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The Elvis Presley Story Starring Ronnie McDowell

by Press Release
published: Sep 10, 2003

(BRANSON, MO) - A limited engagement of The Elvis Presley Story starring Ronnie McDowell at The Will Rogers Theater in Branson is set for Friday, October 31 and Saturday, November 1, 2003 at 8 p.m..  The show is a celebration of Elvis' life and music featuring his former backup singers and band members The Jordanaires, guitarist Scotty Moore,  drummer D.J. Fontana and soprano Millie Kirkham.

 

The Elvis Presley Story starring Ronnie McDowell is a revival of Elvis' great music, not a note-for-note re-creation of it.  There are no Elvis impersonations here…no sideburns, no shades and no jumpsuits.  McDowell and company present Elvis' songs in chronological order, tracing the King's music as it took him from Memphis to Nashville and then on to New York, Hollywood and Las Vegas.  The show includes many of Elvis' hit songs, including That's All Right Mama, Blue Moon Of Kentucky, Heartbreak Hotel, Don't Be Cruel, How Great Thou Art and more. 

 

A key aspect of the show is audience participation with the performers who knew him best and loved him most taking questions from the audience about Elvis.  McDowell also offers selected fans the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of coming on stage and singing an Elvis song with The Jordanaires backing them.

 

McDowell's voice bears an uncanny resemblance to Presley's and producers of movies have turned to McDowell time and again for his remarkable voice.  His ability to sound exactly like the King has been showcased on the soundtracks of the highly rated 1979 Kurt Russell film Elvis, 1981's TV movie Elvis and the Beauty Queen, the 1988 ABC-TV mini series Elvis and Me, the 1989-90 TV series Elvis Aaron Presley and 1997's Showtime cable movie Elvis Meets Nixon. Drawing on this rich background, McDowell performs Elvis' songs with incomparable understanding and authority.

 

Ronnie McDowell never met Elvis, but he so loved his music that when Elvis died in 1977, McDowell wrote and recorded The King Is Gone.  The song sold more than 3 million copies and reached #13 on both the Country and Pop music charts.  McDowell went on to a distinguished career in country music, releasing 30 albums and 20 singles.  He has more than a dozen Top10, Top 5 and Number 1 hits including Older Women, You're Going To Ruin My Bad Reputation, Wandering Eyes, Watchin' Girls Go By and I Love You, I Love You, I Love You.

 

The Jordanaires met Elvis in Memphis in 1954, just before he left Sun Records to go with RCA. He admired their gospel sound and asked if they would record with him when he moved to a major label.  They agreed and continued to record and tour with Elvis from his signing with RCA until 1970.  They also worked with him in the movies Loving You, Jailhouse Rock, King Creole and G.I. Blues.

 

Guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana were with Elvis from the start.  Moore was Elvis' first manager, well before Col. Tom Parker came along.  The inventive guitar licks heard on Elvis' career-making singles came from Moore's bottomless imagination.  In recognition of his musical skills and imagination, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted Moore in its first class of "sidemen" members.  Fontana joined Moore and other members of Elvis' band in 1954 and stayed on until 1968.  He played on more than 460 of the King's RCA recordings.

 

Millie Kirkham, whose high soprano pipes can be heard on such classics as Blue Christmas and My Wish Came True was one of Elvis' favorite vocalists.  She began singing on recording sessions with the Jordanaires even before they teamed up with Elvis.

 

Tickets for The Elvis Presley Story starring Ronnie McDowell go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 10.  For additional information or to purchase tickets either on line or via phone, through Ozark Ticket and Travel, click here or call 1-888-493-1222.

 

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