How it all Started

Bret Kaiser started his career in music back in 1975 when he watched his younger brother Bruce perform in a rock band. It was at a junior high school talent show. "He was awesome,” Bret explains, “It was just him, another guitar player and a drummer," and they were great. Afterwards, I told my brother ‘you guys need a bass player’ and he asked me to play the Bass and I decided to give it a try. I thank my brother Bruce for getting me started in music.”

“In 1977, when Elvis passed away, I decided I was just going to be a singer - just like Elvis.

After playing the club circuit on Long Island, New York with his brother Bruce in a rock band called Cheetah, Bret was approached by another group with big dreams. The group was called Madam X. One of the hardest decisions Bret had to make was to leave his brother and go on the road with Madam X. "It was a chance to get my foot in the door, so to speak."

After the band landed a record deal in 1984 and had two MTV videos and traveled the UK, it seemed like the right decision was made. But, thru all that was happening, Bret says something was missing, so in 1985 Bret left Madam X and returned to New York, to reunite with his brother and friends, "Pistol" Pete Kelly, and Mikey "Bones" Gerbino.

Now, with his heart in the right place and brother back at his side, the band Kaiser was born.

The Long Bumpy Ride

In 1986 The Kaiser boys decided to relocate to Phoenix, AZ. After adding keyboard whiz Ray McGee to the group, Kaiser spent the next five years doing what they did best, Rock and Roll, becoming one of the top drawing unsigned acts around.

After changing names from Kaiser to the Bowry Boyz, the band played five to six nights a week and even landed honors with a sponsorship from Bud Light. This enabled the band to take the show on the road, touring from Arizona to as far east as Memphis, Tennessee, which was the high point of the tours for Bret - being in the home state of none other than Elvis Presley. "Memphis was a blast,” states Bret. “We had the best time. And yes, I did sing Elvis songs, and got a great response too. The owner of the club we were playing told me that if I cut my hair I could make a million dollars singing Elvis. Well, needless to say, at the time I was a rock and roller true to heart and cutting my hair was a no no!!” So, the band continued on to stardom, or so they thought. Internal conflicts, bad management, and other obstacles caused the band’s demise and though it was over for Kaiser, it had really just begun for Bret.

In 1994 the greatest event in his career happened, his son, Brandon Robert Kaiser was born. A gold record, the videos, the touring, the good times and the bad, all seemed miniscule compared to the birth of Brandon.

"Not only was my son born that day, I was reborn and faced a new challenge and a new outlook on life itself. It was not only me anymore there was this little baby I helped create who needed me, depended on me and who would love me as unconditionally as I love my own parents."

Responsibility is an awakening and with the band gone and a new baby, Bret now faced the question so many of us ask, "Now what?" The answer came in the stars, a brass star actually. Bret started a new career in Law Enforcement with the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office as a Detention Officer in 1995, putting his music aspirations and dreams on a shelf next to his other collectables, Silver Age Comics, martial arts memorabilia and a vast collection of Elvis Presley memorabilia. But, unlike many material collectables, talent and desire cannot sit idle for long.

Almost 10 years went by since Bret performed in front of a live audience. He had no regrets of his decision to stop touring and playing rock and roll music to raise his son. It wasn’t until after his parents moved from New York to Arizona that he was asked by his Mom and Aunt, who became President and Vice President of the Water Fitness Club of Sun City West, if he would like to sing some Elvis at a Luau they were putting on.

That’s Alright Mama

Well, needless to say, talent cannot be caged forever, so Bret agreed to do the show. And what a show it was! The audience reacted so well that soon it seemed everyone wanted Bret to perform his Elvis Tribute, at all kinds of functions. His heart started to beat again, and the rhythm in his soul shined through.

When he is performing you can see he is in his natural environment. "This is what I love to do,” states Bret, “to entertain people and make them smile, help them forget about the bad day, or the problems they might be having, even if it’s only for an hour or more.” Bret puts his heart and soul into every show. There are a lot of Elvis impersonators out there and to Bret they are all great. “I am not doing this to compete, no Elvis contests,” says Bret; “I just enjoy doing my tribute to the greatest entertainer who ever lived, the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley."

Bret, I mean Elvis, has left the building. Thank you and good night.