Elvis
winner is all shook up
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LEIGH
Casling's blue suede shoes haven't touched the ground
since he was named as the UK's top Elvis impersonator.
The competition in Blackpool was timed to coincide with
what would have been The King's 70th birthday on Saturday
and Leigh, aged 37, is all shook up after beating off
rivals from around the country to win the title.
Although
he only became a professional Elvis impersonator nine
months ago he won through the regional heats of the
competition and faced 22 other would-be Kings to win
the title. He said: "I still can't believe it. I haven't
come down to earth yet and I have no idea what it all
means to me."
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Currently Leigh's day job is looking after the parks and open
spaces in St Albans as contract manager for ground maintenance
specialists John O'Conner. He lives in Clarence Road, St Albans,
with his wife, Deborah and children Geoff aged 15, Reece, 13
and Natasha, nine.
Thanks
to his mother, Leigh is a lifelong Elvis fan. He said: "When
I was a kid we got Elvis every Sunday and I guess I knew all
his songs by the time I was nine." But the very first time
he performed as Elvis was at a retirement party for a director
of the company for which he works.
He said: "I was a bit surprised because I had never done it
before and then the person who was organising the party hired
an Elvis suit for me as well as a wig." Immediately after
the party in September 2003, he was asked if he would perform
at a children's event in Stevenage but it was March last year
before he did his first paid job at a pub in Royston.
He
said: "So far the most I have been paid for an engagement
has been £250 and I spent all that on equipment."
His
prize in Blackpool was a cheque for £1,200 and an Elvis suit
which will be produced by the King's tailor, BK Suits. As
well as appearing in his GI uniform in Blackpool, Leigh also
featured in a line-up of 70 Elvis impersonators in a national
newspaper on Saturday.
Also
in the line-up was Elvis Shmelvis - Martyn Dias from Ragged
Hall Lane, Chiswell Green. Martyn, aged 42, gave up his job
as a computer manager a couple of years ago to become a full-time
impersonator. He said: "It's a lot of fun and beats real work."
Martyn
has made several TV appearances as Elvis and this weekend
is due to take part in a charity event for deprived children
with stars from Coronation Street. On Saturday he sang in
Asda in Watford and raised £675 for the Asian tsunami appeal.
(News/Almost
Elvis, Source: Yahoo News)
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