Bill Barnhart, <B><I>Elvis Presley impersonator</B></I>

Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things. This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them by asking them five questions. The latest installment appears below.

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Since age 17, Bill Barnhart belonged to an oldies band. His specialty changed seven years ago when the band disbanded.

“I guess I just wasn't done singing,” said Barnhart, 57, of Bradys Bend Township, now an Elvis Presley impersonator.

Barnhart will appear from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 5 at Bruin's Labor Day celebration. As with all his shows, Barnhart's wife Mary will operate the sound system dressed as Marilyn Monroe.

Here are a few other facts about Barnhart's performances.

QUESTION: What do you wear and where do you get the costumes?ANSWER: I wear jumpsuits. I get them out of Tennessee. I have three of them. (But) it's my own hair and sideburns. Of course, now I have to color them a little bit.

QUESTION: You're not part of a booking agency and not listed in the phone book. How do people contact you?ANSWER: My wife's beauty shop: Mary Barnhart's Beauty Shop.

QUESTION: Does she do your Elvis hair for you?ANSWER: Yes, she does. It saves money, doesn't it?

QUESTION: Do you offer multiple Elvis programs?ANSWER: (In addition to the standard Elvis show) I have an hour gospel show that I do in churches as Elvis. He won a Grammy for gospel. That's the only one he won. He loved his gospel music.

QUESTION: Can you also duplicate Elvis' dance moves?ANSWER: Probably not. But he didn't do much dancing toward the end either. As we get older, it's tough to move around like Elvis.