Starting on a high note, with a sold-out-way-in-advance show at Ottawa’s 1000-seat Centrepoint Theatre and ending 9 days later with a final, packed-to-the-rafters show  which drew  l400 people to Kitchener’s Centre in the Square, the group dazzled thousands more fans during the week as they traveled to other venues in Hamilton, London, Sarnia, Lindsay, North Bay, and Mississauga.

City by city, the response was the same: overwhelmingly positive vibes, cheers, whistles, standing ovations – and long, long, long  lineups of happy fans waiting to meet and greet the performers afterwards.

I had the opportunity to be part of the “team” for much of the Ontario tour, and enjoyed catching up with Shawn, Pete, Myrna, Estelle and Portia again, talking to many hundreds of fans, and seeing  the behind-the-scenes organization involved in such a successful endeavour. Over the 9-day period, I developed a heightened  appreciation for the work and stamina  involved on the part of the entertainers, band members, crew,  Shawn’s assistant, Terri Mueller, and promoter Stephen Spark of Rhinestone Entertainment Productions.

Opening the shows was Canada’s  award-winning 23-year old Pete Paquette, who was a crowd pleaser with his  voice, “young Elvis” moves, and boyish charm.  Singing lively early standards such as Heartbreak Hotel and Lawdy Miss Clawdy, Pete also displayed his musical  talents as he delivered outstanding versions of songs such as New Orleans, Are You Lonesome Tonight and I’ll Remember You.  

Reporter Don Rennick wrote in his review after the North Bay show, “Paquette was more than up to the task of bringing back memories of a young Elvis” and “had the audience wondering if this is the lead up, how good is the main attraction?”

Next up were the Sweet Inspirations!  It  was heartwarming to see the reception given to the Sweets  who were welcomed with cheers at each of the venues.  With their angelic versions of  The Lord’s Prayer and Sweet Inspiration which rang out loud and clear, they had the crowds with them from the moment they stepped on to the stage. Relaxed and strutting their stuff,  the Sweet Inspirations were genuinely enjoying themselves at each and every show – and their talents were  certainly much appreciated by their audiences  throughout Ontario.

With this great buildup, the fans were ready for Shawn Klush!   

Excitement was in the air as the lights dimmed, the  music reached a crescendo, and  fans spotted Shawn (escorted by bodyguards for sure!)  making  his entrance through the audience and up on to the stage.   In fact, a number of fans who had seen Elvis live in concert in the ‘70's told me they were rendered speechless and in tears at this point, doing double takes upon seeing “Elvis reincarnated.”

Shawn, who is a master at capturing the essence and every subtle nuance of Elvis on stage, held the audiences spellbound for well over hour  with his unparalleled illusion of Elvis, together with an impeccably delivered and well chosen variety of Elvis concert years songs – subtly almost “becoming Elvis” while  engaging the fans with his commanding stage presence, charisma, clever repartee, and humour – exactly as Elvis did!   As one fan commented, “He evens stands still like Elvis!”  

In addition to concert favourites which included  CC Rider, Burning Love, Suspicious Minds, Polk Salad Annie,  Can’t Help Falling in Love, and  Wonder of You, Shawn also had the audience In the palm of his hands with stellar versions  of My Boy, Hurt, My Way, Something, Little Sister, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and A Little Less Conversation.  

During a lively version of Teddy Bear, fans reacted with delight as they scrambled to catch one of the  stuffed bears he threw out into the crowd (good throwing arm there, Shawn!).  Later, slowing the pace, and singing a spell-binding version of Amazing Grace with the Sweet Inspirations, Shawn had many of the fans who had seen the real Elvis live in concert reduced to tears once again.

Reporter Rennick, in his review of the North Bay show, continues:  “They could have hardly been prepared for the visual and auditory effect of Klush resplendent in a trademark white, jewel-encrusted jump suit, delivering an eerie flesh and blood replica of the King himself. Perfect in pitch, voice and mannerisms it seemed as if Elvis had come back to entertain once more.”

And at the very last show in Kitchener, the deep male voice in the audience  that boomed out from amid the crowd,  “We Love You Elvis”  summed up the fan response!

The Fabulous Ambassadors certainly lived up to their name and were fabulous indeed.  Kudos to Jimmy Johnson (keyboard and flute); Tommy Lentino (drums); Ron Haugen (bass guitar); Ed Rusk (keyboard and saxaphone) who all hail from the Chicago area --and to Ross Southerland (lead guitar and harmony vocals) from Knoxville, Tennessee.

As always, the time passed all too quickly and soon it was time for Shawn to don a cape for the final song  – a spine-tingling “American Trilogy”  --- after which the entire troupe came on stage to take their bows to well deserved standing ovations.

The “meet and greet” lineups after the shows lasted at least an hour in each city, if not longer, and the merchandise for sale absolutely flew off the tables, with fans eagerly buying up CD’s and photographs,  and stopping to chat with Shawn, Pete and the Sweets – all of whom happily signed autographs and posed for photos until the very last fan had  “left the building.”  

It was long past midnight  before the group boarded their bus back to the hotel to catch a few hours sleep before another early morning wake-up call –  and another drive to another venue.  

It was a pleasure to see such talent and professionalism on stage and to see how much the shows were enjoyed by the audiences throughout the tour. I was also struck by the number of people who told me they wouldn’t normally have come to see “an impersonator” but who were just blown away by the shows. In fact, by mid-week, a number of fans were starting to travel to the next shows as they wanted to re-live the experience!

For those who did see Elvis live in concert  (including me), the tour brought back wonderful memories  – and  for others, it  provided a glimpse of what it must have been like!  

Paula, a fan from Sarnia, relates her experience:   “That show was a real emotional trip for me!  He was magnificent!. I have loved - and I mean LOVED Elvis ever since I was three years old. My greatest regret is that I never got to see him live in concert. Shawn Klush put that lifelong regret to rest, because when I saw him walk into the arena, I got chills, I started to choke up, and I felt as though I was in the presence of greatness! When I walked up to get a scarf, and he looked right at me, I didn't think I'd be able to make it back to my seat - no word of a lie - he was that profound. I was sitting with a dear friend, who saw Elvis in 1975, at his New Year's Concert at the Pontiac Silverdome. This friend normally does not care for tributes as he feels they are always short of the very special nuances and traits that Elvis displayed. Shawn mesmerized him!  He couldn't stop talking about him! “

Hats off to Shawn Klush, the Sweet Inspirations, Pete Paquette, The Fabulous Ambassadors, and  hard-working promoters Stephen and Sharon Spark of Rhinestone Entertainment Productions for a job well done!  

And the last words go to reporter Rennick again, who concluded in his review:  “A great night of entertainment by a talented group of professionals.”


Further Details:
www.shawnklush.net
www.sweetinspirations.org
www.myspace.com/pete_paquette
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/271341
http://www.ladyluckmusic.com/radio/hunter/maritimes/

Following a successful tour of Canada’s Maritime Provinces last fall, and travels around the world,  Ultimate Elvis® Tribute Artist Shawn Klush, with the Sweet Inspirations, special guest Pete Paquette, and the Fabulous Ambassadors Showband recently returned to Canada – embarking on another successful and unprecedented 8-city tour in Ontario which left mesmerized fans clamoring for more!