Wales' best Elvis to lead world-record bid (From South Wales Argus)

Sebastopol man and Wales' best Elvis to lead Presley impersonator world-record bid

7:40pm Thursday 13th September 2012 in News

 A MAN who was recently named the best Elvis impersonator in Wales is to lead a world-record attempt for the largest gathering of Elvis impersonators.

Darren ‘Graceland’ Jones, from Sebastopol, beat 13 other Elvis impersonators fromacross Wales in a showlast month to be named the best Elvis in Wales.

Mr Jones, 40, says he has been nicknamed ‘Elvis’ since he was 11 due to his quiff, but he didn’t start impersonating Elvis until he was 35.

He said: “It’s been brilliant, absolutely fantastic, I was so pleased to win the competition.

I’ve entered for the past couple of years, but this year all the hard work actually came to fruition.

“There’s a really good standard of Elvis impersonators in Wales. Last year I didn’t even make the top five in the competition, so this year I neglected my wife for about six months and spent all my time practicing in the garage, and obviously it paid off.”

As part of his prize, Mr Jones has been invited to lead Europe’s biggest Elvis convention on September 28 in Porthcawl, which will attempt a world record for the largest gathering of Elvis impersonators in one place.

The current record is 645 and Mr Jones is confident they can beat the current record.

He said: “I think we will smash the last record, to be honest. I think it will be very easy, because there are always so many fans and impersonators at these sort of big Elvis events.”

Mr Jones will also perform in a charity show at Cwmbran’s RAFA club on October 26.