Elvis will celebrate in Two Harbors

• Elvis

In his promotional biography, Todd Eckart says he was “mesmerized by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and all the great entertainers of that time.” Eckart will be on the Depot stage Saturday night at Heritage Days.

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Cheryl Sundstrom’s secret is out. She’s a big Elvis fan.

That may be why she’s hopping around town like a school girl this week after the Two Harbors Heritage Days organizer landed a big headliner for the Saturday stage show.

National entertainer Todd Eckart will personify Elvis Presley, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra at the Depot stage beginning at 7 p.m. on the final night of Heritage Days next week.

Sundstrom said she had been worried about a big draw for Saturday night and mentioned she needed something like an Elvis impersonator to bring people in. Becky Swanson answered her call. “She said ‘Oh, Elvis? I might know one,’” Sundstrom said.

Eckart is a family friend who once roomed with Becky’s brother-in-law – husband Chris’ brother – in Duluth. Eckart’s been a family friend since the 1990s.

Eckart was a longtime wedding DJ and entertainer in Duluth before heading out to Hollywood and what’s been a 10-year national career.

He’s a musician first and an impersonator second, Eckart said. He said you’ll get a kick out of his show if you never look at him. “I try to sound like them,” he said, “but it’s a good idea to bring blind people.”

He doesn’t try to look like the crooning icons and dismisses the “kooky” stereotype many impersonators, especially those doing Elvis, are known for. His real goal of the show is to bring humor and history to the music and the men he’s idolized as a kid growing up in southern Minnesota. “I lived with my grandparents until I was 7,” the 46-year-old said, “and we watched the ‘Dean Martin Show’ and all the classic variety shows of that time.”

In his promotional biography, Eckart says he was “mesmerized by Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and all the great entertainers of that time. He emulated his musical heroes at an early age while using a spoon for a microphone, a broom for a guitar.”

“Think of Jim Carey meets Elvis,” he said of his planned 45-minutes doing Presley songs. He plans 20 minutes each with Martin and Sinatra.

He’s no stranger to the North Shore and returns to Minnesota about four times a year. He takes his “Rat Pack” and “King of Rock and Roll” show to a lot of senior events across the country. He’s also called on for classic car shows and weddings.

There’s a big entertainment lineup for Heritage Days, Sundstrom assures. Check out the full schedule at left for days and times. For information on Eckart, visit www.myspace.com/ toddeckart or www.myspace. com/dinomartini1

Tags: two harbors, heritage days, news, elvis