He’s paid his dues in blue suede shoes.
The title of Darren Lee’s autobiography has practically written itself. But the Edmonton-born Elvis tribute artist, who now calls Langley home, has a few more chapters to live, before he finally sits down to pen the story of his life.
So far, it is one that’s taken him from chilly northern Alberta to the scorching Nevada desert. And, if all goes as planned, it will carry him to the end of his days in a tropical-island paradise.
Before coming to Langley two years ago, Lee spent 11 exhausting years appearing on stage as Elvis in a Las Vegas showroom and performing 50 weddings a month in one of the city’s famous little wedding chapels.
And prior to that (in 1997 – on the 20th anniversary of Elvis’ death, in fact) he earned the title of world’s best Elvis tribute artist from among 397 competitors at the Images of Elvis contest in Memphis, Tenn.
“It’s now called Ultimate Elvis and it’s a bigger thing. It was cool to win it,” said Lee, sitting down to chat about his plans for a unique new stage show and an upcoming performance at Surrey’s Bell Centre.
“I was lucky,” said Lee. “I had a certain body type.”
While it’s great to have a convincing look, good Elvis impression is, first and foremost, about the sound, Lee said.
But before he’d even fully developed his voice, he was already working on the signature hip swivel.
“Thankfully, I had a good-looking dad. I concentrated on making the moves – I wanted to make them the best you’ve ever seen,” said Lee.
“For me, everything was a step.
“In my 30s, my voice came in. It kept me in Vegas all those years.”
From 2000 to 2011, Lee performed as part of the American Superstars show at the Stratosphere on the Vegas strip. In fact, his was the longest continuously running Elvis act in Sin City until recently.
Running from lounge show to wedding ceremony and back again, Lee’s wallet was thick with cash, and he was spending it as fast as he earned it.
A Vegas wedding, said Lee, is “the best, most fun you’ll ever have.”
Then the economy collapsed.
The wedding business dried up, salaries were slashed as the lounge act began to struggle and Lee lost his house. He stuck it out for a few more years before moving home to Canada. It was Lee’s wife who suggested they come to Langley.
Here, they are raising their twin daughters, who are nearly two years old, while Lee has performed in Lower Mainland casinos.
Now, Lee is ready to give the U.S. another shot. This time, he’s headed back to Memphis to open an Elvis tribute show on the famed Beale Street.
The idea is to run it for a few months and then pass it off to his brother, who also just happens to be an Elvis impersonator.
After that, Lee will move to Maui to open his own Elvis-themed luau. The Rockin’ Hawaiian Luau will forgo the traditional roast pig in favour of a few of the King’s favourites – barbecued Memphis ribs and peanut butter and banana sandwich appetizers.
In what will likely be his last show in Canada for the foreseeable future, Lee and his band, The Memphis Flash, will hit the Bell Centre stage in Surrey on Friday, April 26.
Tickets are $39 each, available from the box office at 6250 144 St., by phone at 604-507-6355 or info@bellperformingartscentre.ca