Kenneth Loomis, who starred as Elvis during the Sept. 7 two-hour concert at the historic Mt. Vernon Theatre, performed in an authentic Elvis jumpsuit much like Presley wore in his 1970s concerts.
The Elvis & Company concert featured songs such as “See, See Rider,” “All Shook Up,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You” and many more. Those Elvis favorites were supported on stage by the company, including The Bodyguards, The GeriatriX, Brooke Rigsby and Studio B Dancers and a dance couple from the River Region Ballroom Studio.
Also during Act 1, Loomis paid tribute to the late Hank Williams Sr., who once performed at the Mt. Vernon Theatre with two songs Presley often sang.
After a brief intermission, Act 2 included Loomis and his Graceland Singers, a group of eight vocalists in the company who together performed a series of nine gospel songs, including “Where No One Stands Alone,” “How Great Thou Art,” “You Gave Me a Mountain” and “An American Trilogy.”
Loomis is a 1981 graduate of Tallassee High School and the son of the late Stan and Alice Loomis. Loomis and his family are residents of rural Tallassee and he serves as the music minister and senior adult minister of the Heritage Baptist Church in Montgomery. Loomis sang his first Elvis song, “Blue Christmas,” at Tallassee High School and performed his first Elvis impersonation in 1988.
Elvis impersonation has been a three-decade hobby for Loomis.
“I have a lot of fun impersonating Elvis but I do take seriously my effort to emulate his voice and present his songs to the best of my ability,” Loomis said.
