Saturday night…Oxford….heavens opened up and raining hard…..but nothing was going to dampen our enthusiasm…we were on our way to see ‘the man himself’...in Lee ‘Memphis’ King…. The anticipation…excitement..beyond description….From the very first moment that he stepped onto the stage, he held us…the audience captivated by his sheer presence, his humour and above all his passion so evident for his craft, and his desire to allow us to experience ‘Elvis’ the man and the music. For many, the Memphis King gave the gift of being able to imagine what it would have been like to have been fortunate enough to see Elvis, and took us sensitively through a journey with him. The intimacy of his '68 special, complimented by his band made us feel like we were being invited into a private session held in his back yard – so at ease and so skilful to have created that moment within all of us,an ordinary and energetic man with his own persona coming through in his performance, which made it even more spectacular. At times it was overwhelming and emotional and I would challenge anyone not to have been moved by the depth of his voice so hauntingly accurate, and his soulful renditions of so many great songs. Through all this we were there to see a tribute to Elvis, but this exceeded all expectation. Lee Memphis King is a star in his own right, with his professionalism and desire to leave us all walking away believing that we had been touched by Elvis himself….and who knows…for this was something else, for which we thank you. Whether you are an Elvis fan or not this is definitely one show not to be missed - just beautiful.
Lee “Memphis” King had the audience all shook up last night as he gyrated his way through a full repertoire of classic Elvis hits. There are millions of Presley impersonators but Lee, who has won international awards for his act, wowed the crowd with his mix of good looks, wonderful voice and hip swivelling moves. He may not be Elvis but he is as close to the real thing as you’re ever likely to see.
The performance started with the early rock n’ roll years and songs such as Blue Suede Shoes, All Shook Up and One Night. Supported by a five piece band, Lee soon had the fans rocking in the aisles. He left the stage briefly, giving the backing singers a chance to shine with some stunning gospel numbers such as Amen.
The star returned to the stage and jumped forward in time to the ’68 Comeback Special TV show. Dressed all in black, he told tales about his hero’s career and quizzed the audience. Between songs, he never pretended to be Elvis and cracked jokes at his own expense about his guitar playing. Sitting down with his guitarists, he sang That’s Alright Mama ,then Are You Lonesome Tonight. He showed that Elvis sense of humour by changing some of the words and giggling. The comical rendition of Love Me Tender saw the guitarists acting as his backing singers and messing around. But, fearing the audience would think he was fooling with The King, he added: “This is a serious tribute performed with the greatest of respect to Elvis Presley.”
After the interval, Lee returned in his trademark white sparkling jumpsuit and the Vegas era began. There was huge applause to Lee’s versions of Something In The Way She Moves, My Way, Bridge Over Troubled Water and You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’.
A standing ovation ended the night. The King may be dead but the fans can’t help falling in love with this young pretender!