Inuvik Elvis impersonator wows with cape, honours friend
CBC
Not everyone has what it takes to be king.
But Maria Storr knows a thing or two about Rock and Roll.
Her late friend Thomas Koe shared a birthday with Elvis Presley himself, and in her early 20s the pair would play Elvis records and watch his music videos on TV every year, listening to top hits like Jailhouse Rock, All Shook Up and Hound Dog.
It's been a couple of decades since Storr watched Elvis on TV, but earlier this year she dusted off the old records and tapes to get into character for the 2nd Annual Billy Moore Elvis Impersonation Contest.
The Elvis impersonation contest was hosted by the Inuvik Community Events Society in honour of late resident, Billy Moore, who passed away in November 2020. Moore was known for his friendliness, work ethic, kindness and his love for the King of Rock and Roll.
The memorial contest was started last January. The second annual event drew dozens of contestants from throughout the Beaufort Delta, with six winners in three different age categories.
But there was only one fan favourite.
"I like to say it was the cape — I flew in with that cape," Storr told CBC's Northwind host Wanda McLeod.
Belting out one of the King's top hits, Hound Dog, in her viral video, Storr said she picked the song because it was one of Billy Moore's favourites.
The People's Choice winners last year were Alex Day and Raelle and Jolie Wolki.
Storr is ready to defend her title next year.
"I'm going to bedazzle my cape," she said.
Storr believes it wasn't just good singing that made her fan favourite.
She sprayed her fair hair brown and slicked it back, her friend made her a cape, and she put on her bell bottoms to belt out the song.
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