Nashville, Graceland, Memphis – all of these places are inextricably linked with Elvis Presley. Denis Gill, a native of Waidhofen, devoted himself entirely to the music of the King of Rock and Roll. Rainer-Detfried Kaspar, as his real name is, has been touring all over Europe with the original musicians and companions of the King of Rock and Roll for 25 years. From Marbella to Helsinki, and from London, Berlin, Barcelona, Milan and Zurich to Sofia.
On Saturday, a show at the Eagle Folk Club brought him back to the city where he spent his youth. His father, Dietfried “Diddle” Kaspar, was president of the popular club for a few years in the early 1980s. This concert was also dedicated to him, as he sadly passed away in June 2023. Dennis Gill had a great connection with the club, and in that spirit he dedicated the concert to Elvis's saddest and generally unpopular songs.
Over 300 shows with Elvis musicians
Of course, some great visits can't be missed. There was great enthusiasm for titles such as “In the Ghetto”, “Always on My Mind” and “Suspicious Minds”. Cell phones were pulled out and people sang along with the text. The audience certainly could have used more songs from this category. In return, they received exclusive behind-the-scenes insights.
For the first time, Dennis Gill told tales of his collaborations with Elvis Presley's original musicians and showed never-before-seen behind-the-scenes photos of touring life during and between songs. Dennis played over 300 shows with legendary musicians of the time such as James Burton on guitar, Jerry Schiff on bass, Ronnie Tutt on drums, Glenn Hardin on piano and many others. I learned the background of the songs or how some of the collaborations came about.
Through pictures and stories, the big world briefly enters the little hedgehog. After the evening, it was also clear that anyone who loves cover songs from the Rock'n'Roll King is in good hands with Dennis Gill. The Elvis lock is still in place.
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