St. Catherine's Center for Children is bringing Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly back to the stage, at least in tribute form, with a one-night-only benefit concert set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Kitty Carlisle Hart Theatre inside The Egg in Albany. The show, called Elvis & Buddy Holly: When Legends Meet, imagines a pivotal moment in 1955 when Presley's rising star reportedly inspired a young Buddy Holly, and it doubles as a fundraiser for programs serving vulnerable children and families across the Capital Region.
According to TAPinto, tickets start at $48 and are already on sale online, with sponsorship opportunities still available for those who want a bigger stake in the night. The concert is presented by St. Catherine's Center for Children, and organizers say every proceed will go toward the nonprofit's mission. As St. Catherine's Center for Children puts it, “All proceeds from Elvis & Buddy: When Legends Meet will benefit St. Catherine's Center for Children.”
A Night Built Around a 1955 Spark
The production centers on a moment in 1955 when, according to the event description from The Egg, Elvis Presley's performances in Lubbock, Texas, helped push a then-18-year-old Buddy Holly toward the sound that would define his career. The Egg's account notes that Holly attended Presley's first Lubbock show and later opened for him during return engagements that same year. The seed facts include a quote attributed to Holly himself summing up that influence: “Without Elvis, none of us would have made it.”
Organizers describe the pairing as more than nostalgia, framing Presley and Holly as artists who helped define the birth of rock and roll and whose music, more than 70 years later, continues to influence generations of performers and fans. The show's billing promises to bring that historic connection to life for a modern Albany audience, celebrating what organizers call the lasting impact both musicians had on American popular music.
Meet the Tribute Artists Taking the Stage
Buffalo native Nathan Pittorf takes on the role of Buddy Holly for the evening. The Egg describes him as an award-winning tribute artist, and his set list is expected to include Holly staples like “That'll Be the Day,” “Peggy Sue” and “Oh Boy!” Standing in as Elvis is Dan Fontaine, a Massachusetts native whom The Egg calls New England's premier Elvis Tribute Artist. Fontaine has performed from Las Vegas to Memphis and will run through many of Presley's best-known hits from the 1960s and 1970s, backed by his band, the Memphis Sun Mafia.
Rounding out the cast is Albany native Luke Barnhart, who makes a special guest appearance portraying a young Elvis. Giving a hometown performer a spot in the lineup adds a local thread to a production otherwise built around touring tribute talent.
Money Raised Stays in the Capital Region
Michele Puleo O'Hare, executive director of the Foundation of St. Catherine's Center for Children, said every ticket purchased helps support the organization's programs throughout the region. St. Catherine's is a Capital Region nonprofit that provides education, behavioral health services, foster care, family support, residential treatment, housing assistance and other programs serving children, adults and families.
This is not the organization's first run at pairing a classic rock tribute act with a charitable cause. St. Catherine's previously hosted “Elvis: Good Rockin' Tonight” at The Egg on November 16, 2024, an evening that starred tribute artist David Lee alongside Fontaine and his Memphis Sun Mafia band, with tickets that year starting at $39.90, the organization's own announcement shows. Proceeds from that 2024 concert directly benefited St. Catherine's programs and services across more than 20 New York counties, according to the nonprofit's own account of the event.
