Ever since he started up his Elvis Presley act more than 25 years ago, Eddie O’Rourke has told people that while he interprets “The King’s” style, he doesn’t do an impersonation.
Born and raised in West End in New York before moving to North Bergen for his later years in school, O’Rourke has become something of an East Coast phenomenon, putting on shows all the way to Florida.
Until recently, he rarely did local shows. While people knew of him from his music store on Broadway and from the lessons he gave kids, he never felt the need to perform in Bayonne – nor did he think people here wanted him to.
But a few years ago he was asked to perform; he did, and he was shocked at the reception.
“People love it,” he said.
O’Rourke performed again at the Oct. 2 Bergen Point Music and Art Festival.
His home and store have become something of a local legend, frequently called “the Graceland of Bayonne” for the amount of Elvis collectables he has gathered.
“What you see is only a small part of everything I have,” he said during a brief tour of his store, where the walls are crowded with authenticated items including Elvis’ driver’s license, tufts of rugs from several Graceland rooms, a piece of fence, and even a lock of Elvis’ hair. Although he has other memorabilia – including some from the Beatles – Elvis is everywhere in the store. And once through the door into his residence, a visitor is greeted with a similar eloquent décor of Graceland itself down to the blue acoustic guitar posted in a corner of the dining room.
Always wanted to perform
O’Rourke knew he wanted to perform music from when he was 4 or 5 years old. He took every opportunity to perform, and got into rock and roll in high school. He studied piano at the age of 8 and in high school learned base viola.
Oddly enough, Elvis wasn’t his great hero, but people like Les Paul and Chet Atkins were, and over the years, he has met or played with many of the people he admired most as a kid – and has met most of the people associated with Elvis.
He worked with some of the giants of early rock and roll, country, and jazz such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Charlie Rich.
“But I never met the King,” he said.
During his time in the Army, he was stationed in the south and made a point of going to musical capitals nearby. He made his way up to Nashville, where after a bit of cajoling, he managed to sit in on studio sessions where he would – as he put it – learn, play, then forget tunes in every style.
This has given him a remarkable ability to “fake” almost any kind of music on the guitar, from classical and flamenco to jazz and rock.
When he got back to Hudson County, a friend from the West Coast said there was an opening for a musician with the Norman Luboff Choir and that O’Rourke should apply.
The Norman Luboff Choir was among the most popular choral ensembles of their day, releasing a series of hit easy-listening LPs during the late 1950s and 1960s. The choir released a number of albums on its own, but was well known for backing vocalists like Harry Belafonte and Doris Day.
“Since he was right down there on West End Avenue (in Jersey City), I went to see him,” O’Rourke recalled during a recent interview. “He spread sheet music across a coffee table and told me to play. I guess I played it all right, because I got the job.”
He toured the U.S. and Canada as guitar accompanist, playing many of the most remote small towns in both countries.
Elvis act sort of happened
O’Rourke worked in a trio with Les Paul Jr., which allowed him to meet the famous Les Paul – who still lives in New Jersey. Les Paul is considered one of the greatest guitar players living, and the man who helped invent modern multi-track recording techniques.
“Les Paul is great, and he’s the first one to tell you how great he is,” O’Rourke said, laughing. “Chet Atkins was Les Paul’s exact opposite, as humble a man you’ll ever find.”
Disco disc jockeys began to erode the live music scene. Gradually, O’Rourke began to gravitate into a solo act, performing clubs and other venues.
“I started out doing a few Elvis songs, and then an Elvis set,” he said. “The songs went over so well, I decided why not do it as an act. I figured I would do it until it stopped being popular.”
Now, more than 25 years later, he’s still going strong.
At times, O’Rourke has played with Elvis tribute bands, but for the most part, he uses a multi-track recording of musicians and background singers who rerecorded the original recordings for his performances.
His act centers on Elvis’ Las Vegas years, following a routine that opens and closes with the 2001 theme, as did the King. He often does medleys of Elvis hits as Elvis did during shows.
“I don’t sound like Elvis, and I don’t try to,” he said. “I try to get the same feeling he got when he sang. There was only one Elvis. I’ll never be as good as he was. Even Elvis wasn’t always as good as Elvis. Even Elvis knew how difficult it was living up to the myth.”
O’Rourke does regular gigs in Florida, Memphis and Nashville, but has begun doing more shows near his home and store in Bayonne.
“I’m never confused about who I am,” he said. “When I come off the stage, I’m Eddie O’Rourke.”
But he does admit he has a passion for Elvis.
“Everyone needs to follow a passion,” O’Rourke said. “That’s what keeps us young.”
Al Sullivan can be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com