Dealing metal, singing Elvis

Andy Stankovich, 51, lives on Te Atatu Peninsula with his wife Glenys and cat Shortie.

How long have you lived in west Auckland and where are you originally from?

I was born and brought up on the Te Atatu Peninsula. Always a westie – I bought Mum and Dad’s house in 2004 and that’s where I live now.

I’m not moving out the west. Never will.

When did you start with Elvis?

I always liked Elvis, even when I was small. I played the guitar at family functions and that.

In 1988 I started doing shows at places like Club Parakai, Riverhead Tavern and then at RSAs.

You stopped Elvis impersonating, can you tell us why?

Three or four years ago I went over to Nashville, Tennessee, and it was a dream come true in that I managed to get on stage with Elvis’ original backing vocalist group, The Jordanaires.

I wore one of my replica Elvis jumpsuits and straight after the show they said to me: ’’Don’t wear one of those again. You don’t need to impersonate – it’s better to be

‘‘I don’t think that anyone has attempted just a pure Elvis gospel concert before.’’ Andy Stankovich

yourself.’’

They liked the sound of my voice and I haven’t worn a jumpsuit since.

What do you like best about west Auckland?

The people are just different from any other suburb really ... they are pretty friendly. It’s just been a good place to live and I don’t know any different.

In west Auckland what do you like least and how do we fix it?

There’s really not much I don’t like out here – but we’ll get local government to bring the rates down, eh.

Can you tell me about the accolades you recently got for you singing?

Last year, I won the best male vocalist at the VAC Benny Award.

We are also doing bigger shows now.We’ve just come back from Sydney, where we did a very successful show. I think the Aussies are on my side now. They really liked the show so we are going to tour there next year.

Do you ever sing in west Auckland?

No – since we formed the big production with the orchestra and choir and everything else we haven’t really done anything smaller. If Mum tells me to do the Te Atatu Peninsula RSA then I’ll have to.

How’s the scrap metal business?

The prices are moving up but it’s hit and miss at the moment, you can still survive here but it’s not like it was back a few years back. But you’ve got to carry on.

I hear you’ve recently been up to Memphis?

We were invited over by Elvis’ nurse that was with him for the last two and a half years of his life. She has a big tribute charity dinner and she invited us over to sing, so I sang a few songs.

I was the first New Zealander to have performed at that dinner. I got a standing ovation.

What to next?

We are lining up a big Elvis gospel show at Hillsong Church in Sydney. I don’t think that anyone has attempted just a pure Elvis gospel concert before.

It will be huge and hopefully we will tour Australia with it, and also the One Night With You concert we did in Sydney.

We hope too to do some big shows in Christchurch and Auckland.

Go to andystankovich.co.nz for more information on his singing.