ULTIMATE ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTIST LIVING A DREAM
Dean Z has wanted to be The King since childhood
Most children dream of being doctors or movie stars or superheroes. Dean Z dreamt of being Elvis Presley.
It didn’t stop with a childhood dream, though. Z won the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist at the contest in Las Vegas in 2013. It is the only such contest in the world connected to and recognized by Presley’s estate. Now Z works as an MC and performer for a number of Elvis Presley Enterprises projects and tours around the world to perform “The King’s” works for a modern audience.
Z’s tour is coming through the prairies for the first time in April, making stops in six Saskatchewan cities from April 5 to 10, including Regina’s Turvey Convention Centre on April 7 and Saskatoon’s Broadway Theatre on April 8.
He spoke to the Saskatoon Starphoenix ahead of his arrival.
Q It’s one thing to be a fan of Elvis. How do you know you have the ability to be a tribute artist?
A I loved singing, I come from a musical family. As I got to 10, 11, 12 years old I started really putting effort into trying to re-create things — like this is Elvis’ suit from 1972, or this is the song list he did at this particular show — trying to get a little closer to the authenticity kind of things. And then when I hit my teenage years I really focused on Elvis’ early career because then I started physically resembling him more ... I kind of got to grow with him through his career.
Q What is the tribute show going to look like for the audience?
A The show hits on many of his key moments in his career. We’re trying to capture 20 years of his career in a two-hour show, so it’s jam-packed, full with these amazing, iconic moments of his life basically condensed into a two-hour show. So people leave there knowing why Elvis was so special.
Q So when you go onstage for a performance, are you trying to be Elvis or are you Dean Z performing Elvis songs?
A It all depends on what the show is requiring. If you’re doing a re-creation show, you do want to stay in first-person character and try to encompass that. But with my travelling shows and the shows where I have more control creatively, I always approach it as “this is my take of it” and I speak about Elvis and how much of a fan I am. And I honestly, personally feel like it’s a very credible way of doing the character and doing the tribute because people ... can enjoy the music on a different level than you trying to convince them that you are somebody else. We all know I’m not Elvis ... I like to be relatable in that regard.
Q You’ve said nobody will ever be like Elvis again. What did he have that you or other tribute artists don’t?
A The simple answer to that is Elvis had it all, and we all have a piece. So Elvis had every single thing — there was such a magic about Elvis — and tribute artists, collectively, it might take five or six of us to hit all the key notes. One guy might have the voice and the looks, one other guy might have the movement and the stage presence, another guy might have the charisma. But I’ve never met anyone who has every piece. And that’s the special thing about Elvis ... none of us have all of those attributes.
Q You’ve been recognized by Elvis’ estate, you’ve followed in his footsteps in Vegas, as a fan and a performer, what does that mean for you?
A I have to pinch myself sometimes. Just to even think the folks at Elvis Presley Enterprises even know that I exist is sometimes so overwhelming ... and it’s all because of this great job that I have. I don’t think you can really classify it as a job because I have so much fun doing it. On a strictly fan level, I’m always amazed.