All mail carriers deliver letters, but one Mountain View mailman delivers notes too. Ryann Vargas reports.
All mail carriers deliver letters, but one Mountain View mailman delivers notes too.
Charles Dupre is known around town as the “singing mailman” who sings Elvis songs while delivering packages.
“I tried an Elvis song and then just kinda one thing led to another, and here I am!” he said with a laugh.
Dupre rehearses Elvis songs along his route each day. Even his hairdo matches the King's.
"It was like an evolution type of thing,” said Dupre. “I kind of evolved into Elvis.”
Dupre believes The King of Rock and Roll has “the best voice in the whole wide world.”
He practices crooning like Elvis and memorizes the words to his songs.
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“I concentrate on early Elvis so you’ll never see me in a white jumpsuit,” Dupre said. “The early Elvis that’s what made Elvis, Elvis.”
The singing mailman has acquired a number of fans in Mountain View throughout the years.
“I think a lot of people know him,” said Amber Nietert, who lives along Dupre’s route. He has been delivering mail to her house since before she was born.
“When I grew up in this house my mom would always stick her head out and say, ‘Here comes Elvis!’ And we’d get all excited because he’d be singing and walking down the street,” Nietert recalled.
Dupre is originally from San Francisco. After years in the Marine Corps, he was studying to become a police officer when given the opportunity to join the United States Postal Service.
That was 30 years ago. He’s delivered mail along the same route ever since.
He uses his day job to rehearse for performances at events around Mountain View.
In May, he performed live on NBC’s America’s Got Talent with his wife Rose Hill.
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The couple advanced to the second round before being eliminated.
For his part, Dupre is happy to perform anywhere.
"Whether I’m singing on a street corner or on a stage in Las Vegas…I’m just living a dream come true,” Dupre said.
