"AVERAGE GINO WOWS EM' ROYALLY"

Gino Monopoli grew up in a middle class neighbourhood, but never thought he'd be 'The King' of his very own castle one day.

Born in Toronto, this 34-year-old, Italian boy next door has been performing a three-hour journey into the early Elvis for the past eight years.His hip-swinging, leg-shaking, sensational voice, along with his striking resemblance to the Rock and Roll legend keeps sold out audiences on their toes from coast to coast.

Gino attended St. Basil's High School and graduated in 1994, but was still unsure of what career path he was going to take at the time. He fondly remembers his days in elementary school. "I want to drive a big rig," he says jokingly. As a summer job one year he learned how to lay down interlocking, and even ventured out on his own with the 'IL Interlocking' business.

He'd get stopped on the street and have "people telling you that you looked like Elvis" so "one thing led to another and I bought a CD and learned it religiously," this after he attended the annual Collingwood Elvis Festival in 1998 that inspired him to perform. When asked about his career Gino says, "I don't live and breathe Elvis like some performers do cause when I'm off stage I'm just me."

Monopoli fondly remembers back to his first performance saying, "it was a captive audience of 500 at a wedding and it was well received." Since then he's come a long way. He's performed as a 'Freelance Elvis' in Las Vegas on and off for the last four years in hotels like Mandalay Bay, Stardust, and most hotels on the strip. He enjoys every minute of it but also says, "his job is unconventional but a lot of work." He's appeared as an extra on the show 'Degrassi The Next Generation' and auditioned for numerous television commercials.

Gino loves to walk; swim, jog, bike ride and cook pizza which is his speciality in his spare time. This keeps him in shape for the three 'Elvis' costume changes he does per show as he says there are, "thousands of dollars invested in my outfits."

He also loves to visit family and friends, touch base and hear old stories. Gino is a firm believer in, "carrying on the Italian tradition. It's important to keep your heritage."

As for any future plans, Gino tries not to make any. He does plan to continue to perform "a dignified and authentic tribute to the King of Rock and Roll, and make these shows happy, keep them coming back for more."

Monopoli currently holds the title 'Canadian National Grand Champion 2003' from the ever popular Collingwood Elvis Festival, 'The World's Finest Elvis 2004' from Las Vegas in which he's extremely proud of, and most recent, winner of the 2008 'Images of the King' in Memphis, Tennessee.

Gino will be performing next on May 28-31 in Lake George, New York, U.S.A. for ticket information call 518-681-7452.

Please visit the official Gino Monopoli website
http://ginomonopoli.com/static/main.html