Fans of Elvis Presley in the Battlefords can get ready for the ultimate tribute to the “King” on May 14.
That is when the Dekker Centre hosts Donny Edwards performing The King — A Musical Tribute to Elvis Presley. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $45 at the Dekker Centre box office or online @dekkercentre.com.
There is no shortage of Elvis tribute artists out there, but Edwards stands above the rest.
Edwards’ portrayal is held in such regard that he received the honour from Elvis Presley Enterprises of performing his show on the legendary Graceland estate, the only Elvis tribute artist to get that permission.
He has also been on The Young and the Restless as Elvis, and has done different shows with various celebrities throughout Las Vegas and also those who’ve worked with Elvis himself.
Edwards is based full-time in Las Vegas, where he has been a casino headliner, and tours the world with his distinctive interpretation of the legendary entertainer. He was in Australia for a three-week tour recently, as well as to Japan.
Mike Schell, producer and promoter of the Edwards show who also performs and sings in the band, promises a Vegas level of production will be on display at the Dekker Centre.
“We are bringing Las Vegas to the Battlefords,” said Schell.
The stop is part of Edwards’ Western Canada tour in May. He is hitting three provinces in a 10-day stretch. The tour will start in Prince George, B.C., head to Fort St. John, then on to Peace River, Alta. before making the seven-hour drive to the Battlefords. After the North Battleford show, they head to Lloydminster and to St. Albert, Alta. for more performances.
Those seeing Edwards’ show in the Battlefords can expect to see him re-enact every aspect of Elvis’ memorable and varied career.
The first half will focus on Elvis’s early years of rock and roll, which included hits like Hound Dog, Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock and All Shook Up, among others.
The second half will move into the 1960s and ‘70s, an era that included the Elvis movies, the famous 1968 comeback special that re-launched Elvis’s career and the Vegas concert years.
“Donny is in full authentic Elvis costume, focusing on Elvis’s concert years in Las Vegas,” Schell said.
When Schell says the costumes are “authentic”, he means it. Edwards’ costumes are actually custom made for him from a company that owns the patterns of the jumpsuit that the King wore in the ‘70s.
During that latter portion of the show, fans can expect to hear Edwards’ renditions of Elvis hits such as Suspicious Minds, Burning Love and the gospel hit How Great Thou Art.
“With Donny, his tribute is very heartfelt,” said Schell. “It’s actually a performance that tells a story about Elvis’s career.”
Schell says Edwards tells a story with every song, relating the history of who recorded it and when it became a Number One hit and other details.
“His job is to portray the most honest and heartfelt tribute to the king of rock and roll.”
In addition to Edwards, special guest Cassandra Friskie will open the show performing as Marilyn Monroe. Afterwards she will then join The Cadillac Kings band on stage.
The Cadillac Kings are an all-Canadian band of musicians, based in the Okanagan, and are the house band for the Penticton Elvis Festival.
“So there’s credibility on both sides of the table here,” said Schell.
The band includes a four-piece horn section as well as piano, bass, drums, guitar and then Friskie singing female backup.
For this tour the promoters have also secured the services of drummer Clayton Hill, who has been the drummer for the iconic Canadian band Trooper.
This show is presented by Schell Shock Entertainment and by TCB Rock and Roll Legends. Schell has worked with Dekker Centre general manager Moe McGuinty before in bringing other tribute shows to the Battlefords, but says “this by far is the best show we’ve ever toured with.”
About half the tickets are already sold for the Dekker Centre appearance, and the show is still almost a month away. Schell is advising fans to get their tickets quickly. Edwards’ shows regularly sell out and during their recent January-February tour they sold out six venues.
In all, it should be a memorable night for fans of “the King,” whose musical influence lives on today, nearly 40 years after his death.
“Elvis’s music is timeless,” said Schell, who credits the great range of his songs — rock, ballads, gospel — as well as his “look” and “stage presence” for the entertainer’s lasting appeal.
“All I can say is Elvis Presley is the most electrifying entertainer we’ve ever seen,” said Schell. “He may be imitated, but never duplicated. “
