James Brown (Elvis impersonator)

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James Brown
Also known asThe King
Born1968 (age 55–56)[1]
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Years active1998–present
Websitewww.homeoftheking.com

James "The King" Brown (born 1968) is a Belfast-born Elvis tribute act known for his covers of songs done in the style Elvis.[2][3] In the vein of "songs that Elvis should have done,"[4] Brown performs songs like "Whole Lotta Rosie" originally by AC/DC and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" originally by Queen.

Career

Initially a career Belfast postman, Brown became a singer after the positive reaction he received performing "Suspicious Minds" and "The Wonder of You" at a bar in Belfast attracting the attention of local singer-songwriter, record producer & former Energy Orchard frontman Bap Kennedy.[5][6][7][8] Brown describes himself as a lifelong Elvis fan and claims that rather than impersonating Elvis's voice his singing voice naturally sounds-alike.[7]

Brown's first album, Gravelands was originally recorded for and released by the London-based Dressed To Kill label in 1997 before being licensed to EMI Electrola in 1998. The album contained his biggest hits "Come as You Are" by Nirvana and "Whole Lotta Rosie" by AC/DC.[1] Gravelands would go on to sell half a million copies.[9] In 2000, Brown released his second album Return to Splendor which contained the hit Under The Bridge originally by Red Hot Chili Peppers. Brown also toured with the Fun Lovin' Criminals and Stereophonics.[10] Due to a management dispute in 2000, he parted ways with his band. Thanks to music producer Zeus B. Held, Brown gained a new set of German backing instrumentalists, mostly from Freiburg.[11] Brown's cover of Roger Miller's 1964 single "King of the Road" was featured in a 2001 Audi commercial on German TV and subsequently released as a single.[12][13] In 2005 Brown released his third studio album Any Way You Want Me via Browman Records – his first with original songs rather than cover versions.[11]

In 2009 Brown recorded "When the Rebel Comes Home", "Until it Happens to You" and "Waiting for this Moment" at Ardent Studios for the movie, Lonely Street.[14][15] In April 2014 Brown, under the stage name The King, released "Return To Gravelands" – a compilation album featuring 4 tracks from Any Way You Want Me and, the 3 tracks featured in the movie Lonely Street.[14][15] all of which were previously unavailable on Zeus B. Held's "Jazzhaus Records" label. This was accompanied with a German tour of the same name culminating in a one-off performance at Belfast's Empire on 9 May. Brown continues to perform live in Northern Ireland and has toured with "The Elvis Spectacular."[6][16]

Discography

Gravelands (album)

Return To Splendor (album)

  • Released: 2000[17]
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Electrola
  • Chart position: No. 15 in Germany; No. 97 in Switzerland[19]

"King of the Road (single)" from the album King of the road : der Hit aus der Audi Werbung[12]

Live in Concert (album)

  • Released: 2004
  • Format: CD

Any Way You Want Me (album)

  • Released: 2005[20]
  • Format: CD

The American Sound Show (album)

  • Released: 2007
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Elvis-Presley-Gesellschaft[21]

Lonely Street

  • Released: 2009
  • Producer: Danny Seraphine[22]
  • Tracks: "When the Rebel Comes Home", "Waiting for this Moment"

References

  1. ^ a b c Johnson, Beth (16 April 1999). "Mailhouse Rock". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  2. ^ Sturges, Fiona (11 January 1999). "Pop: The return of The King". The Independent. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  3. ^ "The man who would be king". Derry Journal. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  4. ^ Gilbert, Peter (2014). My Old Man's A Busman. AuthorHouse. p. 61. ISBN 9781496978677. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  5. ^ Vaziri, Aidin (23 May 1999). "Q & A with an Elvis Impersonator". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  6. ^ a b "The King and I". Belfast Telegraph. 8 January 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Aquilante, Dan (14 May 1999). "Letter-Perfect Elvis: Belfast Postman Channels The King". New York Post. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  8. ^ Vanhorn, Teri (14 January 1999). "Best Of '99: It's Now Or Nevermind: Elvis Impersonator Does Nirvana". MTV. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  9. ^ Weber, Manuel (12 April 2014). "Elvis ist zurück!". Kieler Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Konzert: The King" (in German). Dortmund. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  11. ^ a b Gröbbels, Udo (20 May 2010). "Interview mit The King" (in German). Rocktimes.de. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  12. ^ a b "King of the road : der Hit aus der Audi Werbung" (in German). German National Library. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  13. ^ "King of the road der Hit aus der Audi Werbung". WorldCat. Online Computer Library Center. 22 February 1999. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  14. ^ a b Seraphine, Danny (23 September 2010). Street Player: My Chicago Story. John Wiley & Sons. p. 284. ISBN 9780470625736. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  15. ^ a b Beifuss, John (1 August 2009). "Septuagenarian Elvis, comedy thriller take long route to DVD release". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  16. ^ "Shared Future Concert packs'em in". Ballymena Times. 10 November 2008. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  17. ^ a b Reid, Graham (6 July 2012). "The King: Come As You Are (1998)". Elsewhere.co.nz. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  18. ^ Hung, Steffen. "The King – Gravelands". uk-charts.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  19. ^ Hung, Steffen (20 October 2006). "The King – Return To Splendor". uk-charts.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  20. ^ "THE KING". The Belfast Empire Music Hall. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  21. ^ "Elvis Presley CD Info". Elvisoncd.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  22. ^ "Lonely Street (2009)". TCM.com. Retrieved 17 July 2014.

External links

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