FOR 51 weeks a year, Al Gersbach works as a grader operator for Parkes Shire Council, but for one special week each January he transforms into the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Al has been involved with the Parkes Elvis Festival for the past five years, taking time out of his holidays to assume the role of Elvis – or “Alvis” as the media dubbed him – on a voluntary basis for the organisers.
“The council needed help, and I had the suit,” said Al, 52.
So successful has he become, and so well known by visitors to the Central West town, this year the council employed Al in an official capacity for the week to perform the role and gave him the title of “Elvis on call”.
“The job is a lot of fun, particularly the people you get to meet,” Al said.
“You also see a lot of funny things, and plenty of different types of Elvis – the moment people put on that black wig and the big sunnies, they automatically undergo a change and loosen up.”
Originally from Wellington, Al has lived in Parkes since 1984. As a long-time Elvis fan, he was keen to get involved in the annual Parkes Elvis Festival.
His first foray into the fun was to assist his mate Troy Thomson, a local small business owner, with his float for the annual street parade in the late 2000s which featured lots of Elvii, a number of Priscillas, and plenty of loud Elvis music.
That was enough to get him hooked.
It’s a serious business being Elvis.
As Parkes’ official Elvis impersonator, Al’s current wardrobe includes three different outfits which are modelled on originals worn by the The King in the early 1970s – including one from the Aloha Hawaii concert in 1973 – and ranging in price from $300 up to $1500.
Al’s wardrobe also includes the necessary black and white boots (to suit different coloured outfits) and the all-important sunnies.
These days Al no longer requires the black wig to complete the look – while sweating through a festival a couple of years ago.
When temperatures in Parkes the hit the mid-40s he decided then and there he never wanted to wear one again.
“The wig was pretty uncomfortable in the heat – I used to go through two each festival,” he said.
“Since that really hot summer I’ve used my real hair and grown the sideburns to match.”
The transformation into Elvis now starts a couple of months out from the festival, when Al starts growing his hair to ensure he’s got the length and volume to cut and create the style typical of the early 1970s Elvis look.
“The Thursday before the festival starts I have a final cut and my hair dyed, and then to maintain the look I have my hair styled daily during the festival before hitting the streets.
“It’s also about this time I start listening to a lot of Elvis’ music to get into character – I like to sing but I’m a bit musically challenged.”
During the festival Al’s official job is to meet, greet and mingle with visitors along the main street of Parkes and direct them to events.
Perhaps his most important job is posing for photos – and there are hundreds taken each festival.
“I really enjoy the walks along the street – it’s a lot of fun, and you get to meet so many of the same people each year – it’s a real highlight when people know me by sight,” he said.
Posing for photos with visitors is not as simple as one might expect. To ensure the best results through the years Al has assembled a range of poses to ensure he produces a classic Elvis look each time.
In all there are about 10 different poses, with some variations for those taken with children.
“I never like to send people home with the possibility of a pic with Elvis in the same pose as the year before,” he said.
Most years Al works with a young offsider – also seconded on a voluntary basis from the council – as well as occasionally a few extra council Elvii when needed.
“I worked with Sam Pearce, from the council’s emergency section, for the first couple of years during which time we built up a repertoire of poses,” he said.
“We had so many it was easier to number them to quickly communicate what pose was needed for each picture opportunity.”
Al’s week as Elvis usually starts on the Tuesday of festival week, walking the main street greeting the early visitors.
This year there were also some pre-event media calls, followed by official promotional festival shots on the Wednesday to fit in amongst street appearances. Al needed a two-page agenda to direct him where and when festival appearances were expected.
Each year one of the highlights is joining the CountryLink Elvis Express from Sydney at Orange to travel the last leg to Parkes, joining Parkes mayor Ken Keith, also in full Elvis costume.
During the trip Al poses for more photos and hands out festival information, and then on Monday sees the train off at Parkes on its journey back to Sydney.
Al has no plans to hang up his Elvis costume and sunnies just yet, and says the only real hazard of the job is navigating the occasional “grope” from over-enthusiastic Elvis fans.
“My wife Sue knew I was an Elvis fan from way back, and accepts that for a week each January I become Elvis,” Al said.
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