Shawn Klush (born June 17, 1969, Pittston, Pennsylvania), is an American Elvis tribute artist who regularly tours around the world.
Shawn Klush (born June 17, 1969, Pittston, Pennsylvania), is an American Elvis tribute artist who regularly tours around the world.
Shawn Klush was born and raised in Pittston, Pennsylvania. [1] He graduated from Seton Catholic High School in Pittston in 1988. [2] Klush's love for music led him to begin imitating his musical idol, Elvis Presley. Klush's father was a radio disc jockey. From an early age, Klush listened to Elvis singing. He studied guitar, and eventually joined a local band called Night Moves, with members Joseph Bruno, Dan Gardner, George Guman, and Charlie Newcomb.
Klush first began performing as an Elvis tribute artist at resorts in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania. During a tour of Canada, he entered and won the $5,000 prize in the "Worldwide Elvis Competition" in Montreal. He was hired by the producers of the Las Vegas show Legends in Concert to star as 'Elvis' in the company's Branson, Missouri production in 2004. He also alternated in their Las Vegas and Atlantic City show rooms. Each January he stars in the "Elvis Birthday Tribute Tour," an Elvis show with Elvis' original musicians, singers, and closest friends, in multiple cities. Klush also performed at Burnley Mechanics and performed at the Bolton Arena with Justin Shandor, Gordon Hendricks, Steve Preston, DJ Fontana, and The Sweet Inspirations.
Shawn's wife Beverly passed away April 2024 they have two children, Shelby and Troy.
As well as winning the "Worldwide Elvis Competition" in Montreal mentioned earlier on January 6, 2005, just two days before Elvis' 70th birthday, Klush became grand champion at the $25,000 "World Elvis Tribute Artist Competition". (Potawatomi Casino Contest). That year he received "The People's Choice Award" from Gibson Guitar in Nashville as "Best Concert Elvis". In 2007, Klush was named the international champion of BBC One's [World's Greatest Elvis Competition in the United Kingdom by BBC1 Network U.K. [3] Klush was chosen by Graceland as the winner of Elvis Presley Enterprises first ever Ultimate Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis, Tennessee, [4] and is the only Elvis tribute artist officially endorsed and approved by Elvis Presley Enterprises.
According to Klush in a rare interview "I've won every one (Elvis Presley tribute artist competition) I ever attempted. I don't like them. I don't feel Elvis felt like he was in competition with anyone. (However) I graciously accept the awards (for winning) but I never stop working on my craft." [5]
Klush has many times been dubbed by the news media as "The closest to The King in concert" including The Chicago Tribune, The Las Vegas Sun and Newsweek Magazine.
In 2024, Klush was announced as an inductee into the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame. [6]
In 1999 Klush appeared in the VHI and NBC mini series "Shake Rattle and Roll" as Elvis. In 2013 Klush appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman at the end of the show as a featured performing musical guest singing the Elvis song 'Suspicious Minds' as part of the promotion of his Las Vegas show, a recreation of the original Elvis Presley performances at the Las Vegas Hilton. [7] In 2016, Klush appeared in an episode of the HBO series Vinyl playing Elvis Presley, [8] [9] in a fictional timeline where Elvis is considering leaving RCA Records.
Elvis Aaron Presley, known mononymously as Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Known as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Presley's energized performances and interpretations of songs, and sexually provocative dance moves, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines during a transformative era in race relations, brought both great success and initial controversy.
An Elvis impersonator is an entertainer who impersonates or copies the look and sound of American musician and rock singer Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators, commonly known as Elvis tribute artists (ETAs), work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts remain in great demand due to the iconic status of Elvis Presley. In addition, there were several radio stations that exclusively feature Elvis impersonator material. Some of these impersonators go to Graceland Memphis, Tennessee on the anniversary of Presley's death to pay tribute to the beloved artist.
Albert Dvorin was a promoter, concert announcer and talent agent who was best known for working with Elvis Presley.
Colonel Thomas Andrew Parker was a Dutch-American talent manager and concert promoter, best known as the manager of Elvis Presley.
Elvis Presley has inspired artistic and cultural works since he entered the national consciousness. From that point, interest in his personal and public life has never stopped. Some scholars have studied many aspects of his profound cultural influence. Billboard historian Joel Whitburn declared Presley the "#1 act of the Rock era".
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Greater Pittston is a 65.35 sq mi (169.3 km2) region in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in reference to the area in and around Pittston. As of 2010, the total population of Greater Pittston is 48,020. This region includes Avoca, Dupont, Duryea, Exeter Boro, Exeter Township, Hughestown, Jenkins Township, Laflin, Pittston Township, West Pittston, West Wyoming, Wyoming, and Yatesville. It is a subregion of Wyoming Valley.
Jerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, best known for his work with Elvis Presley from 1969 to 1977 as a member of his TCB Band and on the Doors' L.A. Woman.
That's the Way It Is is the twelfth studio album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records, LSP 4445, in November 1970. It consists of eight studio tracks recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville, and four live in-concert tracks recorded at The International Hotel in Las Vegas. It accompanied the theatrical release of the documentary film Elvis: That's the Way It Is, although it is not generally considered a soundtrack album. The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and at number eight on the country chart. It was certified Gold on June 28, 1973, by the Recording Industry Association of America and up-graded to Platinum, for sales of a million copies on March 8, 2018.
From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis is the tenth studio album and the second live album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. It was released on October 14, 1969, by RCA Records. It is a double album: the first album, titled In Person at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, contains the live recordings of Presley's hits at the International Hotel in Winchester, Nevada, while the second album, titled Back in Memphis, contains entirely new material recorded at American Sound Studio in Memphis. The album peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200, and was certified Gold on December 13, 1969, by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The TCB Band is a group of musicians who formed the rhythm section of Elvis Presley's band from August 1969 until his death in 1977. The initials TCB stand for Taking Care of Business, a personal motto Presley adopted in the early 1970s. Although personnel changed over the years, the original members were James Burton, Jerry Scheff (bass), John Wilkinson, Larry Muhoberac (keyboards) and Ron Tutt (drums). They first appeared live at Presley's first Las Vegas performance at what was then known as the International Hotel on July 31, 1969.
Rick Saucedo is a musician, songwriter, actor, and Elvis tribute artist.
Seton Catholic High School was a Roman Catholic high school in Pittston, Pennsylvania named after Elizabeth Ann Seton. The school was originally called St. John's High School, and burned down on February 19, 1960. It was renovated in 1961, renamed in 1976 to the Seton Catholic High School, and was consolidated into Holy Redeemer High School in 2007.
Joseph Anthony Tunzi is an American author, publisher, and producer, based in Chicago, Illinois. He has been described as "a renowned author from Chicago" and "one of the foremost authorities on Elvis Presley," authoring, self-publishing, and producing over 60 titles about Presley, amongst others, for over three decades. Tunzi's other projects focus on topics including Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King Jr., the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the Vietnam War.
A concert residency is a series of concerts, similar to a concert tour, but only performed at one location. Pollstar Awards defined residency as a run of 10 or more shows at a single venue. An artist who performs on a concert residency is called a resident performer. Concert residencies have been the staple of the Las Vegas Strip for decades, pioneered by singer-pianist Liberace in the 1940s and Frank Sinatra with the Rat Pack in the 1950s.
Dean Vegas is an Elvis tribute artist and politician. He has performed around the world as Elvis. He has been referred to as the top Elvis Presley impersonator in Australia.
The Collingwood Elvis Festival was an annual event featuring Elvis Tribute Artists, started in 1995. It was held in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, and drew an international selection of performers and saw attendees from worldwide destinations.
A Tom Jones impersonator is someone who impersonates or imitates the look and sound of musician Tom Jones. Professional Tom Jones impersonators or Tom Jones tribute artists, perform all over the world as entertainers. Similarly to Elvis Presley and his impersonators, they offer an experience of having the next best thing.
The World's Greatest Elvis was a September 2007 TV talent show hosted by Vernon Kay on BBC One. The programme presented thirty Elvis impersonators to battle it out for best Elvis Presley interpretation. The title was won by Shawn Klush from Pittston, Pennsylvania.
"Patch It Up" is a song written by Eddie Rabbitt and Rory Bourke and originally recorded by Elvis Presley. He released it as a single, with "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me" on the opposite side, in October 1970.