Nashville Elvis Festival to Celebrate the Music and Legacy of the King of Rock and Roll

Two special VIP events will feature live recreations of the “’68 Comeback Special” and an Elvis recording session inside one of Music City’s top recording studios (featured on the hit series Nashville). And Nashville Elvis Festival will also be hosting an Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest preliminary round with the winner moving on to Elvis Presley Enterprises’ Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Semifinal Round in Memphis during Elvis Week 2017.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday, August 26 at 10:00 a.m. CDT at www.NashvilleElvisFestival.com. The historic Franklin Theatre will serve as the host venue, with additional events taking place at Paragon Studios and GRAYS on Main – all located just south of downtown Nashville in the charming suburb of Franklin, Tennessee.

Special guests for Nashville Elvis Festival will include members of Elvis’ inner circle, who will share their memories of the King of Rock and Roll. Among those scheduled to appear are Jerry Schilling, Elvis' best friend, “Memphis Mafia” member, entertainment industry veteran and an Executive Producer of the 2016 feature film, Elvis & Nixon; D.J. Fontana, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee who was Elvis' drummer for 14 years and played on over 460 of his RCA cuts; Richard Sterban of The Oak Ridge Boys, who toured with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet singing backup for Elvis (as seen in the film, Elvis On Tour); Norbert Putnam, an original member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and legendary session musicians Nashville Cats, who is featured on many of Elvis' best recordings; Disc jockey and television game show host Wink Martindale, who was at the studio the night Dewey Phillips played Elvis' "That's All Right” for the first time. Wink hosted the TV show Teenage Dance Party, which featured Elvis as a special guest and the two became lifelong friends; Sandy Martindale, who dated Elvis for six years and remained friends with him throughout his life. She’s also featured as a dancer in several Elvis movies including Viva Las Vegas; and Armond Morales, best-known as the bass vocalist (and founding member) for the legendary vocal group, The Imperials. The group is well known to Elvis fans, thanks to the years they spent backing Elvis on tour and in Las Vegas (as seen in the 1970 documentary film Elvis: That’s the Way It Is); and also appearing is legendary Gospel artist Joanne Cash, the younger sister of Johnny Cash, who first met Elvis when he opened for her famous brother. Additional guests will be announced.

Nashville Elvis Festival will also feature performances by some of the top Elvis Tribute Artists in the world. Scheduled to appear are Bill Cherry, the 2009 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest winner and co-star of the Elvis Lives Tour; Jay Dupuis, the 2014 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest winner and co-star of the Elvis Lives Tour; and Jeff Lewis, an award-winning Elvis Tribute Artist, GRAMMY® nominated singer-songwriter, actor and emcee. The festival house band for all live performances will be The EAS Band, the official band for EPE’s 2016 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, known for their performances all over the world backing tribute artists and giving the feeling and excitement of being at an actual Elvis concert.

Nashville Elvis Festival is produced by Tom Brown & Brian Mayes for Music City Festivals, LLC

Connect with Nashville Elvis Festival:

Website: http://www.nashvilleelvisfestival.com
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