Glad to be Elvis as he’s always on my mind

SINGER Ben Thompson has always loved Elvis — and as a tribute act has the official stamp of approval from Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Ben, 32, from Carshalton in Surrey, says: “I was born and raised with music, I loved it from a very early age.

“I wasn’t given the choice, I was going to be an Elvis fan. Both of my parents, Kelly and Ben Snr, loved it, my younger sister Annie was into it, I mean, my pet dog was named Elvis.

“So my whole entire family were always huge fans and always had his music on and watched his movies. I didn’t think at that age I was going to grow up and become an Elvis tribute artist, but it was a turn of fate.”

Ben’s show, “Elvis — The Ultimate Experience”, returns to the Kenton Theatre in a few weeks’ time. He will pay homage to the late Elvis Aaron Presley.

Born in Mississippi in January 1935, Presley became known as the “King of Rock ’n’ Roll”. His first single, Heartbreak Hotel, sold more than one million copies.

He bought Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1957, before being drafted into the US Army for two years. He married Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967 and nine months later, their daughter, Lisa Marie, was born. The couple divorced in October 1973. Presley died at the age of 42 in August 1977.

Ben’s show covers all the singer’s eras. “Going through the show, I do the Fifties rock ’n’ roll, the movies of the early Sixties, the ’68 comeback and then the Vegas and concert years. We’re going to have some Christmas songs in there as well that Elvis covered. We have a six-piece band.

“It’s the performance factor that draws me into Elvis. He’s coming up with this all on his own. It’s masterful.

“I’m all about high energy, because when an audience goes out to a show, sometimes tired, having a busy week, we’ve got to provide a form of escapism for them. One of my ways of doing that is to lift the spirits, to make them smile.”

Ben originally wanted to teach. “The first time I ever sang was in a gospel choir from the age of 13 or 14 and I wanted to be a drama teacher.

“The choir were performing somewhere and they said ‘Oh, do you want to sing a couple of songs?’ and I said ‘Can I sing a couple of Elvis numbers?

“I sprayed my hair black and bought this cheap jumpsuit. Then one person asked me to do something else so I said to my mum and dad at 15, ‘I think I’m going to really give this a shot’. I was being my hero, it was wonderful.

“I started at the bottom and I worked my way up, I played all my local pubs, clubs, community centres and nursing homes. Then a couple of years passed and I started competing in contests.

“I was 17 at that time, I was still at school, at sixth form, but from the age of 18, I got asked to do a European tour for a show called ‘Rockin’ on Heaven’s Door’. The first time I went to America was 2013, when I won a prelim.”

Ben has crossed paths with fellow Elvis tribute artist, Ben Portsmouth, from Waltham St Lawrence. “I know Ben, he’s a wonderful guy. I won the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest championship in 2018 and he won that contest six years previous to me.

“I was only 25 when I won that. You go to a preliminary event, there’s only 20 in the world, you win that qualifier, then you go to Memphis.

“It is a very surreal experience and it’s highly competitive, because you’re putting yourself forward to be the leading ambassador for Elvis Presley. There is no greater honour for an Elvis fan than to do that.”

In 2017, Ben played his hero in the film Blade Runner 2049, alongside film stars Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling.

“I got called back and they said ‘You’re going to fly to Budapest and you’re going to spend a week filming with Harrison Ford and Ryan Gosling’. Okay, okay, I wasn’t expecting that!

“There’s a scene where it’s an abandoned hotel, because they’re way in the future and their presence triggers an electromagnetic field which then shows the past and Elvis was at this hotel in the past. It’s a really great concept.

“They were very nice and polite. I’d be getting my make-up done and Ryan Gosling would be getting his make-up done and we’re just talking over a cup of coffee.”

Last year’s show at the Kenton nearly sold out and Ben is looking forward to returning.

“It was great last year and everyone was so friendly. I like the intimate atmosphere at that theatre. I just want people to celebrate all things Elvis, let’s have a great time.”

l “Elvis — The Ultimate Experience” is at the Kenton Theatre on Thursday, November 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £32.75 adults (£30.75 concessions). For information, call (01491) 525050 or visit thekenton.org.uk