53-year-old Jan Waite did her first tribute act of Elvis as a three-year-old on a holiday camp trip. The mother of one believes she is the first Elvis impersonator in the UK and has traveled around the world performing as the late Rock and Roll King.
Jan, who is from Knebworth, Herts, shared that she has faced lots of discrimination due to her gender. During a recent competition, the organizers told her she could not perform, but her resilience paved the way for her as she later showcased her talent at the event.
Jan Waite is such a great Elvis impersonator that people don’t realize she’s not a guy
Refusing to give up, Jan started her performance at the competition from behind the curtain and wowed the judges. “I think Elvis is for everybody. I never thought I can’t do it because I’m a girl — I’m just trying to do what everyone else is doing and paying tribute to him,” she said.
RELATED: The Real Person Elvis Presley Was Named After
She further shared her experience as a female in the craft, adding that what sets her apart is embodying Elvis’ masculine act, unlike other female impersonators. “I think everybody should be able to pay tribute to Elvis however they want, as long as it’s sincere,” she added. “A lot of female Elvis’ tend to be female in the act, but I take on the Elvis full character — the audience still want to see ‘thank you very much.'”
She grew up listening to him
Jan fell in love with tribute performances after her first time at Torquay Beeson’s Holiday Camp, where she sang “Teddy Bear.” Her mother supported her talent by making her suits and playing more of Elvis’ tracks for her to dance to.
Jan continued to perform and became an official professional Elvis tribute act at 18 when she was invited to perform in Las Vegas, Chicago, Nashville, and other locations in America. She even has some of her jumpsuits made by Elvis’ tailor, Bill Belew, and has performed alongside the legend’s original bandmates.
During the pandemic, Jan thought she was done doing live shows for good, but continued to perform online. Now, she is back on stage at competitions, charities, and events. “The love for Elvis is still there. it just becomes part of you. I’m doing this for the sake of sharing Elvis with other Elvis fans in the audience,” she noted.
