Sterling Pollaro, Elvis tribute artist, who was born and raised in Jamestown, will come home in October for a performance worth remembering.
Pollaro's goal for the upcoming presentation of Sterling "The Impossible Dream" A Tribute to Elvis, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 6, at Struthers Library Theatre in Warren, is to present the audience with a glimpse into the past when Elvis graced the stage in Las Vegas.
Pollaro's most recent area performance was in 2011 at the Crown Theater in Jamestown. And, before that he made his debut at a sold-out show at the same venue in 2009.
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Jamestown native Elvis tribute artist Sterling Pollaro will return to the area for a show in Warren on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Struthers Library Theatre.
Steen Photography photo
"Anytime we can come back to the area and have the hometown people come out to see us is a fantastic thing," said Pollaro. "My hometown has supported me all through the years, and it feels good knowing that you can come back to your home and please the people. If you can do that, then you've really done well. When you're back home what makes it more special than other performances is the closeness of a live audience. The electricity you get from a hometown group is so much different."
Pollaro's Elvis tribute band goes by the name of Lightning Strikes Twice, and the group is backed by the dynamic Ladies of Rhythm. The group pays tribute to Elvis by recreating in meticulous detail the 1970 concert tours - down to the very last head tilt.
"We try to do an exact replica of an Elvis show with the same enthusiasm that there was," said Pollaro. "We don't do what he didn't do, and we don't take away from what he did; we try to present it just like it was back then."
Pollaro does such a good job of recreating the Elvis experience that Donna Early Presley, Elvis' first cousin, awarded him the top score of 10 for similarity to her cousin Elvis' voice at the National Tribute Convention in Orillia, Ontario. He was also inducted into the Elvis Tribute Artist Hall of Fame, and is a member of the Elite Division of Elvis Tribute Artists. And, he was judged No. 1 in the country and No. 2 in the world at the International Professional Class of Elvis Artist competition in Collingwood, Ontario.
"I go out and try to vocalize and move like he did to give a real concert," said Pollaro. "That's why we say it's a performance to remember; because anybody who has ever seen Elvis, we want them to have a little feeling again that brings back memories. And, for the younger generation or those who never had the opportunity to see him we want them to get the feeling of what it was like to see Elvis."
That's why Pollaro strives to create a professional, family atmosphere, he said. He wants fans of all ages to be able to enjoy the wonder that struck him as a young boy.
Pollaro recalls seeing the effect that Elvis' death in 1977 had on his family, friends and the Jamestown community. He was 10 years old, and wanted to know what was so special about the man they called the "King of Rock and Roll."
"I remember asking my father if it was the president that died, because that's how people were acting," said Pollaro. "My father said, 'No, it's worse than the president, it was Elvis Presley.' For my dad to to say something like that was odd ... he didn't show much emotion like that. Then on the way home to see people pulled over in their cars, men and women alike crying, had such a huge impact on me. I was so impressed by the impact that his passing had that I had to find out what made this man unlike any other entertainer. And, what I've realized is that it has nothing to do with him going around singing 'Hound Dog,' but rather it's his story of rags to riches - accomplishing the American dream. It was the kindness, the love he had for people, the respect he had for his parents and that there were no races in his eyes, everybody was equal. He was incredible."
Tickets are available for $15 at the Wing City Grille, located at 273 Fairmount Ave. in Lakewood. They are also available by contacting Yankee Bush Productions at 814-489-3110, at the Struthers Library box office, Warren United News and Virg-Ann Flower Shop in Warren. Struthers Library Theatre is located at 302 W. Third St. in Warren. For more information email memoriesofelvis@hotmail.com.