He grew up dreaming of being Elvis, but Johnny Vallis made a name for himself in showbiz by impersonating another rock legend - Buddy Holly.Vallis, spent many years paying homage to Holly, as part of the three-person (Holly, Elvis and Roy Orbison) Legends of Rock and Roll show."It was 'the show they never gave,'" said Vallis.
Vallis, admits that fate played at least a bit part in his career path, although even as a preschooler, he knew he wanted to be a professional entertainer and musician. "In my Grade 1 annual, it said, 'I want to be Elvis when I grow up,'" Vallis said "Not I wanted to be 'like' Elvis. I actually wanted to be Elvis. There was never any hesitation that I didn't have the chops."Despite his early interest in music and goal of becoming a performer, Vallis says he isn't entirely sure what sparked that interest.Vallis said he wasn't especially good at sports, and simply gravitated to music from early on."I just wanted a guitar and wanted to play," he said. "I liked the attention. Anybody who gets into this business, it's because they like the attention."At age 11, in his native Toronto, he earned his first paid gig, a three-song set at a Mexican restaurant. Two years later, as a gangly 13-year-old, he won his first long performance run - a six-month gig impersonating Elvis at Expo 86, in Vancouver.It was there he met another Elvis impersonator - Randy Friskie - who told Vallis he was more suited to Buddy ...