Terry Padgett brings Elvis to Shelby County

Story by Lindsay Dyess

Photo Contributed

Ladies and gentlemen, the King is back. Well, kind of. Elvis impersonator Terry Padgett brings his popular show back to the Shelby County Arts Council for a night of guaranteed fun on March 5.

Last spring, Padgett brought down the house with his exceptional, sold-out performance. He even wore two of Elvis’s most famous costumes: the white beaded suit and the 1960s black leather outfit. And he’s back to do it again!

Although a documentary on TV is what initially sparked Padgett’s interest in Elvis in 1995, it wasn’t until 2001 that his tribute took shape. His very first performance was at a widow’s banquet at Cedar Grove Baptist Church. He initially declined the invitation to be Elvis for the banquet, but his wife Vickie and choir director Gary Franklin made plans for him anyway. They advertised he would be performing as Elvis, and on stage he went.

“I thought my first time would by my last,” Padgett recalled. “A few months later, I was reluctantly roped in again for another show.” Even though he was still nervous about performing, he decided to give the Elvis impersonation gig a real shot.

He researched other impersonators and invested in new suits and sound and lighting equipment to take his act to the next level. Under the guidance of Elvis impersonator Reggie Randolph, he began to hone in on his own personal Elvis style.

“Being Elvis has meant a lot to me,” Padgett said. “Mostly, it is seeing the smiles and laughter at my shows. It gives everyone a chance to, in my opinion, relive a better time.”

Padgett strives to maintain the great music of the 50s, 60s and 70s and keep Elvis’s memory and dedication to music alive during his performances. Being on stage and performing for a live audience really helps him to feel what it is like to be Elvis.

“Elvis said there was nothing like the electricity of a live audience,” Padgett said. “And I would have to agree with him.”

Padgett brings a lot of energy to his performance, and as a Christian, he believes in putting on a professional, clean show with lots of laughs. “I take this very light-hearted. I know I’m not Elvis,” he said. “I tell people they will get a Terry show, but I will put as much Elvis in it as I can.”

Join us at the Shelby County Arts Council’s Black Box Theater on March 5 for this exciting performance. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Be sure to join us for a beverage reception before the performance.

Mark your calendars for more exciting events happening at the Shelby County Arts Council this month: gallery opening for Nathan Harper’s “Unconventional Wisdom” March 4, Annual Celebrate the Arts Fashion Show and Luncheon March 12 and The Fabulous Elnora Spencer Revue on March 19. Visit Shelbycountyartscouncil.com for more information.