Elvis Rocks the Hardeman County Arts Council for Christmas
It was not the FedEx Forum, but instead the Hardeman County Arts Council (HCAC) and fans of Elvis (and Elvis impersonator Brian Lee Howell) were lined up at the door to see the one night only performance of An ELVIS Kind of Christmas on Friday, December 9, 2022. Howell brought his five-piece showband and presented a Christmas show performing more than 30 songs that included signature Elvis songs and a few others like “Sweet Caroline”, a Neil Diamond favorite of Howell’s.
Howell’s wife, Haley, who is his manager decorated the stage for the evening with wrapped gifts, Christmas ornaments, “snow”, and Santa buckets full of scarfs Howell would later drape around the necks of audience goers in the familiar Elvis fashion. The setting was just right for An ELVIS Kind of Christmas.
Some of the standard songs Howell sang included “Don’t Be Cruel”, “Return to Sender”, the Tom Jones’ version of “Green, Green Grass of Home”, “Hound Dog”, “Lawdy Ms. Clawdy”, and “One Night with You”. Christmas was in the air with “Silent Night”, “Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees”, “If I Get Home on Christmas Day”, “Silver Bells”, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “White Christmas”, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”, and more.
Howell shared trivia about one of the songs he sang. Irvin Berlin thought Elvis’ version of “White Christmas” was “too rocked up” and called a radio station asking for the Elvis’ version not to be played on the radio. The radio station had no idea who Berlin was when he called.
Once an Elvis groupie, always an Elvis groupie, even if it is for an Elvis impersonator. The “original Elvis fans”, Nancy Hammons, Cindy Morgan, Margie Vales, and Pam Howell grabbed front row seats for the general admission concert and enjoyed the up close and personal concert.
Cindy Morgan received one of the Elvis scarves and Margie Vales received one of the stuffed animals Howell threw into the audience to his fans.
All four ladies are long time Elvis fans.
“I have been an Elvis fan all my life. All the songs he sang tonight were my favorite,” said Hammons. “I loved the concert.”
“I loved all of it,” said Morgan, who received one of the Elvis scarves and also a rose from “Elvis”.
“I enjoyed all of it! It was fantastic,” said Vales who met Elvis in person on January 8, 1967, his birthday, in Memphis.
“I have loved Elvis since I was six years old,” said Howell.
“An ELVIS Kind of Christmas” followed the HCAC’s production of Who Stole Santa’s Pants? and closed its Christmas season. The HCAC will next present Crab Cakes and Murder: Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre on Friday and Saturday, February 10 – 11, 2023, at 7 p.m.
“An ELVIS Kind of Christmas” was sponsored by DevCo, Vaughan Oil Company, Bolivar Insurance and Real Estate, and Bolivar Credit.
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