A warehouse worker who entertained friends with his spot-on Elvis impersonations is now earning $500 a night as a tribute act after they sneaked a video of him to a showbiz agent.
Danny Turney worked as a warehouse supervisor for 15 years in Bedfordshire, England, stacking and moving palettes of goods.
During the COVID pandemic, he was singing in his kitchen while making a cup of tea and wife, Laura, discreetly recorded him, uploading it to Facebook.
“I didn’t want it up there on social media, that’s never been my thing,” said the 34-year-old. “But the response was really good, and people were saying I should do a charity show.”
So, at the memorial for his beloved grandmother who passed away from cancer, he put on the sequenced suit and a pal secretly recorded the performance.
It was his grandmother who inspired Danny’s appreciation for Elvis. When he was a young boy, she had a room that was “basically a shrine to Elvis, with gold records and everything”. She’d play Elvis songs while doing her ironing and Danny would practice shaking his leg and holding a mic.
She might be his guardian angel now. After his buddy sent a video of him singing onstage to agents at MK Promotions without him knowing, Danny received seven or eight missed calls from a number he didn’t know, and finally called them back.
“They said: ‘I’ve seen your videos and I want to give you some work.’
“I said ‘What videos? I have no idea what you’re talking about.’”
WATCH: He Crowdsurfed in a Wheelchair to the Stage and COLDPLAY Pulled Him Up to Play Harmonica
He realized he could always go back, jump on a forklift again, and work his way back up if needed, so he quit his job and was soon inundated with offers for gigs. It got to the point where he did 18 shows over one weekend, using the stage name ‘Danny Graceland’.
The dad of two recalls, “It was never ever the plan to be a full time Elvis tribute, as I’ve got a wife, two kids, a mortgage,” but now he works across the UK getting paid £400 – £500 per show, and just completed a nine-week stint in Cyprus doing renditions of the King of Rock and Roll’s classic hits. (Watch a video below…)
He said his daughter, who is nine, thinks he’s famous after he appeared on TV—but he still sees himself as just your “average joe”, despite having big plans for the future.
HERO SWIFTIE: Taylor Swift is a Hero to Food Banks Across the U.S. at Each Stop of Her Eras Tour
“I like to think I’m a humble guy, I coach football in my spare time, and I play darts.
Now he’s got a live band and just recorded an Elvis tribute album entitled, If I Can Dream, the title of his favorite Elvis song.
“I just want to take this great opportunity while I can.”
WATCH his fantastic cover of Caught in a Trap…
ARE YOUR FRIENDS CAUGHT IN A TRAP? Inspire Them by Sharing This on Social Media…