Maybe a
Jake Riviera tribute act was also in town.
http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birm ... -27970301/
Birmingham News
Birmingham Elvis Presley convention organiser charged with assault
Jan 12 2011
by Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail
THE organiser of a Birmingham Elvis Presley convention has been charged with attacking the son of the King’s guitarist in the city, the Mail has learned.
We told yesterday how a man had suffered a broken nose and cheekbone following an alleged assault at the Hilton Metropole hotel, near the NEC, early on Sunday.
The victim was understood to be US citizen
Jeff Burton, the 48-year-old son of The King’s guitarist James Burton, who played with Elvis from 1969 until his death in 1977.
And the man charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm in connection with the incident has been named as Michael Cawthray.
The 43-year-old, from north Wales, is a director of the Elvis European Championships Ltd, the event which was taking place at the hotel at the time.
He is also an Elvis tribute act and is due to appear before Solihull Magistrates’ Court later this month.
Both men were staying at the Metropole, where 80 Elvis impersonators had been vying to win the championships.
Mr Cawthray’s wife and business partner, Sioned, refused to comment when the Mail approached her.
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “Police were called at 4.25am on January 9 to reports of a man bleeding in the lobby area of the Hilton Metropole Hotel.
“A 48-year-old man was taken to Heartlands Hospital with a broken cheekbone, a broken nose and cuts to his face. He remains in a stable condition at the hospital.
“A 43-year-old man was arrested nearby on suspicion of assault and has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has been bailed to appear at Solihull Magistrates’ Court later this month.”
A spokesman for the Hilton hotel chain said: “The well-being, safety and security of our guests are of paramount importance to us and the hotel’s security team immediately alerted the police and emergency services to the situation.
“This matter is now in the hands of the police for further investigation.”
As well as Elvis, Louisiana-born James Burton also worked with Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Elvis Costello, Joe Osborn, and Roy Orbison.
He formed the James Burton Band in 2008 and has performed with his son Jeff, who sings and plays the guitar.
