The Buzz: Bill Fayne x's 2 + All the Entertainers

The sensational, all-round entertainer, Kelly Clinton kicked off another great open mic show on March 1,  with her costumed to perfection, comedic impression of her dear friend, the fabulous Bill Fayne. The house was packed when Kelly appeared as the familiar big-guy Bill from the past, bald on top with long hair, beard, mustache, and wearing a colorful shirt showing a full tummy! (How does she do that!? ) The voice was big too, though Kelly was actually lip-sinking to Bill’s recording of Nessum Dorma, from Puccini’s opera Turandot.

Then out came the real Bill Fayne, the all new version of this awesome guy, slender, clean shaven, sharply dressed and pretending to be insulted by the impression of him. In the funny bit, Bill said

“Look at me, do I look like that ?” He quickly ripped off Kelly’s beard and mustache then tried to get her to remove that belly but it just wouldn’t come off easy. It was all fun between the two fabulous entertainers. The crowd roared with delight when they heard Kelly start the number and Bill close out a short version of You Raise Me Up. The marvelous opening act received a standing ovation.

Bill will give his first full performance in many months on Saturday, March 6, at the Las Vegas Entertainers Tribute to Bill Fayne in the Suncoast Showroom.  Headliners, Clint Holmes and Kelly Clinton will host the special event . (Just got the word, the show is Sold Out!)

Speaking of Clint Holmes, it’s been work, work, work for Clint who is back in town for a few days after being on tour for most of the past five weeks.   He may be on the road again next week, this time to prepare for a six-week run of his play in North Carolina.  As Clint’s musical director for over 30 years, Bill Fayne will be working full-time again on that special project. Clint Holmes will headlining at the Suncoast on March 13th-14th.

Back to the entertainers at Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret . Wow, what a great night!!! Up first, was George Demott,(r) a fabulous singer and a member of Bill Fayne’s show group, Voce` Vegas.  George wowed the crowd with a medley of songs from that all time favorite Broadway show, West Side Story. Just back from a long road tour, George will star again in the return engagement of  Voce` Vegas coming up soon. The group will perform at Bill’s Tribute at the Suncoast along with many of our favorite headliners, including The Las Vegas Tenors, Lance Burton, Terry Fator, Louie Anderson and Santa Fe.

The lovely, Amanda Brossman, (L)  appears at the Paris Hotel & Casino, but came back once again to open mic night to perform a wonderful operatic piece, O Mio Babbino, and then went into a swinging tune, It Had to Be You. Amanda was amazing!!

Boy what a treat the next act brought us!!
N Demand, a four-man A cappella -Doo Wop group stepped on stage to perform  For the Longest Time. The crowd demanded more. Their encore performance was the popular 1950’s number by The Elegants, Little Star. N Demand members are Gerald Bell, David Franklin, Lewis Clark and E.C. Adams. The group got together a year ago. You can catch their show in the Napoleon Room at the Paris on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 pm - 8 pm.

Tonja, a lady with a powerful voice ‘worked it’ with her fine presentation of

Aretha Franklin’s, Natural Woman.

Up next was the very suave , Jerome Dean, the headliner this Sunday. March 7, at 8:30 pm at Kelly’s Celebrity Spotlight at the Bootlegger Bistro. Singer extraordinaire, Paul Stubblefield joined Jerome on stage to wrap up his terrific performance of  What You Won’t Do for Love. Ah, it’s Vegas Baby!!!

Paul Stubblefield, an outstanding showman with a great voice, worked with Kelly Clinton at the exclusive Stirling Club  for about four years. Paul, also recognized as a really sharp dresser, stepped into the spotlight wearing a power-red suit, for his wonderful performance of  Oh My Love ---as only Paul can do it!

Kelly introduced Lynn Green of National Entertainment Group who was sitting with Lamont Patterson, CEO of World Movement Records. Lynn represents two of the record label’s newly signed artists, Michael Cagle and J.P. Cates.  Michael Cagle, dressed in his flashy blue-wave sparkle jacket, stepped up to give a beautiful performance of  Remember Me This Way, the theme from the movie, Casper. Cowboy country singer, J. P. Cates followed doing a great job with Every Mile a Memory by Dierks Bentley.

Later in the cabaret, Ethan Cavalho, looking more Rock and Roll than Country, gave us a fine performance of the country ballad, Good Morning Beautiful Day, by Keith Urban. Ethan is also managed by Lynn Green and at this writing, he is in negotiation on a recording deal with WM Records.

Next at the mic was tribute performer and terrific singer, Barry Allen Cohen, who appeared as the image of the one and only Dean Martin with a cigarette in one hand and a drink in the other. Swinging live with the band, Barry sang Frank Sinatra’s, Luck Be A Lady, from the musical Guys and Dolls.

Sham Lewis, R & B/Soul/Hip Hop artist and former American Idol contestant, did an amazing job singing Marvin Gaye's,  What’s Going On. Sham will be appearing at Texas Station with his band “Block Party” on Saturday, March 6, from 8 pm to midnight. He’ll be doing his own thing at Jerry's Nugget on Friday, March 12, from 10 pm to 2 am.

After spending the entire day singing at an Impersonators Convention, Bobby Brooks Hamilton, an entertainer who never fails to slay the audience with his energizing performances, lifted the tempo with Jackie Wilson‘s,  Higher and Higher.  Bobby created even more excitement when he invited the two gorgeous women sitting in the celebrity guest booth to join him and the band on stage to sing back-up. Then he switched roles and joined Charlene Spencer on back-up while the awesome Mary Williams (The Sensations) stepped up and gave a fabulous performance of Gladys Knight’s, Neither One of Us.  Mary Williams is the featured performer in the Rock & Roll 2 Soul Show this coming Monday, March 8, at 7 pm in the Palace Showroom at the Palace Station.

Vocalist, Jacqueline (above L) was all glamour when she took the mic to give a really fine presentation of  If I Love You, from the Rodgers and Hammerstein hit musical, Carousel.
We love New Yorkers!! Robyn Coco (right) is one of our favorite singers from the Big Apple so we were pleased to see her this week at Kelly Clinton’s Cabaret in Vegas. Robyn did a terrific swinging, bouncy rendition of that great old tune, All of Me.

Next, Kelly introduced Wendy Fleming, (L) a wonderful song-stylist from Detroit. Kelly first met Wendy in 2009 at the Michael Jackson Tribute (Palms) where they both performed. Wendy and the fabulous open mic band meshed beautifully with a slow, bluesy, fantastic performance of Summertime.

Another wonderful singer with a really great voice, Lee Bellinger,  kept the love  going in the room with his presentation of You Send Me.  Lee headlined at Kelly’s Celebrity Spotlight at the Bootleger not long ago.

Get ready for this! You just never know what star-power acts will show up at Kelly’s cabaret! This night it was Lisa Gay and Tony Drake, an amazing husband and wife duo from LA.  Lisa and Tony said they heard a lot of good stuff about Kelly’s open mic, so they made sure they would be there on this Monday.
We are talking high-caliber veteran performers with professional credits way too long to list here. The awesome guitarist, Tony Drake, has worked with the best in the business, touring, playing and recording with such greats as the Checkmates., Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Cher, and Joe Williams --just to name a few. He has played on hit recordings, i.e., “Big Mamma Jamma,” “Mr. Big Stuff,” “Half Breed” and so many more. Go Google this gal and guy!
Lisa Gay started her career as a club singer, later she went on tour with Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., and many other big name artists before she launched her own group Lisa Gay and Thrill. Lisa showed us her fabulous vocal style while performing,  Watch What Happens, with Tony on guitar and the band behind them. It was a great performance and the crowd wanted more, more. For their next outstanding number, The Nearness of You, Lisa threw in the tones and riffs she referred to as “Nancy Wilson’s 'with a twist style'.” Remember this, you saw it happen at Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Bistro in Las Vegas!

The sensational, Kelly Clinton, surely the Las Vegas entertainer's best friend,  keeps the show rolling “on” between the acts, with her witty off-the-cuff humor, spontaneous vocals and very special intros. While behind the scenes, the Bootlegger Bistro’s, J.T. Thompson works with the lineup of entertainers still to come on.


It takes a full team effort to make this a great show every week including the live band, this week with maestro, Mike Clark on keys and Billy Adams on drums, along with DJ, Kevin Cordova on tracks and special effects.

 

On with the show. Next up, Lannie Counts, a really fine singer who has worked with Mike Clark before, gave us a wonderful performance of Al Green’s, Let’s Stay Together. Lannie is a “dealertainer”  impersonating the great Stevie Wonder while he deals cards at the Imperial Palace.
It's Vegas Baby!!

The fantastic pianist, Luis Sabastian, stepped up next with a grand performance of Autumn Leaves. Luis appears at Mandalay Bay and at many corporate events.

With a change of pace, Legends’ artist Juliet Northrup, who impersonates Janet Jackson, rocked the house with her high-energy number, Hold On I’m Coming.

Next up was singer, Ron Star, a gentleman who shared a personal anecdote about his memorable encounter with Elvis Presley and the Presley band members. Ron gave a fine performance of Elvis's, Only Fools Rush In.

Jeff Hamar added a romantic touch to the evening with his beautiful voice in a wonderful presentation of What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life






Then musical director/singer and charity events promoter, Mike Shane stepped up to share some funny stuff  before giving us a terrific presentation of  The Days of Wine and Roses.

At one point, Kelly was told, her husband,  Clint Holmes was calling  on Skype just as Clint’s face appeared on the big screen and  a voice spoke her name. Kelly challenged DJ/singer Kevin Cordova to own up.  "I don't believe it's you Clint.  Tell me your middle name!!!" The fun never ends.

Kevin Cordova, also dubbed “Sexy Manuel, ” was the next performer at the mic with his powerful rendition of All Right Now.

And last up, but certainly not least , J.T. Thompson pulled up a stool and gave a beautiful performance of  New York Minute.



Hey America, LAS VEGAS HAS REAL LIVE TALENT!!!!! Catch the acts every Monday night at Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Italian Bistro on the south end of the fabulous Las Vegas Strip!!!!




Come on down and join the crowd! Show your talent, promote your gig! Get up close and personal with the Cabaret performers!! Dine in and taste Mama Maria’s Italian specialties. Call for reservations at 736-4939. Doors open at 8:30 pm. Showtime is 9 pm. IT’S ALWAYS A BLAST!!!



More photos from Monday night 3-1-10

I'm so glad we had this time together..........



See You Again on Monday Night!!!