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  • 2 years ago
Credit: SWNS

Meet the woman who has travelled the world as an Elvis impersonator -
and says her voice is so similar people can't tell she's female.

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.

The mum-of-one, from Knebworth, Herts, dubs herself the UK’s original female Elvis impersonator as she believes she was the first in the UK.

But she said being a female Elvis means she has faced discrimination.

At a recent competition she claims organisers told her she potentially couldn't perform - because she was a woman.

But she ignored them, and began her act from behind a curtain - and brought the house down.

And she says a judge later told her they couldn't tell the different between her voice and a male impersonator's voice.
Transcript
00:00 Come on over here and love me.
00:02 You know what I wanted you to say.
00:05 Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
00:08 I'm Janet James.
00:10 I'm the UK's original female Elvis impersonator performer ETA.
00:17 Don't be cruel to a heart that's true.
00:21 All kinds of Elvis eras, every outfit you can imagine.
00:25 I just love it.
00:26 And of course, I love Elvis.
00:28 It's bringing, you know, keeping it all alive,
00:31 keeping Elvis still out there.
00:33 I'm sure he doesn't need me or anybody else.
00:36 But it is nice to have the live experience
00:39 of him singing live in concert.
00:41 [MUSIC - ELVIS PRESLEY, "I'M NOT A LOVER"]
00:43 (SINGING) Oh, baby, it's just you I am thinking of.
00:47 My mom put me on stage.
00:53 And I was very nervous.
00:54 I still am, singing as Donny Osmond.
00:57 I used to play the guitar a little bit,
00:59 which was bigger than me.
01:00 Even though I was a professional jockey for a while,
01:02 I was still singing and entertaining
01:05 all kinds of songs.
01:07 But the Elvis is my true love.
01:09 You know, it's never left me.
01:11 I do a lot of charity work as well,
01:13 because it just gives you a good feeling
01:16 to be doing something positive.
01:18 (SINGING) You know I can't be found sitting home all alone.
01:24 They probably think, who's that little boy?
01:26 They see the look, and they see the suit.
01:28 I make the entrance, get on the stage.
01:30 As soon as the music starts and I sing,
01:33 that is the moment where you've got--
01:35 you know, hopefully you've got them.
01:36 They think, oh, because I'm not singing, you know,
01:39 (SINGING) you ain't nothing but a hand doll.
01:41 I'm singing, (SINGING) you ain't nothing but a hand doll.
01:44 It's down there.
01:44 I'm singing in the same key that I've
01:47 had to train my voice to sing in the same key as Elvis.
01:51 (SINGING) Come on over here and love me.
01:54 Baby, look what I want to do.
01:56 Say, don't be cruel to a heartless truth.
02:00 It's a buzz.
02:01 You put the suit on, you feel all Elvis-y.
02:04 The moves come, you know, and it just
02:07 has that effect on people.
02:08 It's nice to be the only female amongst that.
02:12 They know that I'm singing from the heart.
02:14 But no, it's been a lifelong thing for me.
02:17 You know, it's never going to end.
02:18 I'm not going to stop.
02:19 As long as you're respectful and sincere, which I-- you know,
02:23 that's what I portray.
02:24 You know, I don't like anything detrimental to Elvis.
02:29 It's a sincere remembrance and tribute to Elvis.
02:33 So I wouldn't have it any other way.
02:34 (SINGING) You know I can be found sitting home all alone.
02:40 Come on over here and love me.
02:43 You know what I want you to say.
02:46 Don't be cruel to a heartless truth.
02:49 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:52 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:56 [ Music ]
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