Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Winner Says Taking Top Spot Is ‘Dream Come True’

TUPELO, MISS. (WCBI) -Nineteen year old Cote Deonath is the winner of the 2017 Tupelo Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest.

The Florida native beat a field of 17 other competitors for the top prize of the annual Tupelo Elvis Festival.

Cote began his career as a tribute artist as a kid, after he saw another well known Elvis tribute artist perform in Tupelo.

“It means a childhood dream has just come true and I’m just on cloud nine right now.  I remember watching Brandon Bennett walk out and he was in leather and he walked out on that stage, and my grandma was sitting right next to me, right over in that field and I remember I was like, I’m going to be up there one day and when he won I was like, I want to be Tupelo Elvis Festival Champion,” Deonath said.

Cote will represent Tupelo in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest in Memphis this August.  For his Tupelo win, Cote gets $5,000 cash and takes his place among some of the top Elvis tribute artists worldwide.