Tribute to the King of Rock ‘n Roll Concert outside the Ashland City courthouse, featuring 50s and 60s music.
Mike has appeared in a number of publications, including Woman’s World and The Tennessean newspaper (walking with his brother, John, in front of the Hard Rock Café). For several years, he also walked with the oldies station, WCKJ 96.3, in the Nashville Christmas Parade, with brother John, hosted by Rockin’ Ron Harold, Manager of the station.
You can read more about Mike Didio, Sr. and his life story as a well-known Elvis impersonator, Elvis D, by purchasing his book, Performing Memories of Elvis: An Autobiography by Mike Didio, Sr.
Michael DiDio, Sr. has lived to fulfill his dreams of performing memories of his favorite singer and entertainer. This book details the many trials and tribulations of Michael’s life with an enjoyable demon-free conclusion. As his wife of nearly forty-four years said during their vows, “I take this man to be my lawfully wedded husband through sickness and health until death do us part.” The family now prays the last words of their vows are a long way into the distant future.