The Illinois Elvis Festival, Day Two!
- Allie West
- 2 days ago
- 9 min read
Saturday morning rolled around, and I was pretty much bouncing off the walls with pure excitement. And why, you ask? BECAUSE I WAS FINALLY GOING TO SEE DEAN Z PERFORM!
Seeing Dean perform live has been at the absolute top of my bucket list for what feels like forever. Branson is a bit too far for me, and since that’s where he performs most of the time, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get the chance to catch his show in person. My mom and I got to the venue super early, despite already having reserved VIP seats, because I wanted to squeeze in as much networking as humanly possible before the music started.
I quickly zeroed in on Michael Glaysher, who I had previously met at the Nashville festival. Now, as you know, I can come off as… well, a bit MUCH to some people. I bring pure golden retriever energy to every room I walk into. When I first met Michael back in Nashville, I’m pretty sure I frightened the poor guy half to death! He took my business card like I was handing him a live grenade, looking deeply suspicious, and politely expressed that he really didn't like doing video interviews. I quickly explained that my interviews are actually transcribed into a written blog post, but I'm certain he was still a little overwhelmed by my enthusiasm.
I definitely didn't tone it down when I saw him in Illinois, either. I BOUNDED right up to him to say hello, and I could practically see the flash of recognition (and slight terror) across his face. "SHE'S BAAAACK!"
I'm just kidding, of course! Michael is a truly lovely person, and he was so friendly, warm, and gracious. We ended up chatting in the lobby about random things like the World Cup—which, truth be told, neither one of us really followed, but both felt like we probably should. My personal sports motto is always: "I just hope both teams have fun!" It was so nice catching up with him, and I only wish I’d run into him again later in the weekend to chat more. Though, honestly, he was probably relieved that he didn’t see me again.
I’d also never seen Cote Deonath perform live before, so I was beyond eager for his set. And let me tell you: he did NOT disappoint! The man is a total vocal powerhouse, and you can see the absolute passion radiating off him—he loves every single second of what he does. I was also a massive fan of the suit he wore: a stunning dark blue eagle suit. Don't get me wrong, the classic white suits are iconic, but I always appreciate a great pop of color!
Before the festival even started, I had received a sweet comment on my blog from a young guy named Jackson, saying he hoped to run into me over the weekend and would love to meet. Fast forward to Cote's performance: mid-set, Cote announces to the crowd that he’s bringing out a 16-year-old with an incredible voice named Jackson Ducharme. Wouldn't you know it?! It was the exact same Jackson!
And in an even wilder twist of fate, his girlfriend lives literally one town over from me! He’s staying in the area with her for a bit, so we’re actually planning to do an in-person interview soon. But let me tell you, watching Jackson on that stage was SHOCKING. The second he opened his mouth and started singing, my jaw hit the floor. How the HECK does a 16-year-old have a voice like that?! Furthermore, how do I now know TWO 16-year-olds (the other being the wildly talented Dawson Horn, who might actually still be 15!) with powerhouse vocals like that?! Is there something in the water in the ETA world?!
Jackson and Cote sang a song together, and hoooollllyyyy crap! It was mind-blowing, and I am KICKING myself for not recording a video. I think my brain was too stunned by the talent to remember I even owned a phone. If I manage to hunt down a good clip online, I'll be sure to link it for you guys.
I didn’t find a video from this festival, but here’s a great video of Jackson singing “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
During intermission, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting Hugo Colin. I have to say, Hugo has one of the warmest, nicest smiles I've ever seen! He was in ridiculously high demand with fans, so I barely had time to introduce myself and snap a quick picture with him before he was whisked away. Luckily, I got to watch him compete on Sunday, but more on that in the next post!
And then... it was time. Time for DEAN Z.
Look, I fully understand now why women used to faint at Elvis concerts in the 1950s. Dean is ridiculously handsome, wildly charismatic, and so much fun to watch—not to mention that his voice is out of this world. And when he started handing out scarves to the crowd? I decided to risk life and limb in the front lines to try and snag one. I was ultimately unsuccessful, partially due to a lovely elderly woman literally hip-checking me out of the way. I took the high road and decided not to hip-check her back, mostly out of fear that I’d break her hip.
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During that madness, Dean Z officially cemented his place as my all-time favorite tribute artist and performer. The front of the stage was a complete madhouse, and I was legitimately worried Dean was going to get pulled into the crowd. I noticed a little girl sitting up on her father's shoulders, sweet as can be, waving wildly at Dean for a scarf. She was too far back for him to toss it safely, and it definitely would've been snatched mid-air by the ravenous crowd below. After Dean tried signaling that the scarf was meant for her—and seeing that the sea of people wasn't going to part—he leaned right into his microphone and clearly announced: "This scarf is for the little girl."
Now, that might sound like a small gesture, but it really wasn't. That little girl is going to remember that moment for the rest of her life. I still remember the absolute magic of getting a scarf from an ETA when I was her age, feeling so special and walking on cloud nine. Dean made SURE she got her moment. He took the time to address her directly, pause the chaos, and make sure that scarf made it into her hands. I think my heart melted right on the spot.
The evening show featured Cote, Dean, and Bill Cherry. I’m a massive fan of 50s-era Elvis, so seeing Cote come out strutting in that iconic gold jacket made me squeal with excitement! He knocked out the big hits alongside a few deep B-side cuts that had me clapping and dancing right in my seat.
And then... Dean Z returned to the stage.
Listen: the '68 Comeback Special is my absolute favorite Elvis era of all time. Elvis in that fitted black leather jumpsuit is the absolute PEAK of human attractiveness, in my humble opinion. So when Dean Z stepped out onto that stage wearing the '68 Comeback black leather jumpsuit?
I'm pretty sure my soul temporarily left my body. I know my sanity did!
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I was screaming like it was actually 1968 and LOSING. MY. MIND. I was like one of those fans you see in archival footage—the ones who look like they’re simultaneously having the best and most overwhelming day of their entire lives. I was briefly terrified for his safety, though! Dean decided to step off the stage and walk right through the aisles of the audience. I was genuinely afraid the crowd was going to drag him down! After the show, I chatted briefly with one of the security guards and told him he was a very brave man to put himself between Dean Z and a room full of energized cougars with access to alcohol. Honestly, I’m quite proud of myself for not launching my body at him and clinging on like a koala, because believe me, the temptation was real!
Usually, when I watch an ETA, I’m still grounded in reality. Sure, I’m screaming, cheering, and loving every second, but I always know it’s a tribute. Dean Z had the uncanny ability to completely suspend my disbelief. For that time he was onstage, I wasn't at a tribute show—I was at a real-deal Elvis concert. And that’s about the highest compliment I could ever give an artist. To wrap it up, Cote came back out in the iconic white suit and joined Dean to sing “If I Can Dream.” It was incredible.
After the show, I was faced with a tough dilemma: stay in the theater to watch Bill Cherry perform again (and I completely forgot to mention what a phenomenal job he did Friday night—in my defense, I was running on fumes and copious amounts of caffeine), or go cool off and stake out good seats for the after-party. I chose the latter.
And as much as I would’ve loved more of Bill Cherry, I definitely made the right call! My mom and I ended up scoring EXCELLENT seats in the lobby, which was a blessing because the room filled up insanely fast. People were literally leaving their passes on chairs to claim spots hours in advance! Mom and I staked out two super comfy chairs and ended up striking up a conversation with two wonderful ladies named Nancy and Dovie.
Let me tell you right now: Dovie (Donna) is an icon. She knows everybody in the circuit, she’s seen everybody perform, and she is an absolute delight to talk to.
Before long, people started pouring into the lobby and the after-party kicked into high gear. I made my rounds networking again and met another incredible lady named Amy. Miss Amy is an absolute WARRIOR, friends. She had made plans to come to this festival with her son before receiving a cancer diagnosis. She was visibly exhausted from the weekend, but so deeply happy to be there. She was sitting on the sidelines in her wheelchair while her son ran around collecting autographs. I took one look at her and decided that if Miss Amy couldn’t comfortably wade through the crowd to join the party, I was going to bring the party to her!
And this is where I have to give endless credit to all these wonderful performers. I walked right up to every single ETA in the building, introduced myself, and told them that Miss Amy would love to meet them. Without hesitation, every single one of them stopped what they were doing, walked right over, and spent genuine time talking with her. That level of kindness and heart goes so far, and it meant the world to see her light up. Speaking of sweet souls, I was also thrilled to see Randy Sanders walk into the party and ran over to give him a giant hug. I’ve previously dubbed Randy the King of Kindness, because the man truly has a heart of solid gold.
Of course, Dean Z was also in the building, and I was bound and determined to actually meet him
this time! I stood in the growing line, edging closer and closer... and wouldn’t you know it, right as I was NEXT in line, they called him up to the mic to sing! SO CLOSE!
But let me tell you: Dean Z unplugged is a absolute riot. He went from performing a hilarious country-western rendition of “In the Ghetto” to belting out Chubby Checker’s “The Twist”—where he flawlessly mimicked Chubby’s iconic voice! It was an absolute blast. This was also the exact moment Miss Dovie cemented her legend status by grabbing Cote Deonath by the hand and pulling him onto the dance floor to twist with her!
Another thing I deeply respect about Dean is that he has zero ego and is totally fine stepping into the background. He was more than happy to sit back and play backup
guitar while Radney from the Infinit-E band and the other guys sang “Elvira” (which, by the way, is still hopelessly stuck in my head). Huge shoutout to Radney, too—that man looks like he is having the absolute time of his life every single second he is performing. Even when I chatted with him at the party, he was practically vibrating with pure, joyful energy. I wish I could bottle a fraction of that up!
As the after-party finally wrapped up, a small line formed to meet Dean. I initially figured there was no point in waiting, as he had been swept away every other time I’d gotten close. But I decided to stick around anyway—what did I have to lose?
And boy, did it pay off!
Now, whenever I get flustered or nervous, I have a tendency to turn into an awkward, fast-talking nightmare, so I was terrified that I was going to make things weird when I finally stood face-to-face with him. But the second Dean smiled and shook my hand, all my anxiety instantly melted away. Because when it comes down to it? Dean is just an exceptionally nice, humble guy.
He was visibly tired and sweaty after performing for hours, but he still took genuine time with every single person waiting in that line. I told him all about my blog and mentioned how much I'd love to interview him one day, and he seemed genuinely interested—not in a fake, polite "oh yeah, sure!" kind of way, but truly sincere. He’s about to take a well-deserved vacation, but I fully plan on reaching out when he gets back, fingers firmly crossed! He was just so sweet, down-to-earth, and genuine, giving me two huge hugs before we said goodbye. I used to wonder if he could really be as sweet as everyone made him out to be, but he proved it tenfold. Dean Z is a gem of a human being.
The second I got into the car, I dialed my dad's phone and practically screamed into the receiver the moment he picked up—probably giving him a heart attack.
I FINALLY GOT TO MEET DEAN Z!
Saturday was magic from start to finish. All that was left to do was rest up and get ready to root for all my friends in the contest on Sunday... which I'll tell you all about in my next post!
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