Introduction
Ireland’s ETA, John Coates.
It is with much pleasure that I introduce ETA John Coates to SIDEBURNS Magazine readers. I first heard John sing during a podcast he shared from his home in Ireland. Personable and pleasant in his messages, I knew that we would all enjoy knowing more about the Irish ETA with the beautiful voice and handsome Elvis look. While Ireland does not have any Elvis competitions, John assured me that Ireland loves Elvis. He will be coming to Canada in 2020 to compete in the Elvis Festival in Penticton, BC. When I mentioned that there are many other competitions in Canada that lead to the Ultimate in Memphis, John commented, “Imagine the first Irishman (Ultimate)!”
John sent an informative and touching bio that I am happy to share with all of you. It is our hope at SB Mag that John will come to Ontario in the near future. Thank you, John, for sharing your story. We wish you the best of luck in the Penticton competition. It may be your first step on the road to of becoming the first Irish Ultimate ETA! Best regards, Carolyn.
Bio
John Coates at age 7.
I first saw Elvis in the movie ‘Easy Come Easy Go’ at the tender age of 5 years of age. I couldn't believe my eyes and ears when this guy came on the screen—I thought he was from another planet! A couple of years later I was given an acoustic guitar for Christmas and tried to learn a few Elvis tunes. I made the journey from my home every week to Dublin city centre in Ireland and bought every Elvis record I could. “Loving You” was the first album I ever bought. I performed in bands when I was 16 years old and sang various covers, but always watched and listened to Elvis. From then on, my study of the ‘King’ continued.
ETA John Coates in Memphis.
In my early 20s, I entered, and won, one of the leading Irish radio stations, 98fm, “Search for Elvis Competition”. In 1998, I realised my dream when I first stood outside the gates of Graceland, and then did a recording in the world famous Sun Studios where Elvis made his early recordings. The visit and recording at Sun Studios were all part of the prize package I had received. I took my mom on the trip to Memphis with me and she loved it. When I got back home I appeared on national Irish television, RTE and TV3, with my Elvis Tribute. I also performed as Elvis on stage, and then on Ireland's leading radio show, "The Gerry Ryan Radio Show” on 2FM. A year after winning the competition, Mom passed away, and I stopped performing as Elvis for 20 years.
I have been doing many other things; but Elvis was never far from my mind. This year, I decided to return to performing again, purely because of my love for what I used to do, and to showcase my tribute to the late, great, Elvis Presley. I sang in Memphis in August 2019 with the Blackwood quartet, and I also sang at the Graceland pavilion as a guest ETA. I am excited to be competing in the great Elvis festival in Penticton in 2020. I have met a lot of great people, and the support I have had on my journey, especially from Elvis fans, has been amazing. Elvis never truly leaves you.
Photos
Video
(Photos have been provided by John Coates, and unless otherwise noted, are credited to John).