By Michael Butler

Elvis is coming back to the Mount Vernon. Actually, it’s Kenneth Loomis, but he looks the part.

Loomis has performed in the same theater before. He was here in 2019 playing the part of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” On Saturday, Loomis will take the stage for another show.

Loomis is a 1981 graduate of Tallassee High School.

“At an assembly program I did “Blue Christmas” for a talent show,” he said. “”I made a recording of “Teddy Bear” at an amusement park in 1988. My mama liked it. I thought well, let me try to sound like him. People have affirmed it and said, ‘we think it sounds like him.’”

The program will start at 7 p.m. on Aug. 16, a significant date for Elvis Presley aficionados. Presley passed away on Aug. 16, 1977 at just 42.

There is a tie to Elvis and Tallassee as well. According to former WTLS disc jockey John Culp, Presley visited the radio station in the 1950s.

“I was playing a Top 40 hit show on WTLS from 3-4 every afternoon,” Culp said. “Somewhere in 1955 or ’56, a guy drove up in the parking lot at WTLS and came into the studio. He held up a 45 RPM record, waved at me and asked if he could come into the control room. I let him in.

“When he came in, he stuck out his hand and said, “Hi. I’m Elvis Presley. I record for the Sun label. Will you play this 45 RPM for me?’ I looked at it, and the title of the song was, “Mystery Train.”

“We talked a little while. I had never heard of Elvis Presley and didn’t know who he was. Not many people had at that time I guess. We had a few comments and shared a few stories. He went out and I put the song on. It hadn’t quit playing when the phone started ringing and people asked, ‘Who is that?’ That was my brief encounter with Elvis Presley.”

It was common practice for recording artists to visit radio stations back in those days, especially those who had not become stars yet.

“I think he stopped at every station that he could get hold of,” said Culp. “When RCA released “Heartbreak Hotel” it immediately hit the top of the charts. Of course I played it on my show. Every day the teenage girls would call in over and over asking for (it). I would tell them I had just played it. They said play it again.

“One day I got a little warm under the collar with all the calls coming in and played “Heartbreak Hotel” over and over for 30 minutes. (Ned Butler) found a pay phone and called me. He let me know pretty quick that if I didn’t stop playing that song over and over that he would fire me. He got my attention, but the teenage girls kept calling.

“I wish I had known (now) what I didn’t know back then. I would’ve talked to him more. My impression of him was that he was a very nice young man. That stood out very clearly.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $25 each.