Las Vegas Country Tribute Music Director James Presley

While on our recent trip to The Strip in the world famous city of Las Vegas, we attended a show at Bally’s Hotel to enjoy a performance by keyboardist James Presley. We already knew James from his independent recordings on his Indie Disneyana label “Jiminy’s Limited Editions” but I also have been very aware of his growing popularity as a musician and music director for production shows that are tributes to country artists on the ticketed markets in Sin City. James is a fifty-something year old musician that leads the band for many of the country artist “look-alike” production shows. We had coffee following the 5:30pm show and I asked him how he accomplished becoming a country music production show director.

Me: Are you the music director on all of these type of shows here? James: No. In the show you guys just watched I only play keyboards and am just a working musician for this show. Country Superstars is one of the most fun shows to work in Vegas. I am the music director for country production show producers Peter Pavone (tribute artist of the year in Vegas) and Kathy Wolfe who is also a producer here in town. Over the past few years I have been music director for many of these production shows and the theaters range from 250 seats all the way up to 5000. Me: Why do these producers prefer you as the music director and how did you achieve this upper level in your career? James: I toured with country bands for nearly 20 years between 1978 and about 1996.

The most popular country artists that look-alike entertainers portray had charted hit songs during that period of time. The cover bands I toured with performed those country songs, while we toured, during that particular era. I pretty much already know all of those songs and I’m already accustomed to being a band leader. I am a shoe-in for that type of a job. I always meet with the producers and design the show exactly to their exact requirements. I will do a mp3 mock up and script of the entire show. When all is approved I hire the musicians and we rehearse the show. I use the best musicians possible and we normally have one rehearsal. T hen we perform the show for hundreds or thousands of folks. Me: I know that you have a band. Where do you perform with them? James: Our band works concerts events and we also play for casino lounges and popular night clubs here on The Strip in Las Vegas. The band plays 95% covers. We play new country music and classic rock. Jennifer Beall is the featured singer in my band.