Jed Duvall as Johnny Cash and Elvis

Jed and the Band are full service, and have all equipment necessary for a full show (including lights, PA system, etc.) The band plays up to three hours with two 20 minute breaks. The set list varies according to the needs of the client. Requests for specific songs are usually no problem, as long as they are presented to the act so that the band can master unfamiliar selections. Past clients (especially those on a corporate level) have provided risers or a stage of some sort, and a minimum of 250-300 square feet (about 16' x 8') is a requirement for the amount of equipment used in an average performance. Jed also performs as a solo act, with professional backing tracks, and provides a full system or a smaller portable sound system, depending upon the needs of the client.

Jed Duvall is an award-winning tribute artist/impersonator with over thirty years of on-stage experience. He has performed in small local nightclubs and large concert venues, and his recreation of music legends is uncanny. But who is he, and how did he get into this?

Jed was born in Washington, DC, but was actually raised in the small tobacco farming community of Croom, Maryland. Living in such an isolated area, he relied upon his imagination for entertainment. In school, Jed participated in many local dramatic productions, as well as sung in his church choir. It was no surprise that at an early age, his goal was to become an entertainer, either acting in Hollywood or touring with a band. But his aspirations were altered in 1978, when high school was treated to a performance by a local Elvis tribute artist. "He was so commanding onstage, and made such an impression on the audience—especially the girls—I decided I wanted to do that, as well". Two years later, he entered his high school talent show as "Elvin Preston"—and bombed. "I think they had twelve contestants, and I came in 11th place", he laughs. "And the judges were pretty merciless". But undaunted, he continued to impersonate the King of Rock and Roll, even after joining the Army in 1980. And in the spring of 1981, he entered a contest held on post—again, as "Elvin Preston"—and won.

After his discharge in 1983, Jed auditioned for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, and was accepted for their two year program. "What I learned there—movement and dance, vocal production, acting techniques, and even makeup—would be valuable lessons I use to this day". But even as he attended classes during the day and worked nights, he continued his tribute to Elvis, winning a major contest in New York City, and invited to portray young Elvis in "Elvis; An American Trilogy", a production that ran in various venues during the mid-1980's. Jed also sang in various bands, including the Hell Hounds and the Brothers of Doom (in which he was known as "James Doom"). But as the years went by, Jed longed for security and a family. He went back to college and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Digital and Imaging Arts from the University of Maryland in 1996. And that same year, he married his wife Kim, and helped to raise Kristi and Josh, Kim's children from a previous marriage.

Skip to 2005. By this time, Jed had been working as a digital imager for nearly ten years, but the itch to perform persisted. He began doing community theater in the Baltimore area a few years before, and in May, 2005, entered his first Elvis contest in a decade. Seeing the amount of Elvis tribute artists already established, Jed was more than willing to try his hand at other personas. In 2007, he started his tribute to Johnny Cash, and together with his Elvis act, found himself performing more than ever.

Today, Jed continues to be a sought-after tribute artist, and his performances have taken him all over the country. But he enjoys the home he shares with Kim in a small town outside of Baltimore. And if you drive by and he's on his lawn tractor, you can still hear him singing the tunes of his youth.