by VICTORIA HENLEY
CTFashionMag.com
Starring the immensely talented Branson Legend, Jerry Presley, cousin of the iconic King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, “Elvis and the Blackwoods” resurrects a staggeringly impressive number of the icon’s cast catalogue of chart topping hits.
Presley, who has owned — and performed in — his legendary God and Country Theater for many decades, has excited and delighted thousands Elvis fans from across the U.S. with an assortment of genres popularized by The King, including pop, rock and roll, blues, and gospel.
The God and Country Theater has hosted an impressive array of variety acts, tribute shows, comedians, and guest artists throughout the years; but perhaps none are as legendary as the Blackwoods, an acclaimed Gospel group known for their tight harmonies, beautiful gospel covers and originals, and their vast history of collaborations, performances, and tours with Elvis himself.
The relentlessly entertaining show kicks off to an uplifting start with the Blackwoods bringing to life the Classic from Elvis’s gospel eras , “I’m Gonna Walk Dem Golden Stairs,” “He Was There All the Time” by Reverend James Moore, and the rousing, and internationally known, When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Donna Blackwood shared her heart-wrenching testimony about when she suffered a nearly fatal bout of colon cancer that threatened to steal her hope and her will to persist; however, with the right treatment, a team of prayer warriors, and a whole lot of faith, she miraculously went into remission and lived to inspire others with her tremendous survival story.
Close to the halfway mark of the show, the evening’s headliner, Jerry Presley took the stage and was backed throughout the entire remaining duration of the two-hour show by the stunning vocals and expertly blended harmonies of The Blackwoods.
Presley, brimming with that signature honey dipped Presley Southern drawl and all the style and charisma that launched his cousin to meteoric levels of success, put his own unique and inimitable spin on his tribute to his legendary cousin, launching the “Elvis” portion of the show with a high energy performance of “CC Rider,” “I Got a Woman,” (the Sun Records song that “started it all” ) “That’s Alright Mamma,” and “It’s Now or Never,” inspired by the dramatic Italian aria, “ O Sole mio” by the composer, Eduardo di Capua.
Additional stand out numbers include “Little Sister,” on which the live grand scale band showcases their keen instrumental prowess, Ray Charles’ “What I’d Say,” and arguably one of Elvis’s most instantly recognizable songs, “Hounddog.” Jason Presley showcased his charm and hip swaying, lip curling, gyrating finesse that rivaled that of the King himself in “Suspicious Minds,” displayed his outstanding vocal range in “Unchained Melody” and he brought the audience to their feet in uproarious applause with a ground shaking performance of the old time spiritual, “How Great Thou Art.”
Following the show, the personable and endlessly gracious Jason Presley takes time to interact and take photos with fans. Donna and RW Blackwood, the matriarch and patriarch of the Blackwood Family group are just as warm, lovely, and kind as they appear during their performances.
Special thanks to the wonderful Debi, who you can also catch as one of Branson only headlining female comics, performing live weekly at God and Country Theater- and the entire Jerry Presley team for facilitating our visit for this spotlight feature.
WEBSITE (God and Country) : https://godandcountrytheaters.com
WEBSITE (The Blackwoods): http://theblackwoods.com
PHONE NUMBER (God and Country) : (417) 334-6806
PHONE NUMBER (The Blackwoods) (417) 422- 0402
