Elvis may have left the building, but he will soon return when Greenfield native Travis Ledoyt brings his Elvis Presley tribute act back to the Greenfield High School on Saturday, May 24, at 7 p.m.

Ledoyt will be backed by his band, the Nashville Boys, and a horn section consisting of local musicians. The show is called “Elvis: Wild in Vegas,” and proceeds will benefit the Greenfield High School music department.

Since Elvis’s music inspires a whole lot of shakin’, there will be a designated dance area set aside for those who feel the need to move, and for those of you who prefer to shake it in your seats, the dance area will guarantee that the view will not be impacted.

Ledoyt, who is known as the “world’s best young Elvis,” launched his career performing the music of the king of rock ‘n’ roll after graduating from Greenfield High School. The encouragement of the music department and then director Paul Calcari nurtured his love of Elvis and music and helped launch his career. The first time he performed the music of Elvis Presley was at a GHS talent show and the response was so enthusiastic it led to local shows and beyond.

Ledoyt eventually moved to Nashville and went on to perform in casinos, cruise ships, corporate events, and theaters throughout the country. He has also performed in Hong Kong and Great Britain and, for over a decade, headlined on the Royal Caribbean cruise line.

But Ledoyt, who was born the year Elvis died, never forgot his hometown high school where it all began, and has always given back, returning to Greenfield as often as he can to play benefit shows for the music department.

He always tries to keep it fresh for the audience and has done different shows each time, ranging in performing songs from Elvis’ movies, to the “Sun and the Stars” show which featured not only Presley, but also the music of many of the musical legends that also recorded at the famous Sun Studios in Memphis.

The singer’s show this year will be a very special performance that celebrates Presley’s repertoire in the 1970s as he began his famous Las Vegas residency. The music of this era had a much bigger sound than Elvis’ material from the ‘50s and Ledoyt’s new show represents that.

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Considering that he made his mark performing the music of Elvis’s early years, Ledoyt had been reluctant to branch out into the ‘70s period – that is, until now.

“Honestly, I’ve always felt my strengths and style align most with the raw, rock ‘n’ roll fire of young Elvis in the ‘50s and ‘60s,” Ledoyt told Sounds Local. “I worried that I couldn’t do justice to the jumpsuit persona of his ‘70s era without it feeling like a caricature. Plus, I wanted to remind audiences of Elvis in his prime before the rhinestone suits and ‘fat Elvis’ jokes took over.”

But people requested these songs over and over for years, so Ledoyt decided it was finally time to tackle them.

“We did the big production last year and it was so much fun with the horns that I wanted to bring them back,” Ledoyt said. “I am flying my band in, so I picked a bunch of songs that people have been requesting over the years and there is a bunch of stuff that I haven’t done before.”

“As far as it being a duplication of a specific Elvis concert, it will be close,” Ledoyt added. “My show will be looser because I can do more audience interaction than he (Presley) ever could, and that’s one of the fun parts.”

Listeners can expect to hear songs like “Way Down,” which has been a frequent request, as well as “Burning Love” alongside the ‘70s Elvis staples such as “Proud Mary” and “Sweet Caroline,” which were a big part of Elvis’ Vegas show.

With the new music comes an upgraded ‘70s look, but Ledoyt is not going for the trademark jumpsuits at this time. (“I’m not ready for that yet!” he said). Ledoyt said he will have plenty of scarves with him to pass out to fans, just as the King did in Vegas.

In addition to his new Elvis act, Ledoyt has been busy recording his own material and has a new recording out called “Twisted Fairy Tale,” a concept album inspired by fairy tales. This is a beautifully produced collection of pop-rock songs that range from the Elvis inspired “King Me” to the ballad “The Beast Within” which sounds like it could be at home on a Disney soundtrack. USB drives will be available to purchase at this show, but CDs will not be ready.

“I love songwriting and I think this is one of the strongest albums I’ve done,” Ledoyt said. “It was so much fun working with the fairy tale theme.”

Ledoyt may perform a few of these new songs, but this is not a record release, as the focus will be on Elvis and his ‘70s Vegas performances.

Ledoyt said that he realizes that times are difficult right now, but he hopes that people will come out to his show and enjoy themselves.

“We all need an escape – and this is my escape. I find myself longing for the past and I’ll take any chance to escape, and hopefully people need that, too,” Ledoyt said.

Tickets are available at travisledoyt.com or at the door.

In yet another sign to indicate the return of summer, the family-friendly Coop summer concert series kicks off at the Energy Park in Greenfield next Thursday, May 29, at 6 p.m.

Now in its 22nd year, this concert series is a beloved summer tradition in Franklin County. Concerts will be held every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring three different local artists at each show. The series is presented by the Franklin County Musicians Cooperative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting live music in the area.

At a Coop concert, you can expect to hear a diverse range of musical genres, including folk, country, Americana, old-time, zydeco, indie rock, and more.

The first show of the season offers a great example of this variety, with all three acts presenting acoustic music in different styles. The night will begin with performances by Katie Clarke and Larry Leblanc, followed by Pat and Tex LaMountain, and concluding with the group Small Change.

Pack a picnic, bring a blanket or a chair, gather the kids, and head to Energy Park for a fun evening. If the concert is canceled due to weather, updates will be posted on their Facebook page (Coop Concerts).

For more information, visit Coopconcerts.org.

The schedule is as follows:

Thursday, May 29: Katie Clarke and Larry Leblanc, Pat and Tex LaMountain, Small Change

Thursday, June 5: 133 Skeele, Jim Eagan and Boys of the Landfill

Thursday, June 12: Jennie McAvoy, Orlen, Gabriel, & Avery and the Klines

Thursday, June 19: Oen Kennedy, and Zydeco Connection (two sets)

Thursday, June 26: Russ Thomas, Austin & Elliott, and The Frost Heaves and HaLes

Thursday, July 3: Dust Devils (Nina Gross & Joe Graveline), 133 Skeele, and Brookside Project

Thursday July 10: Pat & Tex LaMountain, Jennie McAvoy, and R &D (Rob Adams and Dennis Avery)

Thursday, July 17: Larry LeBlanc, Orlen, Gabriel, and Avery and Austin & Elliott

Thursday, July 24: Jim Eagan, The Klines, The Frost Heave and HaLes

Thursday, July 31: John Stacey & Friends, R & D (Rob Adams and Dennis Avery) and Little Wild Bouquet

Thursday, Aug. 7: Dust Devils (Nina Gross and Joe Graveline), Small Change, and TBD