What a blast it is
every Monday night at
Kelly Clinton’s Open Mic Cabaret at the Bootlegger Bistro. Last Monday was no exception when the star of
Menopause the Musical,
Skye Dee Miles stepped in to guest host the show while
Kelly Clinton was in North Carolina with her husband,
Clint Holmes, for the closing week of Clint’s play,
My Own Song.
Skye kicked off the entertainment with her hot, exciting performance of that great blues number,
Evil Gal Baby. Skye wore a knock out, sexy hot pink dress with matching shoes and a huge flower adornment in her hair. There’s just no limit to Skye’s talent as an entertainer, she’s fabulous. Add in all that fashion style and it’s not surprising that this month
Skye is celebrating the one-year anniversary of her own boutique,
Miles of Style located in Boonville, Missouri.
On with the show…..First up was marvelous singer
Lannie Counts with a terrific performance of
Tears of a Clown, the 1970 Motown hit by
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Lannie is an awesome performer who works as a ‘
Dealertainer’ at the
Imperial Palace where he impersonates the great
Stevie Wonder. For his second number,
Lannie really blew us away with his powerful rendition of
Just Once, by
James Ingram.
Next came a fabulous performance by the young, beautiful and oh, so talented 10 year old,
Kaela Johson-Smith. Kaela’s outstanding performance of
Whitney Houston’s power ballad
I Have Nothing brought the crowd to their feet for a standing ovation. Currently, Kaela studies voice at
Deblanc Music Academy. Keep an eye on this young lady, she is without a doubt an up and coming future star!
The lovely
Lori Simpson returned this week to rock out on her first number
All Right, Okay, You Win, a popular tune recorded by such greats as
Joe Williams,
Billy Eckstine and
Bette Midler.
Lori followed up with a terrific performance of the swinging tune
World on a String.
Mike Clark’s fingers were jamming on the keys during the bridge and
Billy Adams was kicking on the drums.
Lori Simpson recorded radio spots that have aired statewide for the
Nevada Broadcaster’s Association. She’s now the voice on the information line for
Hollywood and Vine Talent Casting in Hollywood, California.
Lori is just getting back into the biz as a singer. She’s looking to do studio or live performance gigs, so keep this talented gal in mind.
A young and very personable singer,
Alex Christopher stepped up next to perform the
Michael Buble` version of
Fly Me To The Moon. Alex has a wonderful voice and at only 19 years old he has developed a unique style of performing with plenty of personality to go with it.
Alex was back later in the show for his second number, a super performance of
My Way, the song written by
Paul Anka and popularized by
Frank Sinatra.
Elvis Presley began performing the song in concert in the mid-70’s. Look for
Alex Christopher and his dad, Paul Prandeke at
The Variety Show at the South Point Casino on Sunday, April 25.
The grand piano got a real workout when four,
yes four, super talented musicians played some really great piano Monday night. First up was prominent pianist
Danny Wright who accompanied the lovely singer/songwriter
Susan Haller for their performance of
Walking in Faith, an original song composed by
Danny Wright with lyrics by
Susan Haller. Then Danny
and Susan performed their special arrangement of the popular tune,
Summertime.
Susan Haller is taking her true story, “A Dead Guy in My Daughter’s Bedroom” up to Seattle to perform at a reading/fundraiser for the Pikes Place Market Theater on May 5. demonstrated more of his outstanding talent during his show when he took to the 'grand' for a piano and vocal solo of
Use Somebody, recorded by
Kings of Leon.
Isaiah was looking spectacular in his custom made silver leather jacket which really showed off during his next exciting performance of
The Way You Make Me Feel.
Isaiah is a magnificent
Michael Jackson tribute artist who really has the natural look of the King of Pop. With his fabulous voice and all his MJ dance moves down to perfection, Isaiah really deserves a shot at auditioning for the forthcoming
MGM Resorts/Cirque du Soleil show '
Michael Jackson and his music.' Currently
Isaiah Mercado is auditioning for an upcoming tour. This week he will be performing for a wedding at
Viva Las Vegas Chapel.
The beautiful singer
Laurie Cook returned to the open mic this week with a fantastic performance of
Desperado, the title song recorded by the
Eagles on their 1973 album.
Laurie Cook’s choice of the romantic love song was a perfect selection to show her remarkable vocal range and ability to perform in country rock style.
Skye Dee Miles complimented Laurie on her fabulous vocal range with
'That was great. I heard some $50.00 notes!'
Now that's a compliment!!
Little did anyone guess what was to come next, not even
Skye or the performer who spoke out from the audience with “Where the hell’s the band?!!!!”
Mike Clark and
Billy Adams scrambled quickly to get to their places. The entire performance was spontaneous right from the get go when the dynamic
Bobby Brooks Hamilton stepped on stage and said “Okay guys what are we going to do.” Two seconds later the decision was made to go with the
Ben E. King and the Drifters number,
Stand By Me ---and the most explosive performance of the evening was underway!! We are talking,
dynamite,
smokin,
on fire!!!
Bobby starts off the song, then urges
Skye to join him in a powerful duet. Let’s face it you don’t see hot, hot performers like these two set a place on fire like this
very often.
Okay so now
Skye moves off stage and
Bobby shoves the microphone under the nose of the fabulous singer,
Elisa Furr. In a lightening second the statuesque lady with the big voice was on her feet and
smokin big time.
Skye gets on
Bobby’s case for messing with that other woman and he’s backing up on center stage when a shout comes out from the crowd.
Before you could blink an eye,
Miz Buffie Lucas using her most powerful voice was on stage giving Bobby an amazing vocal thing or two about how not to treat a woman. You really had to be there to see all the expressive antics that took place before, during and after
Bobby, Skye and Buffie wrapped the number up to a roaring standing ovation.
Talk about rocking the house! Talk about a hot damn performance! It was the BOMB!
Next, the dynamic
Bobby Brooks Hamilton followed up with his terrific solo of
634-5789 (Soulville,
U.S.A.) by
Wilson Pickett.
Then Skye came on stage to enjoy Bobby gettin` down with his Elvis moves, shimmy and all............
................That led into the introduction of pianist extraordinaire
Sebastian who came on stage doing some
Elvis moves. Skye took that bit and ran with it by starting an
Elvis contest between four guys including
Sebastian, a gentleman named
Rob,
Bill Bane and
Tupua Tony Ainu`u. The crowd judged each contestant by applause and
Tupua Tony, who bills himself as the
Elvis Beyonce Shaker, was declared the winner! Another bit of spontaneous fun!!
Now is was time for the awesome piano player
Sebastian to perform another of his outstanding medleys starting with the Latin number
Moliendo Café` followed by,
Y.M.C.A, into
Besame Mucho and the finale,
I Will Survive. An up close view of the player at the piano is really something to see as
Sebastian’s fingers bounce and fly from the piano keys to the upper keyboard and back while his foot works the pedals during his powerful musical performances.
It’s a WOW!
Newcomer.
Vinchenz Dillardo, who says he is a Black Italian that loves to sing
Sinatra music. He started off with an explanation of his heritage before singing his first tune,
Summer Wind.
Vinchenz has a unique personal stage style and fashion sense. When his engaging second
Frank Sinatra number,
Nice and Easy, came to an end Vinchenz signed off with “Bada Bing, Badda Boom!”
The attention moved back to the grand piano where
Steven Rosato, a pharmacy student here in Las Vegas with no professional piano experience, played two beautiful piano solos. Steven started with his wonderful performance of
Knock You Down. For his amazing finale,
Steven Rosato played the intrumental version of
Dead and Gone, from the album
Paper Trail, by rapper
T. I. featuring
Justin Timberlake.
The performances by three of the lovely ladies that sang Monday night were really good starting with the terrific vocalist,
Kat Ray (r) on the swinging jazzy tune,
I Love Being Here With You.
Later on, newcomer to the open mic, Andrea E. (L) gave a fine performance of Killing Me Softly.
And, Thai Lewis did a great hot rendition of Orange Colored Sky. The best known version of this song was recorded in 1950 by Nat King Cole. The fabulous lyrics were written by Milten DeLugg and Willie Stein.
Comedian/singer/impressionist,
Willie Asbury was back opening with the
Barry White tune,
Can’t Get Enough of Your Love. Willie fractured the crowd with his fantastic takes on American life and popular celebrities. Willie is a veteran performer who has appeared on HBO, Showtime at the Apollo and other televised comedy specials. Willie was only back in town 5 weeks when he landed his own show at the
L.A. Comedy Club at the Four Queens in downtown Las Vegas. Catch
Willie Asbury there every Friday night.
Skye brought up singer,
Len InDelicato, but there was a short delay getting his track set up so the band sat in for Len’s very fine, smooth and easy rendition of the romantic
Engelbert Humperdinck tune,
After the Loving.
Miz Buffie Lucas, a longtime favorite at
Kelly Clinton shows at the Bootlegger, was back on stage for her solo performance.
Buffie did an amazing presentation of
Just My Imagination, a song that was recorded by the
Temptations and became a big hit during the super seventies. The fabulous
Miz Buffie Lucas is a member of the
Saints Unified Voice, a gospel choir directed by the celebrated singer
Gladys Knight.The phenomenal vocalist
Lisa Gay and the awesome guitarist
Tony Drake had musicians
Mike Clark and
Billy Adams behind them during their fabulous performance of
Under Your Spell.
Lisa Gay is an amazing vocalist who uses her voice like an instrument. She’s a master of Soul/R&B, Jazz and Pop music with a fantastic vocal range and incredible style. Lisa and her husband Tony met while they were both on tour with
Marilyn McCoo and
Billy Davis, Jr..
Tony Drake has played and recorded with many of the top names in the music business including the
Checkmates,
Cher,
Tina Turner, and a very long list of famous others. Most recently he toured with
Barry White,
Lou Rawls and
Lisa Gay.
This Sunday, April 25, Kelly Clinton Productions presents Lisa Gay and the Gentlemen of Thrill at 8:30 pm in the Celebrity Spotlight at the Bootlegger Bistro. The Gentlemen are musical director Tony Drake on guitar, Reginald Johnson on keyboards, Terry Binn on bass and vocals and Shawn Elsbend on drums. ......Book your reservations now at 702-736-4939. You don’t want to miss this!!!
Leana Carter, known as
Lace in the marvelous singing group
Sylk, Satan and Lace, gave an astonishing performance of
At Last, a tune considered by many to be one of the greatest torch songs ever written.
Etta James recorded it in 1960 and it became her signature song.
At Last was written by
Mack Gordon and
Harry Warren for the musical
Orchestra Wives.
Leana’s mother,
Breonte Porter (
Sylk) was out in the crowd celebrating her birthday. In honor of Breonte’s special day,
Skye sang her the Happy Birthday tune
The fantabulous “dream girls” group, Sylk, Satin and Lace will perform at Texas Station on May 15.
We are coming to the end of another great show with guest host, the one and only,
Skye Dee Miles who will tell you that keeping the Cabaret rolling smoothly is not easy! Skye did a great job!!!
...........So here he comes,
Sexy Manuel, AKA,
Kevin Cordova, our fantastic DJ/special effects guy and singer in his own right.
Kevin gave another great performance singing
Lightening Crashes by the band
Live.
Late night performer,
Alex Boye` dropped by to show us some of his talent by delivering a dynamite performance of
Let’s Stay Together by
Al Green. Alex recently appeared in concert at the
South Point Casino. Originally from London, England, Alex performed with the British boy band
Awesome and opened for many big acts.
Alex Boye` is a
Pearl Award winner for several contemporary Gospel CDs and he is a member of the world renown
Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Last up to close out another great Cabaret show,
J. T. Thompson gave a wonderful performance of
The Leader of the Band, the song written and recorded by
Dan Fogelberg as a tribute to his musician father.
J.T. gave
Skye Dee Miles a big thank you for doing such a great job as guest host and her awesome performance!
Thanks go out to all
Kelly Clinton’s A-Team members, J.T. Thompson, musical director
Mike Clark, drummer,
Billy Adams and of course,
DJ Kevin Cordova.
Kelly Clinton will be back next Monday night!! Thanks to all the entertainers and guests who drop by each and every week for Kelly Clinton's Open Mic Cabaret!!
Please join us next Monday night, April 26, at the Bootlegger Bistro, Showtime 9 pm
Perform, Promote Your Gig, Dine In, Chill Out, Have a Blast!!!!
Make your dining reservations at 702-736-4939 Bootlegger Bistro, 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. South
More Pics
See You Monday Night!!!!!! Kelly Clinton
Mark O’Toole pointed out earlier that celebrity Frankie Scinta of the headliner show group The Scintas was in the house. Now it was time for Frankie Scinta to step into the spotlight where he gave us his terrific rendition of Fly Me to the Moon with the band. Frankie mentioned that this open mic night was “how Vegas was” in the early days and “Thank God the Bootlegger is still here” to keep this kind of entertainment alive. Then Frankie invited Mark up to do a number together and the duo gave us a great show with a few of their impressions injected into an impromptu rendition of Summer Wind. Oh what fun!!!!
Special thanks to our guest host, Mark O’Toole for doing such a great job!!! And as always special thanks to Kelly Clinton’s A-team, musical director, Mike Clark, drummer, Billy Adams, Bootlegger host, J.T. Thompson and DJ/Special effects guy, Kevin Cordova.
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