Introduction
ETA Jay Zanier at Collingwood 2018. Photo Credit: Carolyn MacArthur.
The first time I saw ETA Jay Zanier was when he performed in two great shows at Casino Niagara’s Silver Aces series a couple of years ago. I saw Jay for the third time on the outdoor stage at the 2018 Collingwood Elvis Festival, but missed his Saturday main stage performance because I was interviewing in the media room. Luckily, Lori-Anne Crewe, SIDEBURNS Magazine’s photographer, was able to capture the evening in stunning photos.
The following day, Lori-Anne and I went to the Blue Mountain Village to see ETA James Gibb’s gazebo gospel show where a surprised Jay, who had come to enjoy his friend’s show, was asked by James to join him in singing some impromptu gospel songs. It was a spectacular performance by both. I discovered while working on both James and Jay’s interviews, that the Sunday show we enjoyed so much was not the first time these two ETAs joined voices to sing Elvis gospel. As seen in the video in the interview, Jay and James were part of a spectacular gospel show that included Dwight Icenhower, Mark Anthony, and Diogo Light on the 2013 Malt Shop Memories Cruise.
Other than knowing that Jay has a beautiful singing voice, won a competition at Collingwood, which earned him a ticket to the Ultimate, and that he lives somewhere in Ontario, I knew little else about Jay prior to his interview. I can now say with some confidence: Jay has a great sense of humour; he is a dedicated employee; he loves to entertain; and he listens to his wife. I hope you all enjoy reading Jay’s “enlightening” interview as much as I did preparing it. Cheers! C.M.
The Interview
Q. Where were you born and raised? Where do you now reside?
A. I was born and raised in Toronto and now reside in Guelph Ontario.
ETA Jay Zanier. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. Describe your life as a teenager.
A. I was raised in downtown Toronto and loved playing ball hockey with the nearby kids. I also loved swimming and taking long bike rides along the lake and meeting new people along the way.
Q. What career path did you decide to take after high school?
A. I got a job in construction right away and began working towards getting my electrical licence.
Q. Did you take any lessons related to the performing arts? Please explain.
A. No I didn’t take any lessons regarding performing arts. My music teacher was Elvis himselvis. I would listen to his records over and over till I got it right. I was also self-taught to play guitar.
Q. What music was most often heard in your home?
A. Being form an Italian family, the music most played in our household growing up was Italian pop and folk music, and Elvis of course also. My siblings and I loved Elvis.
Q. Were you a performer prior to becoming an ETA?
A. I most definitely was. I would played guitar and sang at restaurants and little clubs around the city.
Q. What made you decide to embark on a career as an ETA?
A. There was a show called Speakers Corner on City T.V. that was having an Elvis competition which I joined and won first prize. I liked the feeling of performing as Elvis and continued to do so.
ETA Jay Zanier. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. Describe what you were feeling before, during, and after your first performance as an ETA.
A. It was at my sister’s wedding. I was nervous because it was her special day and I didn’t want to mess up. It ended up better than I could have expected. We even had all her ushers walk me into the hall like the Memphis mafia.
Q. Describe the atmosphere before a competition (or performance) backstage.
A. Everyone is nervous, but at the same time wishing each other luck. We usually try to go to a quiet corner of the room to warm up. If anyone needs help or is missing something, there is always one of us that will lend a helping hand.
Q. Describe the process of turning yourself into a stage ready ETA.
A. It is all in the suit. Get an authentic suit and you’re in the force…LOL
Q. Describe how you felt before, during, and after your first competition. Did you achieve the outcome you desired?
A. It was at York Cinema Movie Theatre in Toronto during the finals of the City T.V. Speaker’s Corner Elvis Competition. I looked around and saw all these other Elvises with these authentic suits, and they all looked so professional. I was wearing a jumpsuit that my mom made for me in four days time. No one was even paying attention to me, which made me even more nervous. When it was my turn to sing, all I had was my guitar. Everyone else had tracks or some other musicians and backup singers to accompany them.
ETA Jay Zanier. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe.
With my palms sweating and my whole body shaking from nervousness, I managed to sing my favourite Elvis song at the time, “One Night with You”. At the end of my performance, the roar that was coming from the audience made me blush for the rest of the night. They actually had to let the crowd calm down before the next performer could take the stage…Oh ya…I won!
Q. What is the biggest mistake that young ETAs make in their tribute?
A. They wear jumpsuits and sing power ballads that are too out of their range to sing. They also move too much at unnecessary times.
Q. What valuable life lessons did you learn from your parents, or mentor, that you still use today?
A. Treat your fellow man with respect and kindness. Treat people the way you want to be treated.
Q. Describe the highlights of your ETA career.
A. Being the first and only Canadian to make the top 10 in the very first Ultimate Elvis Competition held by Elvis Presley Enterprises in Memphis in year 2007 was a highlight, winning the “Crowning Of The King” Competition held at The Collingwood Elvis Festival where for the first and only time the judges were “The Imperials”, one of Elvis’s original Vegas quartet groups, being asked to perform on “The Elvis Cruise” sanctioned by EPE, and becoming part of the Star Vista family and performing on The Malt Shop and Country Cruise are the highlights of my ETA career.
Q. What is the best part of being an ETA?
A. The best part of being an ETA is being able to see new cities and countries around the world and travelling and meeting people.
Q. How are you different on stage compared to off stage?
A. I am actually the same person off and on stage.
Q. What ETA title would you like to have that has so far escaped you?
A. The Ultimate Elvis Competition title held by Elvis Presley Enterprise.
ETA Jay Zanier in a photo by Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. Would you want to judge an ETA competition? What do you think are the challenges of being an ETA competition judge?
A. I have judged one time and it was the hardest thing to do. They are all my friends up there and I didn’t want to hurt any ones feelings. But they were all great and understanding. I judged accordingly.
Q. What makes you sad? How do you cope with sadness?
A. Sad movies make me sad; so I try not to watch sad movies.
Q. In what international cities have you performed? How are audiences different in different countries?
A. I have performed in many international cities around the world and loved everyone. I found that London and Glasgow have fun crowds to perform for; they really get into the songs and love to dance. I found that in Quebec City they like to listen and sit more than any other venues I have been to. In Italy, they like to sing along to the songs they know, mostly the ballads.
Q. Is there a country where you really want to perform as an ETA?
A. I would like to perform in Australia.
ETA Jay Zanier at the 2018 Collingwood Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. What are your strengths as a performer?
A. My ability to capture the feelings in the songs is my strength, especially ballads and gospel songs.
Q. Describe your typical non-performance day.
A. I love to watch movies and play my ukulele. Then my wife gets involved and makes me do my chores around the house like cleaning the garden, planting new flowers, cutting the grass and hedges. Don’t forget to vacuum the floors …LOL
Then it’s Costco time…go buy groceries and come home with extra stuff we don’t need…LOL
Q. If it were possible, what would you like to ask Elvis? What would you say to him?
A. I would ask Elvis what he thinks about all the artists paying tribute to him.
Q. If you weren’t an ETA, what career would you choose? Why?
A. I have a career in HVAC. I always liked to challenge myself in learning about how things are built, how they are installed, and how they work.
Q. What has surprised you most about being an ETA?
A. The reaction I get when fans say hi to me at a meet and greet. For some reason they get very nervous, which always makes me laugh.
ETA Jay Zanier interacting with the audience at the 2018 Collingwood Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe for SIDEBURNS Magazine.
Q. Describe a special moment with a fan or audience member.
A. I was on “The Elvis Cruise” a few years ago, and we were doing a meet and greet after one of our performances. People were lining up for pictures with all the performers, and I noticed that there was a woman at the end of the room by herself. I left the line and noticed the woman was in a wheel chair. I asked all the performers to follow me, which they did; and we all surprised the lady by giving her all of our attention. She and her family were so grateful for what I and the other ETAs did, that we are still in touch on Facebook today after many years. It turned out that she was a stroke survivor and it was her first trip since the incident.
Q. How do you decide who receives a scarf during a performance?
A. Usually the scarf will go to whoever comes to the stage first. If no one comes to the stage, I will hand them out evenly through the room and try not to favour a side.
The scarves wearing flying at ETA Jay Zanier’s show the Collingwood Elvis Festival. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe for SIDEBURNS Magazine.
Q. What sacrifices have you made for your ETA career?
A. For me it is the opposite: I have given up many shows and travel through my years of paying tribute to Elvis because of my HVAC career. Even though my boss is very understanding, I try not to leave the company guys over worked; but things usually work out for the most part.
Q. What Elvis costume is your favourite? Why?
A. The Aloha suit is my favourite. “Aloha from Hawaii” was the first concert I remember seeing as a child, and it was at that moment that Elvis would change my life.
Q. How do you care for your costumes so they are always stage ready?
A. I throw them in the wash and then hang them to dry--very easy maintenance.
Q. Who taught you how to apply your Elvis makeup?
A. There is not enough make-up in this world that would make me look like Elvis. I just put some on to hide my beard.
Q. What special care does your hair or wig require to keep it looking good?
A. I have very curly hair so I straighten it with a very hot iron and put a lot of hair products to keep it in place which usually lasts for about two songs before it goes crazy…LOL
ETA Jay Zanier. Photo Credit: Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. What annoys you?
A. My curly hair.
Q. What do you fear?
A. Going bald.
Q. What makes you laugh?
A. A great joke!
Q. How do you handle disappointment?
A. I just do. I have always had a way of looking at things in a good way, even if it ends in disappointment.
Q. How will you know when it is time to retire from being an ETA?
A. The time that I feel my singing and performance is suffering and not up to par, I will say goodbye to my tribute. But that doesn’t mean quitting singing all together. I will still do shows as myself here and there. As long as people keep coming, I will entertain.
Jay and his wife, Lynn, in Rome, Italy.
Q. What will you do in retirement?
A. Hopefully travel and see the world with my wife and a few friends.
Q. Who are the people you would like to thank for being there throughout your ETA career?
A. First my mom. She was there from the beginning, from making my first of many costumes to compete in, to making all my scarves throughout my career.
A second first, my wife, Lynne, who supported me from the first day she met me. She was my person to go to when I needed help to put all my tracks on the computer, to doing my sound and lighting when doing a track show. She was there when I won the first Ultimate Elvis preliminary in Collingwood and kept my head on my shoulders. In all the ups and downs I have gone through with this thing we call the Elvis world, Lynne has always been there by my side.
I would like to thank Linda for believing in me, and asking me to perform alongside other ETAs on the Malt Shop and Country Cruises for the last 10 years; and Gerie and The Koasters for being my incredible band for the last 20 something year-- you guys rock and roll!
Stunning photo of ETA Jay Zanier by photographer Lori-Anne Crewe.
Q. What question would you ask a fellow ETA?
A. Where did you get those blue eyes?
Q. What would people be surprised to learn about you?
A. I love to bake, and I love to eat sweets.
Q. What would you like to say to the backup singers and band members with whom you perform?
A. They are more like family to me than anything and I wouldn’t want to share the stage with anyone else. I feel honoured to share the stage alongside them every time we do a show.
Q. What song do you wish Elvis had recorded so you could sing it on stage during your tribute to Elvis?
A. An Italian song called “Non Ti Scordar Di Me” (Do Not Forget Me).
Q. What question do you wish I had asked, but didn’t?
A. I think you got it all. Thank you.
Slide Show with Photos by Lori-Anne Crewe
Photo Album
With Jay’s permission, I borrowed photos from his Facebook page and put together the following album. You will no doubt recognize many faces in the photos. Thank you to the following people whose photos appear: Karen Craig-Frappier, Wendy King, Sue Harris, Ethel Howse, Lisa Gibb, Darren Evorglens, Eva Brand, Cathy Carbone, and Jay and Lynne Zanier.
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