When Elvis tribute artist Vince King visited Kings Harbor on Friday night, he wasted no time getting the place shaking “like a leaf on a tree.” The “King” was the feature performer at the free concert hosted by Keller Williams which drew a record crowd to the waterfront venue on Lake Houston in Kingwood. See the video here.
King, who recently won the Myrtle Beach Ultimate Elvis Contest, began the concert dressed in a blue pin stripe jacket and blue suede shoes, reminiscent of the ’50s Elvis. His songs matched the outfit as he belted out ’50s hits: “Hound Dog” and “All Shook Up.” He ventured into the audience for his rendition of “Don’t Be Cruel,” paying special attention to the ladies in his VK Fan Club who were hard to miss with their pink bowling shirts. He then delighted the kids by handing out stuffed bears during the song “Teddy Bear.”
During Elvis’ first break, Keller Williams Realty Northeast Senior Team Leader Lisa Dempsey welcomed the guest charity of the evening: FamilyTime Crisis and Counseling Center in Humble. She noted that FamilyTime has been dramatically affected by the current economy and is running a $25,000 a month budget deficit. “That’s why it’s so important for us to support the cause,” she explained.
Dempsey introduced FamilyTime Executive Director Judy Cox who outlined several upcoming fund-raising events. The first is a golf tournament for The Door, the only emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence in northeast Houston. The tournament is on April 30 at the Kingwood Country Club. The second is the Keller Williams Viva Las Vegas Gala on Sept. 25 at the Houston Airport Marriott Hotel. Gala chairs Keller Williams agents Letitia Whipple and Diana Heffner encouraged the crowd to purchase a ticket for $100 or contribute a larger amount by becoming an event sponsor.
Dempsey then introduced an entirely different tribute to another super star: the late Michael Jackson. A group of nine Keller Williams associates under the direction of Fred Astaire Dance Studio transformed into zombies to dance to the King of Pop’s Thriller. They performed twice, once before the sun went down, and a second time under the light of the moon which really brought the zombies to life. The performers were: Michael Clapp, Bob and Terri Blewett, Sandy Beatte, Sandy Swensen, Denise Hernandez; Carol Alford, Suzanna Cheek, and Tina Leigh.
Elvis then moved his act up to the fountain level of the Harbor Plaza for his ’60s set. Wearing a short red jacket and black pants, he asked the audience: “Are you ready to dance a little bit?” The answer must have been “yes” because the crowd got up and moving as soon as he broke into the song “A Little Less Satisfaction.” Next he handed out leis for the ladies as he crooned the tune “Blue Hawaii.” There was so much swooning going on that the ladies were the ones saying: “Thank you very much.” He ended the set with a rousing “Viva Las Vegas” which was a good segue into his ‘70s set.
For his final set, King wore the white sequined jump suit made famous in Elvis’ Las Vegas act – but luckily this Elvis had a few less pounds than the original one. He started the set by announcing “Welcome to Las Vegas – Texas that is” and singing energetic tunes such as “Burning Love” and “Rolling on the River.” To slow things down a little, he chose to sing “Fever” for the ladies and brought out some satin scarves to put around their necks. After a few hugs from appreciative fans, King was heard saying Elvis’ famous line: “Lord have mercy.”
He continued to sweat out song after song until the end, mopping his brow with a white towel that he eventually gave to a devoted fan who was taking photos with her cell phone and swaying like a rock concert groopie. After his last song, “Fools Rush In,” this Elvis was no fool and stayed on to take photos. He perched in front of the realistic-looking Las Vegas sign provided by Lone Star Casino Parties while Sue Smith, his fan club president, signed up people for the Vince King Fan Club. You can bet that there are a lot of new members of that organization from the Kingwood area after Friday night’s concert!
