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But before he gets to his last farewell later this year or in early 2021, Roth will swivel those hips for his Elvis Valentine's weekend show "Elvis, Elvis, Elvis" at 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Christopher Club, 3150 S Dixie Drive, Kettering.
A portion of the proceeds for the show will be donated to the Dayton Oregon District Tragedy Fund established by the Dayton Foundation in the wake of the Aug. 4 mass shooting that left 10 dead and at least 40 with physical injures.
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“I think it is important to give back to the people who were traumatized,” said Roth, who works at a financial company.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Call 937-266-2842 for advance tickets.
Roth’s show will feature The Comeback Special Band in a performance that pays homage to Elvis of the 70s.
Following the Valentine’s event, Roth plans to perform at the Clark County Fair, Rock'n'Green Tomato Festival in Miamisburg and to benefit a Farmersville fire department in April.
The beginning of the end starts little more than a decade after Roth, started portraying the artist known for a long list of hits that include “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” “Viva Las Vegas,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “In the Ghetto,” “Fever,” “Steamroller Blue,” “Suspicious Minds” and “Kentucky Rain.”
Credit: Submitted by Ryan Roth
Credit: Submitted by Ryan Roth
An entertainer since age 18, Roth has traveled the nation and world as the King of Rock and Roll since 2009.
It has been an honor, he said.
“You can see why he loved his fan. They are really, really, really great fans,” Roth said. “I am really going to miss the people. I’m going to miss performing. I am going to miss portraying Elvis.”
Roth said he worked to present Elvis in the best way for the sake of his fans.
“People are coming up to you for an autograph because Elvis means something to them,” he said.
Pulling off Elvis has not been easy.
Roth said the role takes a physical toll on the body. He spent two hours getting ready before each show.
“You kind of get to look at things through his perspective, right down to being exhausted after a show,” Roth said. “He was feeling it in his legs.”
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“The other part of it is I think it’s time to get back to doing what I do as a musical artist,” said Roth, also a member of the local honky tonk band No Good SOBs. “I will continue to do his music, but I am not going to portray him in the way I do.”
The Christopher Club performance will be first since the Englewood resident suffered a stroke in October after an evening in the Oregon District.
“There were times when I could not raise my arms or legs off the hospital bed,” Roth said. “My therapy was that I had to get back to work.”
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Roth suffered some short- term memory loss, but has otherwise recovered.
“I had to give back because I’ve been very fortunate,” he said. “I know what it is like to lose a family member to a violent crime.”
WANT TO GO?
What: "Elvis, Elvis, Elvis" Valentine's Weekend show with Ryan Roth and The Comeback Special Band
When: 7 p.m. Feb. 15, 2020
Where: The Christopher Club, 3150 S. Dixie Drive, Kettering
Cost: $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Call 937-266-2842 for more information
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