Chuck Negron, Kenny Wayne Shepherd
September 14, 2017
Audio of interviews are posted below
Legendary Vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Chuck Negron headlines at The Golden Nugget H&C on Sept. 29.
Among Three Dog Night’s biggest hit songs featuring Negron’s soulful, four-octave range and unique vocal styling: “Joy To The World,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Old-Fashioned Love Song” and “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog,” which appeared on the multi-Grammy nominated and 1971 Record Of The Year “Joy To The World.”
“Am I Still In Your Heart” was Negron’s first solo release in 1995, followed by a Christmas release of “Joy To The World” in 1996. Negron spent two years writing his book “Three Dog Nightmare” and recorded the accompanying soundtrack CD “The Long Road Back.” His fourth solo effort “Chuck Negron – Live In Concert” recorded at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas was released in 2001 and the original song “Took Me Under” was nominated in 2002 for a PRISM Award for Best Song. In 2005, Negron released “The Chuck Negron Story: Biography of an Entertainer,” which won several awards including the 2006 PRISM “Video to Production” Award.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Award-winning blues musician, and protege of Stevie Ray Vaughn, Kenny Wayne Shepherd guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong. They will bring their chart-topping hits to The Tropicana H&C, Sept. 16.
Bandleader Kenny Wayne Shepherd began his career at a young age, sharing the stage with New Orleans legend Bryan Lee at 13 years old. Shepherd has since been listed among the top blues guitarists of all time by Guitar World magazine, along with legends B.B. King and Eric Clapton.
The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band debuted in 1995 with “Ledbetter Heights” and the album quickly rose to the top of the Billboard blues chart. The band followed up with “Trouble Is…”, which also reached the top of the blues charts and featured “Blue on Black,” a single that spent 17 consecutive weeks at #1 on the rock charts.
In total, the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band has released eight albums, including the 2014 release “Goin’ Home,” which was just nominated for “Blues Rock Album of the Year” for this year’s Blues Music Awards.
During his career, Shepherd has received five Grammy nominations, two Billboard Music Awards, a pair of Orville H. Gibson awards, the Blues Foundation’s Keeping The Blues Alive award and two Blues Music awards. He’s had released six #1 blues albums and a string of #1 mainstream rock singles. His acclaimed CD/documentary project “10 Days Out: Blues from the Backroads” was the top-selling blues album of 2007.
Completing The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band are: Noah Hunt, lead vocals; Chris Layton, drums; Tony Franklin, bass guitar; and Riley Osbourn, B-3 and keyboards.
TweetFrank Caliendo, Chuck Negron
October 6, 2016
Audio of interviews are posted below
Comedian, actor and impressionist Frank Caliendo, and legendary vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Caliendo is perhaps best known for his impressions of famous actors Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro; former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; broadcasters John Madden and Charles Barkley; and talk show hosts Dr. Phil, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
A veteran of televised comedy, Caliendo has starred in numerous television shows including “MADtv,” “Mike & Mike,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and his own series on TBS “Frank TV” in 2007 and 2008.
From 2003 to 2012, Caliendo was a fixture on the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show where he worked with Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and the rest of the team. His “Frank’s Picks” segments were featured during the broadcasts of Super Bowls XXXIX, XLII and XLV.
Frank is appearing at The Orleans Showroom Oct. 7 & 8 at 8pm
Chuck Negron
Legendary Vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Among Three Dog Night’s biggest hit songs featuring Negron’s soulful, four-octave range and unique vocal styling: “Joy To The World,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Old-Fashioned Love Song” and “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog,” which appeared on the multi-Grammy nominated and 1971 Record Of The Year “Joy To The World.”
“Am I Still In Your Heart” was Negron’s first solo release in 1995, followed by a Christmas release of “Joy To The World” in 1996. Negron spent two years writing his book “Three Dog Nightmare” and recorded the accompanying soundtrack CD “The Long Road Back.” His fourth solo effort “Chuck Negron – Live In Concert” recorded at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas was released in 2001 and the original song “Took Me Under” was nominated in 2002 for a PRISM Award for Best Song. In 2005, Negron released “The Chuck Negron Story: Biography of an Entertainer,” which won several awards including the 2006 PRISM “Video to Production” Award.
TweetFrank Caliendo, Chuck Negron
April 21, 2016
Audio of interviews are posted below
Comedian, actor and impressionist Frank Caliendo, and legendary vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Caliendo is perhaps best known for his impressions of famous actors Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro; former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; broadcasters John Madden and Charles Barkley; and talk show hosts Dr. Phil, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
A veteran of televised comedy, Caliendo has starred in numerous television shows including “MADtv,” “Mike & Mike,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and his own series on TBS “Frank TV” in 2007 and 2008.
From 2003 to 2012, Caliendo was a fixture on the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show where he worked with Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and the rest of the team. His “Frank’s Picks” segments were featured during the broadcasts of Super Bowls XXXIX, XLII and XLV.
Frank is appearing at The Orleans Arena April 23
Chuck Negron
Legendary Vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Among Three Dog Night’s biggest hit songs featuring Negron’s soulful, four-octave range and unique vocal styling: “Joy To The World,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Old-Fashioned Love Song” and “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog,” which appeared on the multi-Grammy nominated and 1971 Record Of The Year “Joy To The World.”
“Am I Still In Your Heart” was Negron’s first solo release in 1995, followed by a Christmas release of “Joy To The World” in 1996. Negron spent two years writing his book “Three Dog Nightmare” and recorded the accompanying soundtrack CD “The Long Road Back.” His fourth solo effort “Chuck Negron – Live In Concert” recorded at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas was released in 2001 and the original song “Took Me Under” was nominated in 2002 for a PRISM Award for Best Song. In 2005, Negron released “The Chuck Negron Story: Biography of an Entertainer,” which won several awards including the 2006 PRISM “Video to Production” Award.
TweetFrank Caliendo, Chuck Negron
Sept. 24, 2015
Audio of interviews posted below (except on Internet Explorer)
Comedian, actor and impressionist Frank Caliendo, and legendary vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Caliendo is perhaps best known for his impressions of famous actors Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro; former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton; broadcasters John Madden and Charles Barkley; and talk show hosts Dr. Phil, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
A veteran of televised comedy, Caliendo has starred in numerous television shows including “MADtv,” “Mike & Mike,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and his own series on TBS “Frank TV” in 2007 and 2008.
From 2003 to 2012, Caliendo was a fixture on the “Fox NFL Sunday” pregame show where he worked with Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and the rest of the team. His “Frank’s Picks” segments were featured during the broadcasts of Super Bowls XXXIX, XLII and XLV.
Frank is appearing at The Orleans Showroom Sept. 26-27 at 8pm.
Chuck Negron
Legendary Vocalist Chuck Negron, formerly of Three Dog Night, guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Among Three Dog Night’s biggest hit songs featuring Negron’s soulful, four-octave range and unique vocal styling: “Joy To The World,” “Easy To Be Hard,” “Old-Fashioned Love Song” and “Jeremiah Was A Bullfrog,” which appeared on the multi-Grammy nominated and 1971 Record Of The Year “Joy To The World.”
“Am I Still In Your Heart” was Negron’s first solo release in 1995, followed by a Christmas release of “Joy To The World” in 1996. Negron spent two years writing his book “Three Dog Nightmare” and recorded the accompanying soundtrack CD “The Long Road Back.” His fourth solo effort “Chuck Negron – Live In Concert” recorded at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas was released in 2001 and the original song “Took Me Under” was nominated in 2002 for a PRISM Award for Best Song. In 2005, Negron released “The Chuck Negron Story: Biography of an Entertainer,” which won several awards including the 2006 PRISM “Video to Production” Award.
The Cannery, Oct. 3
April Las Vegas Backstage Talk column by Michele LaFong
April Las Vegas Backstage Talk column in Casino Player Magazine, and Gaming Today.
(click on article to read)
Remembering David Brenner
It doesn’t get much than better listening to show-biz stories from David Brenner and Shecky Green in a Las Vegas coffee shop. It wasn’t that long ago I was doing just that. I was shocked when I heard that David Brenner lost his battle with cancer at age 78. II was fortunate enough to have interviewed him when he was promoting his last engagement at The Suncoast Showroom. In that interview Brenner talked about how his father taught him to always leave the audience laughing. And he did…even till the very end. I reran that interview on March 20, in David’s memory. The audio is archived on lasvegasbackstagetalk.com.
After interviewing countless comedians and singers on LVBST for almost three years and following up to watch their shows, I started to realize that artists and audiences often have very different agendas. Audiences always want to be entertained and look forward to hearing their favorite bits or hits of the artist that they pay to go see…and artists want to entertain but also want to grow and continue to evolve, develop and explore. With the double-edged sword of name recognition and fame come expectations from fans of what that artist often perceives as keeping them stuck in the past, and pigeon-holed. Finding that perfect balance of “old” and “new” is the answer to satisfying both the audience and artist whether a comedian, or singer. Tom Jones is a perfect example of someone who has mastered not only combining old with new, but also in re-inventing his band and updating his bluesy arrangements, keeping his material fresh yet in-step with his brand which also keeps him relevant. A crowd-pleaser like Tony Orlando, who is known for opening his show with his biggest hits right off the bat then following up with everything from Led Zeppelin, to The Beatles, always delivers a feel-good contemporary show, is always “on,” and has that special connection with his loyal audience which explains his lasting popularity and sell-out performances. Bill Maher, and Jerry Seinfeld are examples of comedians that are committed to keeping their material updated, presentation smooth, and take pride in the quality of their shows without sacrificing laughs. Paula Poundstone, Chuck Negron, Mickey Gilley, Marty Allen, Rich Little, Gallagher, Gary Puckett, Carlos Mencia, and Judy Tenuta are all examples of artists that not only embrace their audience but also include a Meet & Greet following every show. Another performer that is very pro-audience and eager to please was Burton Cummings, former lead singer for The Guess Who. Cummings sang hit after hit when headlining at The Orleans in January, and received several standing ovations throughout. He even allowed flash photography during his performance and went as far as inviting fans to videotape the show! However not all artists are even close to being as giving and grateful on and off stage, committed to taking the audience up as high as they can. 70’s Pop Star Helen Reddy had a packed house. Before the show began at The Orleans Theatre, I over-heard audience members anticipating which hit Reddy might open with. But no one called it right! She didn’t sing any hits until forty minutes into the show. Although her voice sounded as good ever, the fans that came out expecting to hear her many, many hits were clearly out of luck, as I counted three hits in total including the iconic and mandatory “I am Woman.” Oh…And of course, no pictures, nor autographs for anyone with no exceptions, and certainly no backstage passes! I can’t say I was that surprised because when I interviewed Reddy a couple of weeks prior to the show, and asked her why she had quit the business and stopped singing for over ten years, her reply was “I was bored. I was tired of singing the same songs over and over again.” I asked why she decided to return, her reply was “I was at my older sister’s 80th birthday party, and she asked me to do her a favor and sing a duet with her …and you don’t turn down your big sister…so I sang… got a huge standing ovation, and I heard my voice coming out of the monitor and thought “gee, that’s not so bad…maybe I should go out and do that again…and here I am.” Before my interview, I asked her if she will be gambling while in Vegas? Her reply? “I don’t gamble, I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, and I’m a celibate!” (Not exactly what I was expecting!) I immediately recalled a videotaped interview I did with Comedian Sal Richards in which I asked if there was a celebrity he worked with that wasn’t what he expected them to be. His immediate reply was “yes Helen Reddy!” And the story he told about her was pretty outrageous and shocking! It really shows what can go on behind the scenes in Show Business. It is posted on casinocenter.com and promises not to disappoint!
Singing funnyman Michael Shane was such a hit at Bootlegger Bistro on Thursday nights that he is “back by popular demand” on every Friday & Saturday in April from 6:30PM on. He will be taking your requests and is very difficult to stump! The food is great, especially the pizza, and you’ll be thoroughly entertained.
My picks for April are Ray Romano/Kevin James, April 4 & 6, Mirage, Brian McKnight, April 5, Eastside Cannery, Rob Thomas, April 4, Palms, DL Hughley, Orleans, April 4 & 5, Palms, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, April 4 & 5, Suncoast, Jeff Ross, April 5, Mirage, Olivia Newton-John, April 8- 12, Flamingo, Jason Alexander, April 11-May 4, Harrah’s, Wayne Brady, April 11, Mirage, Bryan Ferry, April 12, Palms, Jay Leno, April 12, Mirage, Foghat, April 12, Cannery, Las Vegas Soul Festival, April 12, UNLV, Megadeth and Motorhead, April 17, Palms, The Bronx Wanderers, April 18-20, South Point, Gabriel Iglesias, Mirage, April 18 & 19, Jim Belushi & Chicago Board of Comedy, April 18 & 19, Venetian, Robert Cray, April 18, Cannery, Restless Heart/Sawyer Brown, April 19, Eastside Cannery, Jeff Tracta, April 24, LVH, Tony Orlando, April 25-27, South Point, Bobby Rydell, April 25-27, Suncoast, Tracy Morgan, April 25, TI, Little River Band, April 26, Cannery, Temptations, April 26 & 27, Orleans, Rod Stewart, April 30-May 17, Caesars Palace
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