Elvis tribute artist performs at Sunset Theater Aug. 30

ASHEBORO — If you like Elvis, or classic country, you’ll love Jordan Poole.

He’ll be performing Saturday, Aug. 30, at the Sunset Theatre with the show beginning at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

As an Elvis tribute artist, or ETA, he can boast that he won a preliminary round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition — at Tupelo, Miss., no less. That earned him the right to compete in the nationwide competition in, where else? Memphis.

And if that doesn’t trip your fancy, Poole joined four other ETAs a couple of months ago as headliners for the Elvis Festival in Las Vegas for seven days. 

So who is Jordan Poole? At 24, he’s the same age as Brandon Shepherd, who will perform at the Sunset the night before. They met at, you guessed it, an Elvis competition.

“We clicked backstage,” said Poole of his musical friend. “He’s a great guy.”

Poole is also from a small town — Sylvester, GA, between Albany and Tifton in the southern part of the state. Sylvester’s population was 5,644 according to the 2020 census.

Poole said his interest in Elvis came from his father, Gordon Poole, who “used to listen to Elvis all the time. I discovered who Elvis was, and then classic country at the age of 9.”

At that time, he said, “I couldn’t sing.” But he took singing lessons to find his voice.

Poole said he was about 15 or 16 when he first performed in front of an audience. It was in his preacher father’s church singing gospel music.

“Then I picked up on Elvis and country,” he said and soon began considering the possibility of making a career out of music.

He had a decision to make — to stay with his job at the post office or take a chance with music. He called it his “fork in the road.”

“Jan. 27, 2025, was my last day in the post office,” Poole said. “I chose what made me happy. Ever since that decision, I have been more busy with music. It was like it was waiting for me. As soon as I made the decision, I started getting calls (to perform). It’s like it was meant to be.”

Besides the Elvis competitions and Las Vegas shows, Poole has played three times in upstate New York and everywhere in between.

The preliminary competition in Tupelo was especially rewarding to him. He said it was “almost like a beauty contest, with a sitdown interview with the judges” besides performing.

“It went well,” Poole said. “There were 20 guys and I got a lot of experience. The City of Tupelo made a plaque with my name on it. They market around the fact that Elvis was born in Tupelo. They really hold up his legacy. It’s all about Elvis.”

Poole also had a great time during his time in Las Vegas during the Elvis Festival. He and the four other ETAs performed at the Westgate, formerly the International Hotel where Elvis performed. They did their acts on the same stage and were even provided the same dressing room as The King.

“It was an experience for sure,” he said.

So how does an up-and-coming performer find himself in Asheboro?

“I was in an Elvis contest a few years ago in Lexington,” Poole explained. “A lady said I need to check out a theater not far from here.”

Poole said he set the idea aside but the lady kept urging him until he “finally contacted the theater and put the show together. Now we’re working on a three-show event for next year.”

Ticket sales for Saturday’s show surprised Poole. “The tickets sold way more than I expected. It shocked me. The town has been very nice and the theater is great.”

Just like Brandon Shepherd, Poole puts on a one-man show, singing and playing guitar. His manager is Terri Futreal, who helps backstage.

He calls his show “From King to Country.” 

“The opening is a re-creation of Elvis in Vegas,” Poole said. After an intermission, he’ll do classic country, including songs by Conway Twitty, Keith Whitley, George Jones and others.

“The concept is to be a night for people who like Elvis and for people who like country.”

The two concepts are complimentary, he said, adding that Elvis “recorded a lot of country songs.

“The history of Elvis is what’s really interesting to me. He came from nothing. I love to see singers’ histories, how they got started.”

You could say the same for Jordan Poole and Brandon Shepherd. Could their back-to-back performances at the Sunset Theatre be a foretaste of things to come?

Time will tell.