Still Devoted to the King! ; Elvis May Have Left the Building but the King Lives On for Thousands of Midland Fans Celebrating What Would Have Been His 75th Birthday Today. Will Oliphant, Kat Keogh and Matt Lloyd Report.

Birmingham Mail › January 08, 2010

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Summary

THE evidence of five decades of devotion to Elvis is obvious to any visitor to Ray Earp's Birmingham home. A fan since the age of 14, Ray is now a 64-year-old grandfather who has crammed every inch of his house in Erdington with Presley memorabilia, including a huge replica of the star's Graceland residence. But there is one very special reason why he will never forget Elvis's birthday - for the special date is shared by his daughter Jane Whitehouse, who was turning 39 today. "I didn't realise at first when Jane was born as we were just concerned about her," said the former painter and decorator, whose top Elvis tune is Always On My Mind. "It took us a couple of days to realise she was born on the same day as Elvis." Ray's Elvis obsession began when he bought a copy of the single All Shook Up as a teenager. Now every nook and cranny of the home he shares with wife Diane is crammed with Elvis memorabilia including film posters, records, clocks. He converted his loft into a shrine to the King and sports an Elvis tattoo. Ray has even passed on his life of the singer to his fouryear-old granddaughter Lana. "She calls me grandad Elvis and she loves dancing around to his music," he said. "I never throw anything away that has something to do with Elvis. The only place we don't have Elvis things in is the back room.

Taking pride of place in Raymond's living room is a 5ft by 2ft replica of Graceland, which took him eight months to complete. "It took a long time but it was a labour of love," said Ray. "I built it up using pictures of Graceland and one of my friends gave me some aerial views of the house. "I went to Graceland in 1993 and I couldn't believe I was walking through Elvis's house and in his footsteps." IT will be just like old times for former Elvis impersonator Neil Perks as he helps mark Elvis's birthday. For the 40-year-old Birmingham Hippodrome customer relations worker spent years touring the country with his gold suit paying musical tribute to his idol. Transport problems marked the end of Neil's stint as an impersonator but his treasured suit was set to come out of storage for this weekend's celebrations with the Birmingham Elvis Presley Fan Club. The 40-year-old, from Highters Heath Lane in Maypole, said: "My friends put me onto Elvis's records when I was about 13 and it's never stopped. "He was such a versatile artist and his music is as popular today as when he was alive. "I've got all the gear and all the music, DVDs and books. "My friends don't have a problem with it. My act goes down really well and I travel the country doing it." Almost 200 Elvis fans are set to gather for the fan club's celebrations at Yardley Ex-Servicemen's Club in Yardley Road from 7.30pm tomorrow. Karen Harborne, aged 45, runs the club with a team of three others. "We've met a lot of people through Elvis, it's a really good group," she said. "Tomorrow will be a good night and we think there's going to be a great turn out."

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Still Devoted to the King! ; Elvis May Have Left the Building but the King Lives On for Thousands of Midland Fans Celebrating What Would Have Been His 75th Birthday Today. Will Oliphant, Kat Keogh and Matt Lloyd Report.

The club's Dudley branch will also celebrate Elvis's birthday with an event at the Royal British Legion in Windsor Road, Oldbury, on...

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