By DAVE LAVENDER
The Herald-Dispatch
lavender@herald-dispatch.com
Between Porter Waggoner’s Nudie suits and Reba McEntire’ s penchant for bedazzled costume changes, Nashville’s music scene has been more than known for a little rhinestoned shimmer. That city that twinkles like its own little star is going to get a little bit brighter as Charleston native singer, Theron Denson, “The Black Diamond” has announced that he’s moving back east from Las Vegas to Nashville.
But before Denson, the world’s only black Neil Diamond tribute act, brings his show to Nashville, he’s going to bring the Diamond to the diamond.
The Black Diamond is headlining the free Thursday Night Concert Series at Appalachian Power Park , 601 Morris St., in downtown Charleston.
Gates open at 6 p.m., music begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25.
Denson, who celebrates his 11th year as a Neil Diamond tribute act in September, is also booked at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26 , at The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., downtown Charleston.
Denson, who has been featured on national television as a guest on 'The Jimmy Kimmel Live Show' on ABC and in the National Examiner, said he’s excited to be bringing The Black Diamond show back east closer to his fanbase all over the Midwest.
“I thought Nashville, Tenn., needed a couple more sequins,” Denson said with a laugh. “Loretta Lynn what? Here’s Black Diamond. I was out in Vegas for about three years and really enjoyed the experience and can always say I was on the Vegas strip and performed on the strip.
What a highlight and an accomplishment. That was always a dream from the beginning of the Black Diamond Show 11 years ago and I realized it. I am looking forward to arriving in this new chapter of my new adventure. Fortunately, Neil Diamond is loved universally, so that is half the battle.”
Denson said he’s leaving Vegas on a high note as he made connection with King Errisson, the famous Motown percussionist and Diamond’ s percussionist since 1976, to work on a CD together.
“We started talking about it about a year ago and he knew he would be delayed because he was on tour but now he is back and getting settled into life off the road and ready to get into the studio and cut some CDs, “Denson said. “He’s got some pretty incredible ideas and a lot of original material and songs he had written for Neil Diamond and so we’re going to hear those songs and consider them for inclusion.”
Denson, who got to fulfill a dream of opening for The Pointer Sisters last year as part of FestivALL Charleston, got the invite to open for them again.
He got to open for them at a sold-out casino show in Detroit, and while also in Michigan, filmed a segment for a just released documentary film called “50,000,000 Tribute Fans Can’t Be Wrong.”
Made by TK Productions out ofMichigan, and now available on Amazon, the doc features some of the nation’s top tribute acts including local natives, The Black Diamond and Meigs County, Ohio, native Dwight Icenhower, one of the top Elvis impersonators in the world.
Just out July 10, the documentary rolls plenty of footage of The Black Diamond tossed in with tribute acts of Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Tom Jones and of course, Elvis.
“It’s a great DVD and not just because I am in it,” Denson said laughing. “It’s fascinating and there’ s some great tribute singers out there.”
Interestingly, although Denson has been making a living the past decade as a tribute to Neil Diamond, he had not gotten any acknowledgment from the famous singer until this year.
He received a personally autographed photo of Neil Diamond for his birthday — albeit a few months late after Diamond had wrapped up a world tour with stops in New Zealand, South Africa and Europe.
“When he got back he signed a picture and wrote 'Happy Birthday Theron' and only Neil Diamond could get away with making someone so happy by sending a birthday greeting several months late,” Denson said.
Powered up with a new website and new merchandise ( all made by Balance Clothing on the west side of Charleston), Denson said he’s excited to roll back home and celebrate with all his friends, family and fans in West Virginia where his wild and wonderful dream job began.
“I like to come home big and hit it hard,” Denson said. “West Virginia literally put the Black Diamond show on the map and made it a viable entertainment option so I always like coming home and doing it big because they did it big for me and they come through repeatedly for me. I can’t think of a better way to head off to Nashville, Tenn., than with that momentum of getting to be in West Virginia.” just beforehand.