The first Visions of a Legend Elvis Presley tribute artist (don't call them impersonators) contest will begin Friday at the Elks Lodge, 205 Elkdom Court, off Parrish Road near the intersection of River Watch Parkway and Furys Ferry Road.

Preliminary rounds are at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday ($10 admission). The finals are at 8 p.m. Saturday ($15 admission). VIP tickets are $45 for the weekend.

Popular local Elvis tribute artist Jeff Barnes will perform at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The event is being organized by Danny Haywood and Terri Futreal as a qualifier for the Images of the King, held each August in Memphis, Tenn.

Contestants include Jesse Wade and Joe Trites, of Tennessee; Rob Langford, of Alabama; Fab Giacomelli, of Canada; Chuck Ayers and Alvin Smith, of North Carolina; Matt Spalding, Damon Hendrix, Terry Young and Owen Roberts, of Georgia; and Norman Bolen, Jimmy Smith, Danny Stirling, Michael Viljac and Jason Sikes, of South Carolina.

Learn more at the Web site visionsofalegend.com or call Ms. Futreal at (803) 593-2070 or (803) 474-2411, or Mr. Haywood at (803) 221-3200.

LOOKING FOR TALENT: The Georgia Visitors Information Center on Interstate 20 at the Savannah River still is looking for entertainment for its celebration of Georgia Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 18. Acts will perform outside the welcome center. Contact center manager Keri Ogletree at (706) 737-1446.

CONGRATULATIONS, STEVE, MIKE AND "COUSIN" AUSTIN: Earlier this month, morning show announcers Mike Tyler and Steve Smith of radio station WKXC-FM won the Georgia Association of Broadcasters' Gabby Award for best nonnews program.

Those guys do a lot of good things, including holding the annual Million Pennies For Kids Guitar Pull, which helps poor kids at Christmas.

The Guitar Pull earned WKXC the Gabby community service award. My "cousin" Austin Rhodes also won a Gabby for best radio on-air personality.

The Godfather of Soul, James Brown, was inducted posthumously into the Georgia Association of Broadcasting Hall of Fame as a pioneer owner of black radio stations; his daughter Deanna Brown Thomas accepted the honor.

Don Rhodes has written about country music for 37 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.