The 30th Anniversary Interview With "Big" Jim White
August 16th 2007 marked the 30th anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Yet the music and the image of the man have endured for these past decades. In the following exclusive interview we asked "Big" Jim White for a retrospective view on his career as a Tribute Artist during this period. We discussed why he had felt so inspired by the Elvis phenomenon and what the future held for an industry based upon the life of a man who had passed away some 30 years ago...
Can you remember what it was that first made you want to become an Elvis Tribute Artist?
Jim: To be honest, it was never intentional! In the early days, I just enjoyed singing. This was well before the karaoke period, round about 1970. In those days "free and easy" nights were popular,
a couple of resident musicians would play and audience members were encouraged to get up and have a go. I must have only just been 18 at the time. I can remember singing all kinds of stuff "You Are My World"
and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" spring to mind. But the majority of my early répertoire was Rock & Roll and when I started to enter talent contests I was encouraged more and more down the route of
doing Elvis Presley songs.
Can you remember your first gig?
Jim: Heaton Park Working Men's Club 1971. I was absolutely petrified. I'd landed a day job at the Council Highways Department and a load of my colleagues had come along to watch. Ha! Absolutely petrified!
So when your career began, it could be said that Elvis was in his prime. But 3 decades have passed now since his untimely death. Why do you think his popularity has endured?
Jim: There's just nobody to replace him. Vocally, visually and personality wise, nobody has come close. Even other Superstars - I mean Superstars - Elton John, Tom Jones, whenever they talk about Elvis they
always relate that he had a "presence", an "aura". I never had the pleasure of meeting him myself, but I know that I would have been dumb struck.
What would you say you liked most about Elvis?
Jim: Well, I was brought up on his films. When I was a kid I would watch them twice a day at the cinema. To me Elvis was a singing, fighting, loving, hero. Who wouldn’t want to be like that? Then there was his voice.
I once asked his close friend, Charlie Hodge, what it was that made Elvis so special. He told me that Elvis' voice contained a "love tone". Oddly enough, I think I know what he meant.
Plus of course, Elvis was the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Ha! This is starting to sound dodgy.
Do you have a favourite song?
Jim: I’ve been asked this question many times in interviews for TV & Radio. I always answer "The Wonder Of You", but really this is a difficult question. You have to look at Elvis' career in six distinct eras
and you can choose your favourites from each of them. From his early days at Sun Records I really enjoyed a song called "One Sided Love Affair". Form his 50's hits I like "Love Me". Of the movies years I love anything
from either "Blue Hawaii" or "GI Blues". In the late 60's I'd choose "The Wonder Of You" which I think is my all time favourite record. My early 70's choice would be a little known song called "Stranger In A Crowd"
and from his final years I love "How Great Thou Art" and "Hurt".
What are your least favourite Elvis Songs? The ones we'll never hear you sing?
Jim: I have to say that I do like the vast majority, but there are a few that make me cringe. I never liked Elvis' version of Roger Whittaker's "The Last Farewell" and as much as I loved the films there are some
really bad numbers in them. To see The King of Rock & Roll singing "Old McDonald's Farm" in the film "Double Trouble", that was bad. "Confidence" from the film "Clambake". "Yoga Is As Yoga Does" from "Easy Come, Easy Go".
Ha! Absolutely disgraceful!
Do you think that Elvis’ film career was a mistake, then?
Jim: For me, personally, I have such good memories of that period that I could never really slag those films off. There were about 3 films released per year throughout my teenage years, and they were the only way
we could get to see Elvis. They may look corny now, but they were a big success and all made money. The box office takings from "Blue Hawaii" completely financed "Cleopatra" for MGM. Plus, Elvis was not a bad actor,
he was offered John Voight's role in "Midnight Cowboy" and the lead in Hank Williams' Life Story. If things had have developed differently, who knows how it may have turned out?
Your favourite Elvis films?
Jim: The early ones, "Love Me Tender", "Loving You", "Jailhouse Rock" and "King Creole" were all great films. I also loved "Blue Hawaii", "GI Blues", "Girls, Girls, Girls", “Flaming Star” and "Wild In The Country".
What do you think was Elvis' greatest live performance?
Jim: Again, this is a difficult question. You have to remember that the majority of us have only ever seen the performances that were recorded for TV or film. It was said that, for one reason or another,
these showed Elvis at his most nervous, so I can only imagine how he would have been when relaxed! If I really had to pick one, I think I'd choose "Aloha From Hawaii".
What's your favourite of Elvis' stage costumes?
Jim: My favourite jumpsuit was the tassel one with the beads that he wore for "That's The Way It Is". It was before they really got into the rhinestones. I also liked the black leather suit he had for the "Comeback Special".
I liked a lot of his early suits too, but I never really liked the gold lamé look and I don't think I'd ever wear a pink jacket! I preferred his non-stage stuff. Elvis had some really theatrical looking stuff for everyday wear.
Why have you deliberately avoided using gimmicks like jumpsuits, wigs &, sunglasses in your act, when this imagery is so integral to our memory of Elvis?
Jim: There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, my hair's my own I choose to wear it like this. It's just a personal preference. I wore the jumpsuits when I worked in theatres in the big shows when I was
playing the part of Elvis. It was fine there, but the majority of my work now is smaller venues, pubs & clubs. It just becomes distracting, turns the whole thing into a comedy. It's just my opinion, but I'm much more
comfortable in more subtle Elvis wear. Also, I'm in mid fifties now, Elvis died at 42. I'm too old to carry off that image any more! The jumpsuits were "of their time", easily dated, if Elvis had of survived I'm
sure that he would have moved on from them too. I'm not sure what he would have been wearing today, but Charlie (Hodge) once told me that he swore that he'd never wear a dinner jacket again after that time on the Steve Allen Show!
How does the future look for the Elvis Tribute industry? Will people still be doing this stuff in another 30 years?
Jim: Things are going from strength to strength. There are more Elvis Tribute Acts around today than there ever were. Someone once told me that if the current rate of growth continues, by the year 2020, one third of the world's
population will be an Elvis Tribute Artist! We're seeing more and more worldwide events where Tribute Artist confer and compete and every year there are new guys coming up. It's all very professional now, gone are the
days of the homemade jumpsuits, today's Artists are buying replica suits from the same company that made the originals. And with Elvis Presley Enterprises still releasing new stuff every year I can't honestly see any
dwindle in interest. I don't think they'll ever be anyone to replace Elvis, but if Tribute Artists can make people happy with memories of the King, I don't think it's a bad thing.
And you? Will you be "Forever Elvis"?
Jim: You know, I tried to retire from all this back in 1997. I even shaved off my sideburns! It wasn't long before I started feeling like a traitor, though. Never again. This is my style, it's what I enjoy doing most
and it has been an important part of my life. I've seen and done some wonderful things and made many friends. I have great memories, being on TV with Terry Wogan, the performances for the Elvis Fan Clubs, the tours,
those years at the Bulls Head, even playing the Hacienda. Now, I just want to carry on as long as people want to hear.
Any regrets?
Jim: I'm sorry that I never got to meet my hero, Elvis Presley.
And when your time's up, what do we put on your headstone?
Jim: Ha! When I was interviewed by Terry Wogan I remember saying "If I made people happy, then I did my job". I think that sums it up. Yeah, that’s it.