The King lives ... again and again

Impersonator Paul Coursey shares an Elvis moment with Raewyn Elsmore of New Lynn yesterday. Picture / Greg Bowker

Even at 71, The King has the power to kick off a bit of love-me-tender. At Elvis in the Park at Henderson yesterday, many had a love story to tell.

Sally Moyle's childhood dreams came true when she saw her future partner, Robert Martin, on stage six years ago singing Heartbreak Hotel.

"She yelled out 'Elvis!'."

The subtle one-word chat-up line so impressed him that the couple have been together since and drove up from Cambridge to celebrate the singer's 71st birthday with other Elvis lovers.

Paul Coursey is one of the six Elvises performing in the seventh annual event.

"I'm not a fanatic, I'm a fan," he says. "I sang I Want You I Need You to my wife as part of my vows. She's very supportive. I wouldn't be where I am now if not for my wife."

Mr Coursey's car licence plate says "O2 SEE, Elvis and Roy Orbison" and his business cards say "Paul's Tribute to Presley and Orbison".

A seamstress in Hamilton makes his Elvis jumpsuits and he adds on the beads and sequins himself. He reckons the one he wore yesterday is worth about $1000.

He has five outfits in all, including leathers, jumpsuits and gold lame.

Mr Coursey also does a bit of Roy Orbison "because he's the opposite of Elvis - Roy Orbison just stands and sings, so it's all voice, whereas Elvis is all flash and pizzazz".

Fellow impersonator Kerryn Winn has liked Elvis since he was nine in the 1950s and his mother would take him to Elvis movies as a reward. "To be a true Elvis fan you've got to understand the man. It's beyond the singing. It's his whole life."

Mr Winn also impersonates Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. "But my favourite is Elvis. He recorded over 700 songs, a mix of rock'n'roll, gospel, ballads, country - a completely diverse range."

The youngest Elvis, with hooded blue eyes to match, is 36-year-old Brendon Chase, a policeman in the Navy. In between overseas trips, he has been doing Elvis since he was 25 and is a regular at corporate gigs.

The Elvises have car number plates to match. One says ELVIS K: King of Rock. Another is 0ELVIS, another LVIS P.

Merchandise for sale at the event included gold sunglasses with attached sideburns.