Vegas has always had a number of shows in which someone played Elvis or Dolly Parton or Joan Rivers or any of a number of performers. Do any of these shows or performers ever make deals with the stars or their states to use their likenesses or material?
Las Vegas has traditionally been a hub for tribute shows and impersonator performances, featuring icons like Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, and Joan Rivers, among others. Whether these shows or performers make formal deals with the stars or their estates to use their likenesses or material depends on a mix of legal, practical, and ethical factors — and the answer varies case by case.
In the U.S., using someone’s likeness or material commercially falls under “right of publicity” laws, which are regulated by the states. Nevada recognizes this right, meaning performers can’t just slap a celebrity’s face or name on a marquee for profit without risking legal pushback — especially if the star or their estate cares to enforce it. Copyright law also kicks in for songs or specific routines; you can’t perform “Jailhouse Rock” or “Suspicious Minds” without licensing the music, unless it’s public domain (which most modern hits aren’t). But impersonators often skirt direct deals with stars or estates by relying on fair use, parody protections, or licensing through broader entities like ASCAP or BMI, which handle performance rights for venues.
Take Elvis Presley: His estate, managed by Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), is notoriously protective. They’ve trademarked his name, image, and likeness extensively. Elvis impersonators, like the hundreds who’ve crooned “Hound Dog” at wedding chapels or casinos, typically don’t have individual deals with EPE. Instead, venues or producers might secure blanket licenses for his music and impersonators lean on the “tribute-act” loophole: As long as they’re not claiming to be Elvis or selling branded merch that infringes trademarks, they often fly under the radar. EPE has cracked down on occasion, suing unlicensed Elvis-themed shows, but with 600,000 Elvis impersonators worldwide by some estimates, they pick their battles.
Dolly Parton’s a different story. She’s famously generous and practical about her image. Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas, a Vegas staple, featured a Dolly impersonator. Dolly herself has acknowledged these tributes positively, like when she gave earrings to Marino’s Dolly on stage, as Frank once recounted. There’s no public evidence she or her team demands formal deals for such acts, likely because they don’t see it as diluting her brand. Her songs, though, require licensing through standard music-rights channels, not direct estate negotiations.
Joan Rivers, another Marino specialty, was a closer call. In 1990, Rivers sued him for $5 million, alleging he stole her act and routines, implying no deal existed then. The suit was dropped and Joan and Frank later became friends, with Marino attending her funeral in 2014. This suggests an informal blessing, rather than a legal contract, emerged over time. Posthumously, her estate hasn’t publicly pursued Vegas impersonators, possibly seeing tribute acts as free publicity.
Other stars’ estates, like Michael Jackson’s or Prince’s, are stricter, often requiring licensing for likeness and music, but Vegas impersonators still thrive by keeping it vague (“tribute to” not “as”) or banking on estates not bothering with the small fries. Big productions, like Cirque du Soleil’s Beatles show Love, absolutely strike deals; Cirque partnered with Apple Corps and the Beatles’ team for rights to music and imagery.
Prince, in particular, put Legends in Concert in a tight spot. After Prince died, tribute acts surged, and Legends wanted to add a Prince impersonator to the rotation. The Prince estate is highly litigious and threatened legal action over using his likeness, stage name, and specific imagery. They argued that Prince's persona is trademarked and any tribute act needed official permission. Legends had to pull back and delay adding a Prince act, while trying to negotiate with the estate, which reportedly refused any tribute deal. Some smaller shows went underground, doing "The Purple One" tributes without naming him directly. These days, as we understand it, you can’t even say "Prince" in some contexts without the estate coming down hard, especially in Vegas, where the stakes (and exposure) are high.
So some Vegas shows do make formal deals, especially high-budget ones or when estates are litigious. But many impersonators, particularly solo acts or smaller revues, rely on legal gray areas, venue licenses, or the star’s indifference. Stars like Dolly might even embrace it; others, like Elvis’ estate, tolerate it until it crosses a line. It’s a Vegas gamble: How much can you borrow from a legend before the lawyers roll in?
