Hunk of Burning Love

Photo by Kamryn Potteiger

You don’t have to stroll the neon-lit Strip in Las Vegas to find a world-class Elvis Presley tribute artist. One of the very best calls Lake Otis in Winter Haven home. Dwight Icenhower holds a distinction no one else can claim: he is the only tribute artist in history to win five Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist awards at Graceland. Add to that more than 75 first-place finishes across competitions. When it comes to channeling Elvis, Icenhower is the King.

“This all happened through my mother,” Icenhower said. “I grew up, and she’d be playing his movies and

his Christmas album at Christmas time.” Raised in Pomeroy, Ohio, he developed a deep love for music

early on. “I’ve always been involved in music. Mostly, my interests were to teach music.”

Icenhower began his tribute journey at just 16. “It was kind of a fluke how it all got started,” he said. A self-

proclaimed “band geek,” he portrayed Elvis in a high school variety show during his sophomore year. “The

band director knew that I was a huge Elvis fan and that I loved that genre of old-school rock and roll music,” said Icenhower. The performance was such a hit that the school’s varsity coach hired him to sing at his wedding. “That was my first gig, at his wedding.” He still laughs at the memory: a teenager in a pink jacket, sideburns penciled on, dancing like Elvis.

Though he once envisioned himself as a high school band director, his tribute career quickly gained

momentum. “I thought if I’m really going to give this a go, I’m going to have to do it now while I’m

young.” It was a now-or-never moment. Since then, life on the road has become his norm, with 150–200

performances each year around the globe. Fans from the United States and Australia to Europe and Japan

“Just Can’t Help Falling in Love” with Icenhower. “My most die-hard fans are here in Florida, Holland, Japan, and Ohio,” he revealed.

Outfitted with a $3,000 custom-made wig from Canada, stage makeup, and the full Elvis wardrobe,

Icenhower’s transformation is striking. For lifelong Presley fans seeing him for the first time, “You can tell

that they get lost in it,” he said. “They’re kind of reliving, I guess, their youth. You can see it on their faces when you walk out.”

“It’s a long transformation, and it took me years to learn about contour makeup and all the shading,” Icenhower said. His wife, Vicky Icenhower, has helped refine the look, along with inspiration from an unexpected source: “Ru Paul’s Drag Race.” “I’ve learned so much watching these guys do their makeup,” he said. “There are guys who naturally wake up and look like Elvis. With me, I’ve learned how to make that whole package by learning the makeup tips.”

“The music part of it, the singing, that all came natural.” Even when covering other artists, there’s a

trace of Elvis in his voice. Like Presley, Icenhower is a natural baritone with a four-octave range. “I lucked

out with that,” he said. “I like the singing part of it. I like the big, emotional ballads.” Among his favorites

to perform are “My Way,” “An American Trilogy,” and “It’s Now or Never.”

Beyond the stage, Icenhower’s life has intersected with Elvis’s inner circle. He has performed alongside

close friends of Presley, including D.J. Fontana, The Jordanaires, The Sweet Inspirations, Cynthia Pepper,

Julie Parrish, Charlie Hodge, Duke Bardwell, Eddie Miles, and Joe Esposito.

He also met Lisa Marie Presley several times before her passing. One memorable night unfolded on Beale

Street in Memphis. “My wife and I were at this club on Beale Street in Memphis. We got a booth upstairs,

and there was another booth right beside us. We saw another group coming in. It was Priscilla Presley, her

grandson Benjamin, and the Memphis Mafia.” By evening’s end, stories and drinks were shared among

rock and roll royalty.

As for how he ended up on the Chain of Lakes, Icenhower said Florida has been home since 2005.

“I’ve never known where I was going to plant my roots,” he said. “We were looking for a historic home. An old house that had charm to it.” That search led them to Winter Haven.

When he’s not keeping Elvis’s legacy alive, Icenhower is an avid concertgoer. “We go to concerts all the

time. I’m a huge Elton John fan. I’ve seen him 116 times in concert.” He also performs an Elton John tribute show, though Elvis remains second nature. “Elvis is like breathing to me,” he said.