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WELCOME TO MY
TUPELO ELVIS FESTIVAL
PAGE
(AUGUST 4th-6th, 2000)

Travis LeDoyt
Front Page - Tupelo Daily Journal - August 6, 2000

RECAP OF THE ELVIS FESTIVAL 2000

The concert that was to open the Tupelo Elvis Festival on Thursday night, Aug, 3rd, was cancelled. The reason given was "slow ticket sales". This concert was to have featured THE JORDANAIRES with TERRY MIKE JEFFREY and the TUPELO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA as headliners, and SAM MOSLEY (blues artist), PAUL THORN (local act), and BRODY BUSTER (15 year old blues harmonica player from Kansas City). Other reliable sources have said the concert was cancelled because the venue was going to charge $10,000 for a rehearsal night, and the symphony could not afford it.

After the cancellation of the concert, and evidently a low attendance on Friday night, rumors began spreading that this would possibly be the last year for the TUPELO ELVIS FESTIVAL; but, after Saturday and Sunday attendance improved (despite the high temperatures of 95-99 degrees with the heat index around 110 degrees), it was announced that the festival definitely will be held again next year.

Travis LeDoyt

photo/P. Russell
Click on photo above to visit Travis' New Website

Contributing to the increase in attendance, was the anticipated performances by Elvis Tribute Artist, TRAVIS LeDOYT, and Country/Blues singer DELBERT McCLINTON -- and the crowd was not disappointed!! TRAVIS won them over as soon as he stepped onto the stage. There were amazed looks on spectators faces as they were in awe of how much he resembled the 'real ELVIS' that some of them had seen only a very short distance away at the TUPELO FAIRGROUNDS in 1956. The comment most often heard was "He looks just like Elvis!!". Then, even more amazement when he proceeded to show them that, not only did he LOOK like Elvis, he also SOUNDED so much like him that you would have thought there was an Elvis record playing in the background! With all the 'Elvis moves' and 'talk' down-pat, it was almost as if Elvis had returned from the grave for a repeat performance!! The girls ran to the stage, as they did for Elvis in the 50's, and TRAVIS 'rewarded' them with handshakes and kisses. They loved it!!

***

During TRAVIS' performance, W. S. HOLLAND (former drummer for JOHNNY CASH and CARL PERKINS) came on stage and told how TRAVIS had impressed him and others at the Jackson, TN ROCKABILLY FEST 2000 in April, and wanted to present to TRAVIS (to wear during the next song), a coat that ELVIS had given to him. The coat was one that ELVIS had worn on the ED SULLIVAN show. Despite the intense heat, it was apparent TRAVIS was honored and thrilled to be allowed to wear ELVIS' coat for an appearance in ELVIS' hometown. W. S. also played the drums for this special occasion.

***

See
Bill Griggs'
ROCKIN' 50s MAGAZINE
(October/November issue)
for a 2-page review of this festival (with photo's)
THANKS, BILL!!