The white jumpsuit only zips up to Chris Franklin's chest, and the white scarf tucked behind the zipper leads up to the tall, red collar around his neck.

He grips a gold microphone, his slicked, black hair tousled to emulate the King in every way, before he belts out one of Elvis Presley's iconic tunes. As an Elvis tribute artist, Franklin strives to embody the King perfectly.

"When Elvis died in 1977, there were about 180 Elvis impersonators," he said. "There are over 80,000 now."

When he's not busy with his Lander classes or with student radio at XLR Lander Radio, Franklin streams shows online, practicing his routine. His love for Elvis grew from an interest in a 1950's aesthetic into this performative tribute, but at its heart is an appreciation for an artist whose work has transcended time and captivated the world.

"It doesn't matter who you are, you look at Elvis and you think, that's the best-looking guy I've ever seen," Franklin said with a laugh. "How many celebrities who have passed on have millions of people a year paying top dollar to look at their furniture."

Elvis epitomized Southern gentility, Franklin said. He had the voice, the looks, the smile and the moves needed to draw screaming crowds of fanatical fans, and maintained a level of class that staggers Franklin.

But the 21-year-old said his interest started when he was young, struggling to find and define his interests. It was a confluence of disparate passions that led him to put on the jumpsuit.

"Doing Elvis combines the three things that I love: acting, costuming and singing," he said.

In 2007, while Franklin was in elementary school, his mother died. While he and his dad were seeking ways to bond and spend more time together, a friend of the family suggested they go to a convention in Atlanta called Dragon Con. The convention brought together fans of various media, including science fiction, comic books, video games and other elements of fandom.

For years, Franklin had seen pictures from the largest fan convention in North America, Comic-Con, and had been impressed by the costumes people would wear to it — a practice known as cosplaying. In 2010, when he and his dad attended their first Dragon Con, Franklin was blown away.

"It was like walking into Walt Disney World for me," he said. "That's where I really figured out I love acting, because cosplaying is just acting without the camera."

After that, he began working on his own costumes. In his closet today, he has his rendition of the 10th Doctor from Doctor Who, and three different Capt. Kirk costumes from the original Star Trek. He likes to wear his Indiana Jones costume around Halloween, as it's more recognizable for kids who are trick-or-treating.

With costuming in his repertoire, Franklin has also always had a gift for mimicking voices and a love for singing along to the radio while he drives. A few years ago, while singing along to an Elvis tune, a friend of his joked that they had to get him to Nashville.

The thought clicked for Franklin and everything fell into place.

On Oct. 31, he booked his first gig. His girlfriend, Nicky had been president of the Laurens District High School FFA, and the group was hosting a car show. Franklin asked if he could perform.

"I told them I won't charge you a dime if you let me perform," he said. "I borrowed the gold jacket and bought my own sound system. ... There were nerves, but I also thought — how did I get here? But now that I'm here, I'm going to make the best of it."

Through his Facebook page, Collins Cosplay & Entertainment, he's able to condense his interests into one outlet and advertise his tribute act, Elvis Is Not Dead. While he's working to book more gigs, he'll sometimes stream a show online, which offers him practice and feedback from a live audience.

"For me, it's all about putting on the outfit. You look in the mirror, and all of a sudden, you envision the character staring back at you," he said. "During the first couple songs, my hands are shaking, because that first song has to grab the audience. If that first song gets a good reaction, by the third song it's smooth sailing."

When thinking about Elvis tribute artists, Vegas sideshows might come to mind — but Franklin said while he does know a few Vegas performers, the passion draws a much broader crowd. He knows five other impersonators in South Carolina alone, including Jacob Eder of Abbeville and Austin Irby of Honea Path.

"It's a global thing," Franklin said. "It knows no bounds. We have females who do this, people of color who do this, disabled people who do this. It really is a subculture, and I know I didn't realize how deep it was until I got into it."

Eder said it was Irby's shows in Abbeville that convinced him to become a tribute artist, and since then he's traveled across the state and southeast for shows. At each one, he meets new people and makes more connections.

"It's like a whole different Elvis world out there, once you dive in," he said. "What surprised me most was just how deep it goes."

He's won and placed in multiple competitions, and said he's traveling to Georgia and Florida later this year to perform with other artists.

For those who compete, there's one end goal in mind — the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, which offers a contract with Legends in Concert to be their official Elvis tribute artist. That's certainly Franklin's dream, and he's planning to compete in August.

Recognition, getting paid for his shows, all those are nice, but Franklin said the ultimate joy comes from connecting people with the King. Older people who watch him perform reminisce about their younger days, and even children recognize the flashy costume and can't help but enjoy it.

"Seeing smiles on people's faces, that's the best thing I'll ever get out of this," he said.