BENSLEY – Elvis lives! Sorta. Seniors at Bensley Community Center recently got to experience an afternoon with Elvis tribute artist, Wrenn Mangum. It was a musical step into the past, and the audience loved it.
Bensley Community Center hosted the potluck luncheon Aug. 15. The event had an overwhelming response, and the room was filled with smiling faces.
“It was the best show,” said David Potter, building supervisor, “This place was rocking!”
Mangum is no stranger to the enticing tunes of Elvis.
Born in St. Mary’s Hospital, Sept. 29, 1972, to a mother and father who grew up in the rock ‘n’ roll era, Mangum was exposed to the music right away. But it would be years down the road before he discovered his calling.
“We had the 45’s of all the music in our home,” Mangum said excitedly, “Blues, rockabilly, soul, pop and more.”
Mangum’s music knowledge and taste expanded as his uncle gave him record albums of groups such as the Kingston Trio.
A love for classical guitar began to develop, and the budding musician learned to play and do finger picking on a Telecaster guitar.
Then a break came that placed Mangum on his pathway to his career and calling.
“A guy from Maryland began talking to me about music and asked me if I knew anything about the kind of music his band was making.”
About that time Mangum was working retail and his uncle, who was only 60 years old, suddenly passed away. “That had a profound effect on me,” he said. I decided I had to follow my dream. I then became part of the band Frog Legs. Later I joined a band The Wild One; that was in the mid 90s. We played a lot of gigs.”
Mangum then traveled up and down the East Coast in the rockabilly band The Wild One. Later on, changes came, and the singer-musician joined a new band called BoneAnchor. Mangum continues to play occasionally in this band when he is not performing his shows. BoneAnchor’s Morgan Huff and Tom Illmensee have been playing with Mangum for 15 years now.
Once again the performer’s life faced a change, but it was one that would help define his career.
“I did an Elvis competition,” he said, “and it seemed like the people liked it. I then won a regional competition and that win opened up a door, a lot of wonderful opportunities came to me.
“I feel like I have been put in a situation where I can make people happy,” Mangum said.
Mangum appreciated the Bensley seniors crowd.
“They were such a vibrant crowd, they got up and were dancing, laughing, smiling, and were just happy,” he said. “They have so much to share, and many of them share personal stories with me of times when they have seen the actual Elvis perform or things they know about his life. “
Some of the Elvis hits performed at the crowd’s request at the luncheon were: “Alright Mama,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Love me Tender,” “For the Good Times,” “Lead Me,” “Guide Me “(gospel song), “All Shook Up, My Way, Suspicious Minds, Blue Swede Shoes and more.
There are lots of benefits for performing the seniors, Mangum said.
“If I mess up, the seniors don’t throw rotten tomatoes at me.”
