Ray Guillemette Jr. came home to Collingwood this weekend.
The winner of the first Collingwood Elvis Festival in 1995 and the only tribute artist to be a two-time grand champion returns this year after an eight-year hiatus.
Guillemette’s career as an Elvis tribute artist started in 1993. In 2001, he was involved in a motorcycle collision that cost him his leg.
“I was hit by a drunk driver,” said Guillemette. “That sort of put me in a position to have to regroup and look at my life, and decide what direction it would go. I’m a chef, so even if the music business didn’t work for me... I was doubting I would even be able to get back into a kitchen, as an amputee.”
After some soul searching, Guillemette decided to persevere.
“There were a few things that played into my success to getting back into it,” said Guillemette. “One of those things was my world as an Elvis impersonator. I had a lot of fans and friends all over the world who lent me some support and encouragement. Everything I had put out into the world prior to the accident came back to me, 100-fold.”
That drive led Guillemette to a relationship with a prosthetic company who, at the time, had just released out of beta testing a computer prosthetic for the lower limb. It was designed in B.C. and had been built in Germany.
“My prosthetist said, ‘I think we may have a device that may help you get back to the stage.’ I was all up for it,” said Guillemette.
Guillemette was outfitted with a computer prosthetic, and he eventually made his way back to the stage.
Guillemette says 2010 was the last time he graced the Collingwood Elvis Festival stage, but time away was necessary for some self reflection.
“I had kind of made a decision to kind of, pull away. I had competed for many years and that was a part of my trail to success. I wanted to focus on other projects and other things,” said Guillemette.
“I did miss what was rolling through my blood, which is why I came back. It’s the energy, as exhausting as it can be. I love it,” he said. “I’ve had enough time away.”
In his downtime, Guillemette still does a little bit of catering, as well as working putting together food services for daycare centres.
“In one part of my life, I tend to deal with the more senior world, and on the other side, I work with the youth,” laughs Guillemette.
Guillemette will be performing at the “Best of the Fest” Dinner and Show at the Leisure Time Centre at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
For tickets, click here.
