MEMPHIS, TN (352today.com) – Elvis may have left the building, but when a Dunnellon man left the Graceland Soundstage in Memphis on Saturday night he strutted out with an impressive title: 2023 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist winner.
26-year-old Cote Deonath swiveled his hips and belted out hits from the King of Rock and Roll in a two-night competition that earned him the coveted title; as well as a $20,000 cash prize, a contract to perform with Elvis Presley Enterprises and the Ultimate Winner belt.
“I’m going to get emotional,” said Susan Sand as she recounted what it was like to be in the audience when Deonath’s name was announced as the winner. “He has worked his entire life to achieve this goal and to see it come to fruition. Well, there just wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”
Sand has known Deonath for nearly a decade and drove more than 10 hours from her home in coastal South Carolina to show her support for Denoath during the finals. By her count, Sand has seen him perform live hundreds of times, “Even though I’ve been at so many of his performances, every single time I see him on stage I’m astonished because his voice is so wonderful. He has so much control over his voice.”
During the semi-final round of the competition, Deonath sang Elvis’ 1969 hit “Suspicious Minds. “He does it better than anyone I’ve seen do it,” said Sand who also shoots video of Deonath performing.
For entertainers like Deonath, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist (ETA) Contest is his craft’s highest recognition. Elvis Presley Enterprises started the contest in 2007 in search of the “best representation of the legacy of Elvis Presley.” Elvis tribute artists from around the world compete for their chance to win a spot in the semi-final round which is held each year during Elvis Week – the week leading up to his death anniversary on August 16. This year, 15 ETAs earned spots in the semi-finals including performers from Canada, United Kingdom, Scotland, and Japan.
To call these performers impersonators would be an insult said Sand. “Elvis had particular hand positions and gestures,” she said. “They (ETAs) know what jewelry he wore on which song on which show. The contestants who really make it have studied Elvis for years.”
According to the official contest website, competitors are judged on vocals, style, stage wear and stage presence. Vocals account for 40% of the total score. The other criteria each contribute 20% to the overall score.
“His voice is incredible,” said Elmar Keijzer who was also in the audience Saturday night. “I’m a little biased but he’s really, really good.” Keijzer travels to the ETA competitions snapping photos of the performances and says Deonath was clearly the audience favorite. “Every time he came on stage the crowd went wild,” stated Keijzer.
For his final performance in the competition, Deonath chose Elvis’ Grammy-award winning gospel ballad, “How Great Thou Art.”
“The last notes on that song was incredible. Unbelievable,” said Keijzer. “I saw it through my lens and snapping all kinds of pictures. I knew it he was going to make it. The last song did it,” Keijzer continued.
The anticipation mounted for contestants as the snare drum roll set the dramatic scene and emcee Dean Z, a professional Elvis tribute artist, announced the top three winners. Third place went to Moses Snow from Texas and second place to Jimmy Holmes from Indiana.
As soon as Dean Z announced the winner’s name, Deonath dropped to his knees and slapped the floor in a visual display of delight. His fan, Sand, was overcome with emotion as she captured the magical moment on video, so much so that she almost didn’t post the video to her Facebook page writing, “Posting this even though my banshee wailing, sobbing and hysterical cackling are a little embarrassing.”
Fans will get a bit of time to recover but Deonath not so much. He’ll be performing three shows this weekend at the Orange Blossom Opry in Weirsdale, which is just 30 minutes south of Ocala. Fans who would like to purchase tickets to one of the shows can find them here.
