Lee Memphis King was voted the world's best Elvis and has gone on to forge a successful career. He talks to TV & Entertainments Editor Viv Hardwick about his Elvis memories and why he intends to retire in five years' time.

LEE Memphis King is so good at impersonating Elvis Presley that he was voted the world's best in Canada in 2005, which launched a full-time professional career.

Speaking on the eve of today's 30th anniversary, he recalled his thoughts on the day the singer known as The King died, at the age of 42, and revealed that he's only going to perform on stage for another five years.

But the singer, who is booked on a massive tour including Sunderland, Scarborough, Newcastle and Redcar in the run-up to Christmas, has absolutely no time for those who believe that Elvis is still alive.

"That's not a sensible question... people who think like that all need therapy, the man is dead," comes the forthright reply from the singer born Roy Evans.

His own desire to sing like Elvis began at the age of five, after watching the film Roustabout, and Memphis King has earned a swift reputation in the industry for singing, speaking, dressing, moving and even breathing like Elvis during his stage act, Elvis - The Legend Continues.

"I don't understand the people in entertainment who suddenly decide to impersonate Elvis. That's alien to me because either you are going to sing like Elvis or you're not. This is a calling for me. I've always wanted to perform like Elvis and I'm driven to be the best. I'm obsessive about performing the closest tribute to the real thing," he says.

"When Elvis died it was a very sad day for me. At the age of 14 I felt like I'd lost a real friend, someone you really looked up to," adds Memphis King who is far from happy with his hero being portrayed as an extremely overweight, song slurring joke.

His current act features Elvis from his early days through the Hollywood years to the comeback tour and Las Vegas appearances - "luckily I've never had any problems with the vocal range because Elvis' voice started off quite high and got lower".

But until the age of 38 he was Roy Evans the transport services salesman until taking the plunge into the world of showbiz.

"Even as a child I found myself imitating Elvis' voice and trying to recreate the excitement and passion that Elvis put into every performance. Six years ago the desire became greater and greater and I decided that impersonating Elvis was something I had to do before I die. I didn't want to reach the age of 70 and look back and always regret that I didn't give it a try," Memphis King says.

Over the first four years his journey towards Presley perfection focused on entering the annual prestigious Collingwood Elvis Festival where the top Elvis tributes compete and the judges' criteria is particularly strict and based on authenticity of the voice, stage performance, appearance and adopting The King's personality on stage.

"The first time I entered was in 2002 when I finished third and I was absolutely gutted. Then I went back in 2005 and won in a competition with 125 other impersonators who were mainly from the US and Canada, but some were from Australia and Europe. That win changed my professional career. Before that I'd had a really difficult time convincing agents that I was worth taking a chance on and my sympathy goes out to those starting out in the industry today. They asked me what experience I had and, of course, all I could reply was 'none'," explains the singer who is booked on a 58-date tour this year followed by 60-dates next year.

Currently based in Alton, next to Alton Towers, he came up with the idea of Memphis King as a stage name and his agent persuaded him to added the Christian name Lee.

His favourite song is the 1970 Elvis hit The Wonder Of You and Memphis King reveals that he's yet to perform a show which didn't include the chart-topper.

However, the performer believes in never crossing the line to genuinely try and become Elvis off-stage. As well as making jokes on stage at his own expense, Memphis King says: "I have never woken up in the middle of the night and worried about what I'm doing. About half-an-hour before the show starts I gain the mindset to perform but at the end of show I leave Elvis in the dressing room. The man the fans meet at the stage door is me and I'm genuinely touched by the way they praise my impersonation. They're very kind to me.

"I can't see myself doing this five years from now. I intend to retire from performing as Elvis at that point. But I won't be going back to being a salesman, fortunately, I've got property investments and that should be enough."

* Elvis - The Legend Continues plays Scarborough Futurist on September 2, 01723-374500 & 365789; Sunderland Empire, October 7, 0870-602-1130 www.livenation.co.uk/sunderland; Newcastle Journal Theatre, November 17, 0870-145-1200 and Redcar Bowl, November 24, 0870-145-113 www.livenation/hastings