by VICTORIA ELIZABETH
Starring Lou Vuto, a seasoned and decorated tribute artist with over two decades of experience on the Pigeon Forge Parkway, Tennessee and beyond, Legends of Music is the headlining show at Pigeon Forge’s latest and greatest intimate theater: Lou Vuto’s Showplace.
Nestled on a pristine, peaceful hillside, just slightly out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the busy Pigeon Forge Parkway, this brand new theater offers an array of exciting shows, sure to satisfy the entertainment cravings of everyone in your group.
Vuto, a live entertainment and tribute performance veteran, maintains an approachable, interactive, and warm rapport with his audience (that includes a wide variety of ages from teens to seniors), who were all energetic and receptive to the content of this nearly two hour tribute spectacular.
The headliner, wasting no time, kicked off his show with a moody, bluesy rendition of the Nat King Cole classic, “Unforgettable,” before seamlessly transitioning into an homage to the legendary country music crooner, Conway Twitty.
Vuto’s performance of “Hello Darlin’” (arguably one of Twitty’s most widely popular and instantly recognizable songs) fully embodied the vocal tonality and charm of Twitty, and he also paid a sweet and heartwarming tribute to his friend, Travis James, who established himself as the premier Conway Twitty tribute artist in the Great Smokies for many consecutive years as the star of his own show in this very theater.
The leading man belted a beautiful assortment of songs from the discographies of some of the music industry’s most decorated stars, including The Man in Black, Johnny Cash. Just a few of Cash’s staggering array of hits that were brought to life during the show include “Folsom Prison Blues, and “Ring of Fire,” which was written by Cash’s country music royalty wife June Carter-Cash.
Switching gears into a different genre and era of music, Vuto fully embodied acclaimed singer-songwriter Neil Diamond in several toe tapping numbers including “Cracklin’ Rosie” and “Sweet Caroline.”
Filled to the brim with educational factoids regarding the making of some of the greatest and most illustrious hits in music history, Lou speaks to the audience about his own ample experience working with Charlie Hodge, a prolific singer and vocal coach, who also gained notoriety as the confidant and best friend of “The King”, Elvis Presley.
Fans of Sir Tom Jones, whose career and beloved musical catalog have spanned an incredible five decades, will certainly enjoy beautifully executed performances of hits such as “She’s a Lady” and “Delilah.”
After an intermission, the show’s frontman changes into the iconic gemstone adorned white “Nudie Suit” for his eagerly anticipated “Salute to Elvis,” which kicks off with the smash Sun Records produced hit that jump started Presley’s career, “That’s All Right, Mama.”
Additional stand out moments from the titular Elvis tribute portion of the evening include the 1957 smash hit “Teddy Bear,” the lovelorn ballad (originally popularized by Dusty Springfield) “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” and “Promised Land” (in which Hodge sang harmony).
Vuto, brimming with charm, energy, and beautifully exhibiting the inimitable spit of Elvis shows his remarkable range on numbers like “Kentucky Rain,” the world-famous “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Suspicious Minds.”
The show concludes with a powerful and poignant spiritual message and patriotic tribute featuring a ground shaking rendition of “How Great Thou Art”, “You Gave Me a Mountain,” and a salute to all former, active duty and fallen military service members with a riveting performance of “Dixie.”
Special thanks to the amazing Lou Vuto for facilitating our visit for this spotlight feature!
WEBSITE: https://louvutosshowplace.com
PHONE NUMBER (Box Office) 8654287852
INSTAGRAM: @louvutosshowplace
