Welsh crooner who achieved dream of Blackpool residency now plans Ken Dodd singing tribute

But Mike Greatrex, from Cardiff, won't be attempting an impression of the late Master of Mirth’s rib-tickling comedy routines.

He plans to pay tribute to the legendary entertainer’s other great talent – his prowess as a singer.

Doddy, as he was often known, had a fine singing voice and enjoyed a string of hit singles in the 1960s with songs such as Love is Like a Violin, Happiness, Tears, The River and Eight by Ten, among others.

Mike came to Blackpool in the summer to follow his dream and get a residency in Blackpool.

And the dream became a reality as he is now performing at the New Oxford Hotel, on Albert Road, on Friday nights at 8pm

He put his savings into the enterprise and booked into a hotel in July as long as it took to get the residency.

Performing as his alter ego, Johnny Doe, he speaks in an American drawl from the Deep South and dresses all in black.

Mike said: “It’s great to get the residency – now I’m hoping people will put the word out.

“One of my plans is a Ken Dodd tribute – he had a brilliant voice and quite a few of his songs were actually in the Country style.

"I have about 20 of them in my repertoire and I’m planning on doing a tribute night very soon.”

In the meantime Johnny Doe will be performing classic country tunes by his idols Johnny Cash, Elvis, Roy Orbison and many others.