• last year
Jan Waite, 53, has been hooked on impersonating the King of Rock and Roll since she debuted her tribute act at a holiday camp aged three.
Transcript
00:00 ♪ Don't stop the hanging on me ♪
00:02 ♪ Don't make me feel this way ♪
00:05 ♪ Come on over here and love me ♪
00:08 ♪ You know what I wanted you to say ♪
00:10 I'm Jannie James.
00:11 I'm the UK's original
00:15 female Elvis impersonator performer ETA.
00:19 ♪ Don't be cruel ♪
00:21 ♪ Too hard, that's true ♪
00:23 All kinds of Elvis eras, every outfit you can imagine.
00:26 I just love it, and of course I love Elvis.
00:29 It's bringing, you know, keeping it all alive,
00:32 keeping Elvis still out there.
00:35 I'm sure he doesn't need me or anybody else,
00:37 but it is nice to have the live experience
00:41 of singing live in concert.
00:43 ♪ Oh baby, it's just you I'm thinking of ♪
00:48 My mum put me on stage, and I was very nervous,
00:56 I still am, singing as Donny Osmond.
00:59 I used to play the guitar a little bit,
01:00 which was bigger than me.
01:01 Even though I was a professional jockey for a while,
01:04 I was still singing and entertaining all kinds of songs.
01:09 But the Elvis is my true love, you know,
01:13 it's never left me.
01:14 I do a lot of charity work as well,
01:17 because it just gives you a good feeling
01:19 to be doing something positive.
01:21 ♪ You know I can't be found ♪
01:24 ♪ Sitting home all alone ♪
01:27 - What's people's reactions when they see you?
01:30 - They probably think, "Who's that little boy?"
01:32 They see the look, and they see the suit,
01:34 they make the entrance, get on the stage.
01:37 As soon as the music starts and I sing,
01:39 that is the moment where you've got,
01:41 you know, hopefully you've got them,
01:43 they think, "Oh," 'cause I'm not singing,
01:45 you know, ♪ You ain't nothing but a hound dog ♪
01:47 I'm singing, ♪ You ain't nothing but a hound dog ♪
01:50 And it's down there, I'm singing in the same key
01:53 that I've had to train my voice
01:55 to sing in the same key as Elvis.
01:57 ♪ Come on over here and love me ♪
02:00 ♪ You know what I want you to say ♪
02:03 ♪ Don't be cruel to a heart that's true ♪
02:06 It's a buzz.
02:08 You put the suit on, you feel all Elvis-y,
02:10 the moves come, you know,
02:12 and it just has that effect on people.
02:15 It's nice to be the only female amongst that.
02:18 They know that I'm singing from the heart.
02:20 But no, it's been a lifelong thing for me.
02:23 You know, it's never gonna end.
02:24 I'm not gonna stop.
02:26 As long as you're respectful and sincere,
02:29 which I, you know, that's what I portray,
02:31 you know, I don't like anything detrimental to Elvis.
02:35 It's a sincere remembrance and tribute to Elvis,
02:39 so I wouldn't have it any other way.
02:41 ♪ Oh baby, it's just you I'm thinking of ♪
02:46 (blows air)

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