Justin Sullivan is “a dead ringer” for Kenny Rogers, according to Adam Michaels, owner of Avenue of the Stars Entertainment. Michaels is bringing Sullivan to Iola for “An Evening with Kenny Rogers,” a tribute concert at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Bowlus Fine Arts Center.
“When he walks on stage, people gasp because you’re looking at a mirror image of Kenny,” Sullivan said. “We do it the most realistic way possible, looking at the artist as you remember them.”
Saturday’s show offers a throwback to Rogers’ biggest hits. He’ll be accompanied by The Real Deal band, featuring performers who have played at the Grand Ole Opry and with numerous country music legends.
Sullivan grew up outside Nashville as part of a musical family. In his youth, Sullivan sang Southern gospel music. It wasn’t until years later when he and his wife stopped in a restaurant in the Bahamas that his wife, Janet, saw a photo of Kenny Rogers and realized why customers were staring at her husband. He was often asked for his autograph and photos, but was not working an impersonator.
Michaels first saw Sullivan, a church worship leader, while watching a Christian television station. Michaels had actually met Rogers years ago, when he was 8 and Rogers was performing with The First Edition, a rock band that played from 1967-1976. One of the band members lived in the same apartment building and attended parties hosted by Michaels’ parents. After Michaels formed his entertainment company, he searched for “the best of the best” tribute artists.
“I was looking for a Kenny Rogers tribute artist,” Michaels said. “I looked all over the country and came upon Justin by accident. I called the station and asked, ‘Can you tell me who that guy is?’ Then I took him and his wife to dinner and asked, ‘Can you sing?’”
Turns out, he could. Michaels and Sullivan built a tribute show, “ An Evening with the Gambler,” after one of Rogers’ most popular songs. But another tribute artist uses the same name for a show, so Michaels simplified the title. You’ll still see it listed under the “Gambler” moniker on the Bowlus website.
Tickets are available online at bowluscenter.org.
