Hudson County residents face a tough choice on Thursday, July 21. Residents will have the option of seeing Lee Elvis emulate Elvis at Frank Sinatra Park or Joe Piscopo perform songs by Frank Sinatra at St. Ann’s Festival, at Jefferson and Seventh.
The show
Lee Elvis will perform his set at 7 p.m. at Frank Sinatra Park. He says he expects a crowd of thousands. In addition to playing well-known Elvis hits, he will also croon a few of his favorite songs, including “Suppose,” “Indescribably Blue,” and “If I Can Dream.” Lee said he gets frequent requests for ballads like “Suspicious Minds” and “Love Me Tender.”
Hoboken actor Alex Corrado will introduce Lee Elvis to the crowd. Lee has performed in Hudson County before. In August of 2001, he performed at the pier on 16th Street in Bayonne to a crowd of 2,000 people. When asked about Hudson County fans, Lee said, “They are the greatest fans in the world.”
The emulator
Lee Elvis has been performing Elvis professionally for 45 years. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he began his professional career at 9 years old, but actually began singing at 3 and playing guitar at 7. His first gig at 9 was a performance at a hospital in Brooklyn that netted him $5.
He said he is the number one emulator in the world because of his four octave range, his guitar skills, and the fact that he “takes Elvis seriously.” Lee doesn’t like to be called an impersonator because impersonators mimic, and he emulates. “The definition of emulate is the desire to equal and surpass out of love and devotion for the person,” said Lee. “When I’m on stage doing Elvis,” added Lee, “a part of me is Elvis. It’s not an impersonation, Elvis comes through me. It’s like Elvis part two. It’s like Elvis alive again.”
The King
Lee Elvis actually met the real Elvis – when Lee was 17 years old in 1969. Lee looked for him backstage after a show at The International Hotel in Las Vegas. “I snuck back to the dressing room, and out came Elvis,” said Lee.
Lee kept in touch with Elvis through Rick and Bill Stanley, Elvis’s half-brothers, who he also met. Lee met with the King again in June of 1972. It was during this meeting that Elvis presented Lee with a gold lightning-bolt necklace with the initials T.C.B. (taking care of business).
“I wear the necklace all the time,” said Lee. In June, 1975 Lee received a turquoise bracelet from Elvis that Elvis had worn. “It was his own,” said Lee. “That is in a vault.”
Family affair
Lee said he always received support from his family. His father encouraged him, and then his wife did. Lee’s wife Janet (not Priscilla) makes all his jumpsuits for his shows. She got advice on making the suits from Bill Belew, who made Elvis’ jumpsuits in the ’70s.
Lee has two children, a son, Mitchell, and a daughter, Briana. “My daughter looks like Lisa Marie,” said Lee. “I asked her [Briana], how did this happen? Your mother doesn’t look like Lisa Marie. And my daughter said, ‘Well, Dad, you look like Elvis.’ ”
Son Mitchell is proud of his father. “I think he is a cool guy,” said Mitchell. “They all love that he does Elvis.”
Lee also has a side family ice cream business called the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll Treats. “Initially I did it as a goof,” said Lee. “Marlboro [N.J.] didn’t have ice cream. I tripled business in the area because of Elvis. It ended up being a novelty.”
Future plans
In November, Lee will be going on a world tour for a year and a half. Bill Belew will be making about 20 jumpsuits for the tour. He will be performing in China, Japan, Costa Rica, Australia and other locations. When he gets back he will perform in Las Vegas for 12 months. “I’m taking Elvis where he would have gone,” said Lee.