Elvis comes to life in Buckley
Published 9:30 am Monday, July 12, 2021
Buckley hosted the first of its free summer concerts last Thursday with Danny Vernon performing his “Illusions of Elvis” show at the Buckley Youth Activity Center lawn.
Vernon entertained with classic such as “Blue Swede Shoes,” “Return to Sender” and “Devil in Disguise.”
“I am celebrating America, by celebrating the all-American hero, Elvis Presley,” Vernon said. “By helping his legacy live on, we continue to build our community. [Presley’s] songs bring people together and it has almost become an American tradition to share the experiences of his music.”
Buckley’s 2020 concert series had to be postponed due to COVID-19. However, as the world continues to rebound, communities are able to come together again.
“Bonney Lake has started their summer concert series on Wednesdays and Enumclaw is starting their concerts series on Friday nights, so we all feel that it is the right time to get back out there and start living our lives again…especially since many in our community are getting fully vaccinated,” Buckley Mayor Pat Johnson said.
About 200 people gathered in small groups around the concert area to listen to the show. The gathered audience spanned several generations; from people who watched Elvis Presley in person, to children that have only heard the “King” from recordings.
“Bringing the community together is what this world needs on the heels of the global pandemic that we just experienced and the best way that I know how to do that is through Elvis Presley’s songs,” Vernon said. “Elvis was never about himself, he always wanted to get into the crowd and interact with the community of people he was performing for through inclusion.”
As Buckley and the surrounding communities continue to reopen after the shutdowns, there will be an uptick in activities available for residents of the area.
“Buckley will be closing off Main Street for a few Saturday events throughout the summer as we continue to build a feeling of community and togetherness that has waned over the past year,” Johnson said.
For more information on the summer concert series or other city events go to www.cityofbuckley.com/calendar.
