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NEIL LANCASTER HAS LONG FOLLOWED THE CAREER OF THE LEGENDARY MUSICIAN 05:00, 22 May 2025Updated 08:11, 22 May 2025 A Liverpool fan base group which has welcomed generations from the city and

beyond is one of the oldest in the city. When you think of Liverpool's music heritage, The Beatles, Merseybeat, The Real Thing, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and more are bound to spring

to mind. But for decades, many continue to celebrate the life and career of the King of Rock and Roll - Elvis. It is almost 50 years since his death and 2025 would have marked his 90th

birthday. But his legacy lives on through the one Liverpool Elvis fan club. Originally part of the Liverpool branch of the Official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Great Britain, Neil Lancaster,

now 60, first joined the group as a young boy and as an adult, took the reins of what is now known as Elvis Cross The Merseyside and Cheshire which focuses on Elvis' music and legacy.

READ MORE: 98 things that you can no longer do in LiverpoolREAD MORE: 'Boss' Liverpool shop where Scouse kids would 'get up to mischief' Neil, originally from Wavertree,

told the ECHO: "I learned to play my dad's old gramophone when I was about three and he had lots and lots of records by lots of artists like Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, my mum

had Frankie Laine, they also had Dean Martin and I loved all that. "I became an Elvis fan when I was about five and I thought I was the only one. When I put the Elvis records on, it

was something I don't think I quite understood as when he sang, I thought he was actually singing to me alone. Article continues below "He's got me through good times, bad

times, just purely by his music. The group was actually started by a lady called Maria Davies and her sister Gladys. "It started in the early 1960s and grew and grew and grew. They had

monthly meetings at the old Bierkeller on Mount Pleasant. "I remember I went there when I was 11, so 1976. I always remember my mum ringing Maria up and asking if it was all right that

I went. READ MORE: 'Little corner of Italy' tucked away in city centre basement that was 'packed every lunchtime'READ MORE: I've been coming here for over 20 years

but one thing hasn't changed "I was so in awe, you know. She brought photographs of her and Elvis and I couldn't believe it. "I only went a couple of times, everybody was

a lot older than me, but I know my late dad was in discussion with Maria about going to see Elvis in 1977, which the fan club actually did. "Back then, 250 fans went to Cincinnati and

Indianapolis to see him, which happened to be his last two concerts. Dad couldn't get the money together, so missed it by a few quid unfortunately." For years, Neil said Maria ran

the the group events and overtime she even acquired memorabilia from Elvis' father. When she died, all of her collection went to Bonhams, the auctioneers. This specific Elvis fan base

in Liverpool has been led by numerous people through the years, with Neil taking over around 13 years ago. Neil said Liverpool's musical heritage has long been intertwined with

Elvis' music and the city of Memphis in Tennessee. He said: "With Liverpool being a port and having so many sailors and merchant seamen, they would go to New York, they would go to

New Orleans and they would bring all these records back to Liverpool that weren't being listened to in the UK. "They weren't on the radio because they wouldn't play it

or because rock and roll didn't reach England until sort of late '56, early '57. The Beatles in 1961 were singing the songs that they listened to in 1956 from the records that

the seamen brought in, so it was quite delayed in that respect. "It also gave people the opportunity to do something different. Elvis was the explosion of the teenager. Teenagers

suddenly now had their own music." Liverpool and Memphis are bonded by their "definitive music heritage,' commemorated on a plaque on Liverpool's Mathew Street. Today,

the Liverpool Elvis fan club, soon to change its name to Elvis Cross the Merseyside and Cheshire, has a following of around 800, with 20 members locally. Neil said social media has expanded

the group globally in recent years and that their social pages will be back up and running ahead of an exciting event. Through the years, they have hosted the likes of Elvis' former

musicians, with a key focus of the group always being his music and legacy. But on June 2, collaborating with Ways Promotions, they will welcome actress and model Ginger Alden, Elvis'

fiancée, to the British Music Experience at the Pier Head. Her first time in Liverpool, Ginger will share her story and memories of Elvis, as well as participate in a Q&A. Neil said:

"Ginger lives in Nashville now and she's really, really looking forward to coming over to Liverpool for the very first time. We've seen a lot of growth in the club since the

Elvis movie Baz Luhrmann with Austin Butler. "It did get the younger generation looking at Presley and his music, which is something I've always wanted people to do to. My top 20

Elvis songs, there's probably about three songs that people know in it, - so there's so much that people don't know because in his lifetime, he recorded so much material.

"We're just trying to get the people more involved in Presley's music - his power is his charisma and his importance when it comes to all sorts of music, particularly modern

day music. Because without Elvis we wouldn't be listening to music in the way that we listen to now." Article continues below On August 27, the group are also hosting an event at

The Cavern Club to celebrate the 60th anniversary since The Beatles met Elvis. To purchase tickets for An Evening with Elvis Presley’s last love and fiancée – Ginger Alden, click here.