Unique among the various types of impersonation entertainers, a tribute artist concentrates on only a few of a famous singer’s notable characteristics in order to effectively evoke that performer through song. This book explores the elements of tribute performance through case studies of performers who pay homage to legendary singers like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Drawing on original interviews with tribute artists, biographical profiles chronicle performers’ early careers, musical influences and their lives on the road. A few performers even reflect on their friendships with musical titans like Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Crickets. Forty tribute artists are profiled, including winners of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, Million Dollar Quartet alumni and several European performers.

Journalist Sheree Homer ran her own music magazine, Rockabilly Revue, for two years. Since 2006, she has contributed articles to various publications, including Blue Suede News. She lives in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Sheree Homer
Foreword by James L. Neibaur
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 160
Bibliographic Info: 40 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8165-8
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4738-8
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vi
Foreword by James L. Neibaur 1
Preface 3
One: The Rockabilly Hepcat: Elvis Presley 5
Kavan Hashemian 5  •  Travis LeDoyt 8  •  Caden Gamblin 12  •  Ricky Aron 14  •  Jake Slater 16  •  Finley Watkins 18
Two: “Rave On” for Me: Buddy Holly 21
Johnny Rogers 21  •  John Mueller 23
Three: “It’ll Be Me”: Jerry Lee Lewis 29
Luke Stroud 29  •  Jared Freiburg 32  •  Doug Cooke 37  •  Jacob Tolliver 41
Four: Pop–Rock and Roll Icons 46
Al Jackson (Fats Domino) 46  •  Jesse Aron (Roy Orbison) 51  •  Rick Lindy (Roy Orbison) 53  •  Garry Moore (Little Richard) 57  •  David Bogle (Ricky Nelson) 59  •  Scott Hinds (Carl Perkins) 63  •  Ty Stone (James Brown) 67  •  Pete Hutton (Ral Donner) 70
Five: Women Who Rock 73
Tammi Savoy (Diana Ross) 73  •  Julie Myers (Stevie Nicks) 77  •  Laura West (­­Ann-Margret) 79  •  Lisa Irion (Cher) 81  •  Amberley Beatty (Patsy Cline) 85  •  Elaine Wesley (Patsy Cline) 88
Six: “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash” 91
Zach McNabb 91  •  Pete Storm 94  •  Christopher Essex 97
Seven: “Walk a Mile in My Shoes”: 1970s Elvis 100
Leo Days 100  •  Doug Church 104  •  Michael St. Angel 108  •  Gib Maynard 110  •  Bill Cherry 113  •  Ted Torres Martin 116  •  Johnny Thompson 120  •  Dwight Icenhower 125  •  John Lyons 128  •  Garry Wesley 132  •  Jay Dupuis 136
Chapter Notes 143
Bibliography 147
Index 149

“Interesting…When an author with this level of knowledge and frame of reference for music writes a book, the information is so deep and fulfilling it can be read for enjoyment first and thereafter be used as a handy reference source…recommended”—James Neibaur