Chapter 1: What unique aspects define Wayne Newton's lounge show in Las Vegas?
We'll be in Las Vegas. Welcome to Vegas. Las Vegas functions on a 24-hour-a-day schedule. Who's the casino?
Big volcano out in front. That's the Eiffel Tower. Mirage. Riviera. The Mirage. Flamingo. Sahara. The MGM Grand. This isn't the real Caesars Palace, is it?
on a gamble they always put the machines that pay off the most right in the front good luck strip is just the most amazing stretch of road i think probably anywhere in the world kicking ass in vegas vegas baby vegas baby welcome to las vegas proud is probably the best way to describe wayne newton maybe to a fault but he genuinely means well in fact He's made a career out of being the good guy.
So much so that he sued when it was called into question. He's very proud of his Native American heritage, and it shows. Despite being Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton doesn't gamble on anything but himself. He claims he's never been to a gaming table, and there's really no reason not to believe him, because when it comes down to it, that's what it's all about for Wayne. Integrity.
Carson Wayne Newton sang blues in my mind for the first time at age three. By age four, he knew we wanted to perform for a living. He attempted to take piano lessons before he knew his ABCs, and the teacher refused to teach him because of it. Wayne found a new teacher, but the previous rejection haunted him, so his older brother Jerry took lessons with him.
Wayne learned to play instruments by ear. He learned piano, guitar, and steel guitar by the age of six. The brothers' first radio play was at WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia. In the early days, Wayne would do a 6 a.m. radio show and then go to school afterwards. On the weekends, he would travel with the Grand Ole Opry Roadshow.
He was in the first grade when he performed at a USO show for President Sherman and met Gene Autry. Wayne missed lots of school due to illness. He was diagnosed as allergic to milk as a baby and with asthma at age seven. His parents were told he needed to move to a drier climate, so the family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Wayne admits he began to feel like a burden.
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Chapter 2: How did Wayne Newton's early experiences shape his music career?
There, the brothers performed on a local talent show in Phoenix and ended up getting their own TV show called Rascals in Rhythm. Fast forward to 1959 in Vegas, and Wayne was only 15 when he got the gig at the Fremont. They auditioned with only two songs, and the challenge became to find out if they could get them a work permit.
So Jerry and Wayne spent the night in Vegas without their parents and $20 in their pocket. Dad couldn't come with the boys to Vegas because he couldn't get time off work. The brothers said all they did was stay in the room and watch TV because they were too young to do anything.
The work permit they obtained said that they could work on stage, which meant after the show, they would have to go outside to their dressing room or the coffee shop to hang out. They had to promise they wouldn't go into the casino. They got a two-week engagement. Mom and Dad did not attend the first show at Fremont. In fact, they didn't come up until after the first week.
Wayne and his brother would perform six shows a night at the Fremont in the lounge. The stage was on a high platform with a bartender serving drinks at the base. They made $280 a week and sent half back home. At the end of the engagement, they were extended into what became a 46-week booking. Wayne dropped out of high school two weeks before his junior year ended.
While performing, Wayne attempted to finish his education via high school correspondence. Wayne's first impression of Vegas was disappointment. He thought the property should more literally represent their names. For example, he expected the Dunes to be a collection of sand mounds with a door. It was during this engagement that Wayne started to put on weight. He blames boredom.
Eventually Wayne got tired of lounge work and started learning new instruments just to give his voice a break. Eight months after they started playing the Fremont, their parents moved to Vegas. The act started as a duet, but eventually evolved into a quartet. They would still be billed as the Newton Brothers.
Despite their success, back in the day, playing downtown meant that you weren't good enough to play on the strip. The Newton Brothers' big national break was the Jackie Gleason Show. Wayne admits he was more intimidated by Jackie Gleason than being on TV. It was so successful, the band got brought back for a second week.
They would go on to appear on the Jackie Gleason Show 12 times over two years. It became clear that they would need more work if they were going to be able to afford to stay in New York and keep doing the Gleason Show, so Jackie reached out to the Copacabana, and they got a job performing in the lounge. During this time, they recall living off of ketchup soup and bologna sandwiches.
The only time they got a good meal was when someone invited them out or they had dinner at a fan's house. During this time, the guys got to meet Bobby Darin while performing in the Copa Lounge. Bobby offered to produce a record of the band, so they signed with Darin's production company. Darin became like a brother, Gleason like a father.
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Chapter 3: What challenges did Wayne Newton face during his rise to fame?
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