ELVIS Presley fans will often debate which era was the best of the King's reign.
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Was it the rockabilly Elvis of the 1950s?
Or maybe the movie-era Elvis of the 1960s?
And who could forget the jumpsuit-wearing Elvis of the 1970s?
A new show touring Australia treats fans to all three eras.
Elvis: An American Trilogy features three of the world's premier Elvis tribute artists, Vic Trevino Jr, Ben Thompson and Justin Shandor.
Thompson, an Englishman, can lay claim to being a reigning king of Elvis tribute artists.
He won the 2018 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Championship, which is endorsed by Elvis Presley Enterprises.
"There are qualifiers from all over the world - including Australia - and it's the biggest competition of its kind in the world," Thompson said down the phone line from his home in London.
So how does a Londoner with a thick English accent become the world champion Elvis artist?
"Elvis's fan base in Britain is massive, and I was raised on Elvis's songs," Thompson said.
"I can't remember a time when I wasn't an Elvis fan."
The winner of multiple Elvis competitions, and the star of many touring Elvis productions, Thompson reckons he's struck gold in the new show.
"I'll be doing the movie years and the '68 comeback," he said.
"The movie years feature some of the most famous hits, like Viva Las Vegas, Return to Sender and Jailhouse Rock.
"And with the '68 comeback we're going to recreate that energy, and that raspy sharpness that Elvis had in that concert - and of course there are the costumes."
Thompson said there were a few prerequisites for being a world-class Elvis artist.
"First and foremost, you've got to be an Elvis fan.
"Secondly, you've got to have fun on stage and you've got to take the time to learn everything - there's more than 800 songs. And you've got to make sure you're sincere, and doing it for the right reasons."
Thompson said the three Elvis performers in the show, and the big band that backs them, were all about honouring the great man and his legacy.
"We'll be playing it as authentic and true as we can."
- See 'Elvis: An American Trilogy' at The Art House, Wyong, on October 6.
