Kevin Booth to sing gospel tunes at Valentine's Day event

It's not just the millions of records he sold or the movies he made that rendered Elvis Presley immortal.

His legend also lives on through the performances of tribute artists who try to capture the music icon's aura.

Clad in leather jackets and jewel-studded jumpsuits, they curl their lips and shake a leg, wooing the faithful who show up at banquets, nightclubs and even churches to catch a glimpse of the faux King.

It's almost as if Elvis has never left the building.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then Mr. Presley must be very pleased.

When he died in 1977, it is estimated that there were less than 40 people who professionally imitated the superstar. Today, there are more than 35,000.

Among them is Kevin Booth of Martinsburg, who made his first public appearance as Elvis when he was 12 years old.

Booth can trace his interest in Elvis back to the age of 5, when he heard the song, "Burning Love."

"Not long after that, I saw Elvis perform on a rerun of his television special, ‘Elvis — Aloha from Hawaii,'" Booth said. "I remember him wearing the Eagle jumpsuit with a cape and I thought he was like a singing superhero."

Booth knew immediately that he wanted to follow in Elvis' footsteps.

"Elvis was definitely my inspiration," he said. "I spent all my time learning his records by heart and practicing in my bedroom."

Booth began singing for family and friends. When he was 12, he  performed at an Elvis Fan Club event in Glen Burnie, Md.

"After that first time of hearing the cheer of an audience, I was hooked," he recalled.

Today, at the age of 42, not much has changed.

Booth still loves Elvis, still performs his music and still loves the thrill of singing before an appreciative audience.

But it hasn't been all Elvis, all of the time.

"I was in the country music industry for around 15 years and recorded my own music," he noted. "I had a top-10 hit in Europe with a song called 'Heartbreak Beach,' and had the chance to work with country artists like Brad Paisley, Phil Vasser, Ronnie McDowell and others. Through the courtesy of my two friends and fellow country artists Maria Rose and Danny Elswick, I was invited to perform with them on two USO Tours to Thule Air Force Base in Greenland."

But, eventually, he found his niche with Elvis' music.

Booth said he has performed at a variety of venues, from concerts and corporate events to carnivals and parties.