Elvis tribute artist Zaden J., 14, will perform at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Strand Theatre, 432 N. Main St. in Jennings. (Special to the American Press)

Fourteen-year-old Zaden J. Gallion has been an avid fan of Elvis Presley since he watched one of his concerts with his dad.

Zaden, who hails from Jonesboro, Ark., has been performing as an Elvis tribute artist for more than three years, appearing in theaters and restaurants across Arkansas and Missouri. He performs under the stage name “Zaden J.”

He will be performing at 6 p.m. Saturday, July 19, at the Strand Theatre, 432 N. Main St. in Jennings. Doors open at 5 p.m., and Zaden will be taking the audience on a musical journey of Elvis’ hits.

“It started by my dad,” Zaden explains. “He got me started when I was little. He had an Elvis concert on TV and I started to watch it, and later on, he took me to Dean Z, an Ultimate Elvis tribute artist in Branson, Mo., and I just started learning one song after another, and then had my first show, and I just kept on going,” he said.

“I love doing it, and I want to keep doing it,” he continued. “I want to eventually be an Ultimate Elvis one day. That’s where you go to Memphis and compete, and you compete for $20,000, and then you also get the championship belt, and get to be called the Ultimate Elvis.”

Zaden placed first place in the Tupelo Elvis Youth Competition last year during the Elvis Festival after securing second place in 2023.

“I did a song called ‘Hurt,’ which is probably one of the shortest Elvis songs out there, but I think I did it pretty good because it got me first place,” he said. “I was surprised, too, because there were others who did really good, too, but it was fun. I was glad that I got first place because I worked hard for it. I studied that song every night, just watching videos and learning about it.”

Zaden said his parents have always been supportive of his act and are among his biggest fans.

“They were the ones that kind of got me into it,” he said. “They already liked Elvis … well, my dad really liked Elvis. My mom was a real big Bon Jovi fan, but then one day, we went to Graceland with some friends from Kentucky, and that’s when my mom started liking Elvis a little more.”

Zaden said he has always been fascinated by Elvis’ music, moves and the way he captivated audiences since watching the concert with his dad.

He’s seen most of Elvis’ movies and watches videos of his performance to perfect his own act.

“There’s just something about the overall atmosphere,” he said. “How he made the crowd have fun, and the show was good to watch. People enjoyed it. I enjoyed it. It just looked like he was having a good time, and it just looked like something fun to do.”

Zaden’s performance promises a night of nostalgia and high energy, taking audiences on a musical journey through the “King of Rock and Roll’s iconic career.

Audiences attending Zaden’s performance can expect a night filled with nostalgia, energy and a musical journey through the “King of Rock and Roll’s” career, from the iconic 1950s to the his legendary movie career to the electrifying 1968 comeback and the vibrant 1970s — complete with Elvis’ timeless hits, signature moves and flashy jumpsuits.

He covers songs from the 50s, movie soundtracks, the 1968 comeback special, and the Las Vegas years of the 70s.

“There’s a lot of hip shaking and a lot of leg shaking and an overall great time,” he continued, adding he also enjoys interacting with the audience and making jokes during his shows.

Zaden said he learned most of Elvis’ moves and his persona by meticulously studying videos and watching other impersonators on stage.

“I just take my time learning to do the moves one step at a time, one finger movement, and just learning it all to 100 percent,” he said.

Zaden said he really enjoys doing the 1970s Elvis, which he says is “so much fun to do.”

When asked about his favorite Elvis song to perform, Zaden chose “If I Can Dream,” noting its powerful message of hope during a time when the world needed it.

“When Elvis sang it, it was during a time period when the world needed hope, and that’s why he made that song,” he said. “He stayed up all night learning it, and he just has a really powerful message to that song.”

Zaden enjoys performing on stage, meeting new people, and hearing their stories and memories about Elvis. He finds joy in seeing the audience sing along, dance and have a great time.

After his shows, he often does meet-and-greets, taking pictures and signing autographs.

“I enjoy meeting the people because I get to hear the stories about where they are from and stories about Elvis,” he said. “I get to know where they’re from, or they’ll tell me a little bit about themselves. I enjoy getting to know people.”