In 2007, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. announced an inaugural Elvis tribute artist contest event that was a search for the “best representation of the legacy of Elvis Presley.” Twenty-four of the best ETAs from around the world, who had each won a preliminary round of the competition, traveled to Memphis during Elvis Week 2007 to compete in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. In response to the excitement generated by the first contest, Elvis Presley Enterprises has held the contest each year since, with winners of preliminary contests traveling to Memphis each August to compete for the title.
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Champions to date:
- 2007 - Shawn Klush
- 2008 - Brandon Bennett
- 2009 - Bill Cherry
- 2010 - Justin Shandor
- 2011 - Cody Ray Slaughter
- 2012 - Ben Portsmouth
- 2013 - Dean Z
The 2014 Europe's Tribute to Elvis Festival is a preliminary for the 2014 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in Memphis, August 2014.