The Musician Elvis Presley Called the “Female Elvis” (And Why She Later Rejected Him)

Elvis Presley is undeniably a standalone performer, virtually unmatched by anyone in musical or cultural legacy—but even the King of Rock and Roll was willing to acknowledge his “Female Elvis” counterpart when he saw her. Amazingly, the musician was in her teens when Elvis gave her that nickname.

He was a major influence and inspiration to the up-and-coming country star. Still, not even an impressive moniker and musical guidance were enough to keep her from rejecting his more flirtatious advances.

The Musician Elvis Presley Called the “Female Elvis”

Elvis Presley’s career might not have been what it once was by the early 1970s, but he was still Elvis. Thus, when he bestowed a prestigious descriptor of “the female Elvis” on aspiring country star Tanya Tucker, that was no small accolade. Tucker was only 13 when she scored her first No. 1 hit with “Delta Dawn,” and Presley clearly resonated with her on-stage presence and musical abilities.

During an interview on Circle All Access, Tucker recalled Elvis coming to one of her shows in Denver, Colorado, with Mae Boren Axton, one-half of the songwriting team behind Elvis’ 1956 hit “Heartbreak Hotel.” “Of course, he’s up in the light booth,” Tucker said. “Mama Mae said to him, ‘Whatcha think about this’n? Whatcha think about this little girl?’ He said, ‘Well, I think she’s the female Elvis,’” Tucker continued, impersonating Elvis’ swaggering timbre and physicality.

In a different interview with AXS TV’s Dan Rather, Tucker said Elvis was “wonderful” and “everything I thought he would ever be.” She said the King of Rock and Roll was flirtatious toward her but stopped his advances when he realized she was still in her teens. However, she had a much different story to tell in a 2019 appearance on Watch What Happens Live.

Tanya Tucker’s Dad Told Her to Reject Elvis Presley

Finding a girl or woman who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to be seen by, let alone meet, Elvis Presley in the late 1960s and 70s was a tall order. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was as famous for his looks and charisma as he was for his music. As a result, he developed quite a reputation for being a flirt. So, when the time came for Tanya Tucker to work more closely with Presley during the early days of her career, her father gave her a useful bit of advice.

“My dad told me as I was leaving out the trailer that night going to the Elvis show at the Hilton, he said, ‘Now, look here. That boy can have any girl he wants in the world. Make sure he knows he can’t have you,’” Tucker remembered, smiling. “So, I did. He tried to kiss me. He constantly asked me to come to Graceland, but I never did because I didn’t want to be one of the girls. I’m one of the boys.”

It’s unclear whether Elvis’ nickname of “Female Elvis” for Tucker came before or after these alleged advances, but we suppose it makes sense that the only one who would be brazen enough to turn down Elvis would be Female Elvis.

Photo by Courtesy of Metro Goldwyn Mayer/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images