HCG-Wisconsin Dells spends One Night with the King, Elvis Presley

By Tim Wohlers



At least once a month, Ho-Chunk Gaming has high-profile entertainment at its casino in the Dells.  Musicians, magicians, master chefs and even mind readers make up some of the talent that one can find there. 
To start the new year, though, the casino decided to throw it back to the days of Elvis.  So on January 14, just six days after his birthday, HCG-Wisconsin Dells played host to One Night with the King in the Upper Dells Ballroom to celebrate the rock-and-roll legend’s legacy. 
“Everybody loves Elvis,” said Senior Entertainment Manager Lori Littlegeorge.  “Every year, somebody says something about Elvis for January.” 
The revival show featured three different tribute artists.  Each artist portrayed a separate period of the King’s career.  The ‘50s-era Elvis was portrayed by 23-year-old British performer Ben Thompson, who currently ranks second in the world among Elvis impersonators. 
“I do all years of Elvis,” Thompson said.  “But a lot of people know me for the younger years.  So I do the younger years a lot.” 
Although he hails from the UK, emulating Elvis and his southern accent was surprisingly simple for Thompson.  And after doing it since the age of 15, singing in a different voice simply seems strange to the young tribute artist. 
“I can’t sing any other way,” Thompson said.  “He’s the only tribute that I’ve done.  And that’s been my profession, and my love, for the last seven years.” 
After the younger Elvis stepped off, New Jersey native Kevin Mills came onstage to pay tribute to the King in his 1968 comeback special.  In a recreation of the first-ever “unplugged” session, Mills took a seat alongside members of the band for an unprecedented acoustic performance – just like Presley did at the time. 
“As you study Elvis,” Mills said, “you start to recreate his stage presence.” 
For Mills, the transition from his previous performing style to that of Presley’s proved painless.  According to him, Elvis’ style of play already echoed his own. 
“I was in a rockabilly band in Jersey,” Mill said.  “And Elvis was like a hillbilly.  They used to call him The Hillbilly Cat.  He had that rockabilly thing going on already.  So it was kind of easy for me.” 
Last but not least came the world’s number one Elvis impersonator, Dwight Icenhower, portraying the ‘70s-era Elvis live in concert.  The reigning king of Kings, Icenhower has perfected his Presley over the last two decades in the tribute business. 
“Next year will be my twentieth year performing Elvis,” Icenhower said.  “I started in high school, way back when I was a sophomore.” 
Icenhower’s affinity for the King of Rock and Roll started as a mere child, though.  And with a whole family of Elvis fans who listened to Presley at Christmas time, and on the King’s birthday, embracing Elvis could be considered a hereditary trait for Icenhower. 
“I was always an Elvis fan because of my mother,” Icenhower said.  “From the time I can remember any memories at all, I remember Elvis Presley – because my mother is such a huge Elvis fan.” 
Icenhower ended the show by throwing pink scarves into the crowd.  Mere moments later, poodle skirts near and far rushed the stage for another matching piece to their wardrobe. 
So it seems that ladies still love the King.  And by the end of the show, nobody wanted to see Elvis leave the building. 
“I didn’t know that it was going to be such a big deal,” Littlegeorge said.  “It beat my expectations.  That’s for sure.”   


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