To coincide with the the debut of ELVIS The Gospel Music, Andy Stankovich has released a gospel album featuring a selction of the songs from the show.

To coincide with the 40th Anniversary of both Elvis' passing and the original release of Elvis' final studio album, Andy Stankovich has released a cover of Moody Blue.

Recorded live on tour as part of ELVIS: One Night With You, the cover faithfully re-creates the sound of the original #1 Country Hit.

Andy and partner Glenys traveled to Sydney to celebrate the premiere of "The King" along with film director Ursula Grace Williams.

The film premiered as part of the Sydney Film Festival at the Sydney State Theatre on June 9th and had a second screening on June 10th.

Following the short film Andy took to the state and wowed the audience of over 1400 with his rendition of two classic Elvis songs "Always On My Mind" and "Good Luck Charm".

Andy Stankovich and film director Ursula Grace Williams

To coincide with the premiere of "The King" at the Sydney Film Festival, Andy released a single featuring the original live recordings used in the film.

The two-track single includes live recordings from Andy's "" tour in 2015 and features a collection of some of New Zealand's finest musicians.

The single is available for purchase or streaming online via iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon and Google Play.

Andy wowed the audience at the Sydney Film Festival Hub prior to the premiere of "The King" at the State Theatre.

New Zealand filmmaker Lee Tamahori (Mahana, Once Were Warriors) has selected his pick of finalists for the New Zealand International Film Festival's annual New Zealand's Best Short Film Competition.

The six finalists are Spring Jam (dir: Ned Wenlock), Cradle (dir: Damon Duncan), Wait (dir: Yamin Tun), Shmeat (dir: Matasila Freshwater), Judgment Tavern (dir: Dean Hewison), and The King (dir: Ursula Grace Williams).

"It's always tricky choosing finalists," says Tamahori. "Excellence in filmmaking comes in many forms. Sometimes the simplest of films triumphs, one can never tell. I look for the most engaging elements in a film, be it animation, documentary or drama. Narrative is important, though not imperative. Imagination and visual stimulation are just as vital. The shortlist I have chosen makes me appreciate why I got into this medium in the first place."

The New Zealand's Best programme will screen as part of NZIFF 2016.

The King

Director/Screenplay/Producer: Ursula Grace Williams Meet Andy Stankovich, scrap metal merchant by day and sweet-voiced performer by night.

"Likeable documentary with a warm heart. A classic New Zealand character, with a touching bunch of associates" - Tamahori

Article originally appeared on: http://www.newshub.co.nz/entertainment/tamahori-selects-short-films-for-nziff-2016-2016060714#axzz4ArkXBCIE

AUT director’s hard work pays off as film is accepted into prestigious festival

An AUT student’s master’s film about an Elvis performer has been chosen to screen at the Sydney Film Festival. Short documentary The King is a look into the life of an Elvis performer who works by day in a scrap metal yard.

The King’s director Ursula Williams had to work long hours to balance the film with her teaching job and caring for her newborn child.

“I was always a hard worker, but this took hard work to a whole new extreme,” Ms Williams said.

“I guess that’s why I chose a subject matter that’s cheerful and entertaining.”

For the star of a film called The King, Andy Stankovich is a humble person.

“[Ms Williams] came over the other day to do a little bit of filming here but I said to her ‘Aren’t you sick of me yet?’” Mr Stankovich said.

However, he may well deserve his title, having received praise from Elvis’ vocal backing group The Jordanaires. “The bass singer, Ray Walker, was the one who said to me ‘you've got the voice’,” Mr Stankovich said. Mr Stankovich said he chooses not to impersonate Elvis as a person, only imitating his voice.

Sydney Film Festival documentary programmer Jennie Neighbour said one of the reasons the film was chosen was because it defied her expectations.

She expected the subject of a man working scrap metal by day and performing Elvis' songs by night to be treated very differently. “You would’ve thought it was going to be a straightforward, perhaps tongue-in-cheek film,” she said. “What’s surprising is that it’s a very poetic and intimate film.”

The film will debut at the festival, alongside two other New Zealand debuts, which Ms Neighbour praised the country for.

“Whatever you’re doing over there to produce filmmakers, you’re doing very well,” she said.

The King will screen at the Sydney Film Festival from June 9-10.

Originally appeared on http://www.tewahanui.nz/article/kiwi-king-festival

The short film "The King" directed by Ursula Williams will screen at the Sydney Film Festival on June 9th and June 10th this year.

The King is a poetic portrait of sweet-voiced Andy – scrap metal dealer by day, Elvis tribute artist by night – and his equally charming family.

For more information see: http://tix.sff.org.au/session_sff.asp?sn=The+King

Fantastic night last night as Andy Stankovich won the Top Male Artist Award at the Variety Artists Club of NZ Inc's 2015 Benny Awards in recognition of his incredible vocal talent and recent successful national tour. Tour musical director Mark Dennison also won the NZEA Top Musician Award. Andy & The Midnight Special Band entertained the star studded audience including Johnny Devlin, Eddie Low, John Rowles, Gray Barlett, Tom Sharplin and many many more. While known for his uncanny vocal likeness to Elvis, it was Andy's rendition of Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman that brought the house down.

Andy Stankovich's "ELVIS: One Night With You" New Zealand tour came to a close last night at Auckland's prestigious Civic Theatre. Andy left the stage to thunderous applause after serenading the sizeable audience of young and old with 3 hours of the Kings most beloved songs.

Backed by the Memphis Show Band, the Nashville Sound Orchestra, Stellar 4 Quartet, Stellettes Quartet and the Stellar Singers, the 5-date tour criss-crossed the country with shows in Whangarei, Napier, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Auckland.

Tour highlights included an incredible intimate performance at Napier's MTG Theatre and a spectacular explosion of sound, light and film at Auckland's Civic Theatre.

The tour bus arrived in New Plymouth for Round 3 of One Night With You at the TSB Showplace. The last time Andy Stankovich visited the venue was in 1977 as a boxer! New Plymouth welcomed the group with the beautiful sight of a snow capped Mt. Taranaki.

There are Elvis impersonators and then there is Andy Stankovich.

The man behind the microphone celebrating 80 years of Elvis as the king of rock n roll in the wildy popular One Night With You doesn't wear jumpsuits not does he gyrate. He doesn't need to. He is the voice of Elvis.

That accolade was bestowed upon Stankovich, who has been performing as Elvis for nearly 15 years, in July 2012 when he met "The King's" original backing vocalists The Jordanaires.

New Zealand promoter Gray Bartlett set up a show for Stankovich in Nashville that year.

"I had given Ray Walker, the bass singer for Elvis, one of my CDs," Stankovich says. "The night before the show he rang me and said, 'hey listen, Andy, that's the voice, that's the voice. I'll find out tomorrow whether you have enhanced the CD recording or not'. The next morning at rehearsal we went through the first three songs and then everyone stopped.

"I went up to Ray and said what's wrong. And he said, 'well these guys in the Ronnie McDowell Showband, who back the official Elvis's in the US, can't believe your voice. It's so, so close to Presley that these guys can't understand how it is like that'. In an interview after the show, which we recorded, he said 'you have got the spirit of Elvis in you. It must have gotten to New Zealand somehow'."

Since then, Stankovich has continued his tributes to Elvis but distances himself from the word "impersonator". At Walker's advice, he even got rid of the jumpsuits which he'd had made by Presley's tailor in Indiana.

"I don't need the jumpsuits or any of the other gimmicks anymore. I'm not an impersonator," Stankovich says. "This is a totally sincere tribute to Elvis."

Article originally appeared on Stuff.co.nz

http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/70206375/andy-stankovich-is-the-voice-of-elvis

New Zealand's own Elvis will entertain Auckland next month.

Andy Stankovich has been fulfilling the role for 15 years now, and has performed throughout New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii, Fiji and America.

The Te Atatu Peninsula resident is now set to play another six shows across the country as part of the Elvis: One Night With You tour.

Stankovich says his performances are not about impersonating the legendary singer but rather earning respect from fans from doing a good job.

"I want to keep his music alive," he says.

"

I've got the goods so I may as well do it properly."

The 55-year-old says one of his favourite Elvis songs is American Trilogy, but he really enjoys his gospel songs.

"When I sing his gospel songs people seem to react more."

Stankovich has always liked Elvis and has never had voice lessons for his gift.

"I like singing because of the sound, so I thought I might as well share it with people."

He will perform a two-hour show in Auckland on August 14, and says the first half will consist of Elvis' earlier songs.

Stankovich is also invited to the 18th Annual Elvis Presley Memorial Charity Dinner in Memphis during Elvis Week in 2016.

Article originally appeared in the Western Leader. http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/western-leader/70097123/andy-stankovich-is-elvis-for-six-new-zealand-shows

Best Elvis

Andy Stankovich is the next best thing to Elvis.

Andy Stankovich. Auckland's best-loved Elvis impersonator, Andy Stankovich, was seized with a genius idea in 2014. He decided to put aside the Elvis jumpsuits, those clown costumes with their sequins and their belts, and just do what makes him loved: sing Elvis songs. He staged a dynamic live show at the Civic on August 16 with a full band including backing vocals and choir, and set the place on fire. He wore sharp suits. Everything else was his sound. The guy just has such a pure Elvis voice. He did That's Alright Mama, Are you Lonesome Tonight, If I Can Dream, Always on my Mind - he was Elvis. More, please.

Article originally appeared in the NZ Herald. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=11376995

One Night With Andy. Steve Braunias talks to scrap-metal dealer Andy Stankovich - a former boxer and now Elvis ring-in.