Jan. LV Backstage Talk column
By Michele LaFong
(click on article to enlarge)
Jan. Las Vegas Backstage Talk column in Casino Player Magazine, and Gaming Today.
Last month, after interviewing Charlie Daniels, best known for his No. 1 country hit “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” and hearing several songs from his new Off the Grid CD – Doin’ It Dylan, a tribute piece in which the Charlie Daniels Band puts a southern twist on a collection of Bob Dylan’s most classic songs, I felt compelled to check out his show at The Orleans theatre to witness for myself how this country and southern rock legend skilled on guitar, fiddle, and mandolin, manages to stay so relevant at 78 years of age. It was closing night of National Finals Rodeo week. Backstage prior to the show we were chatting it up and I noticed that even his deep speaking voice was resonating with every word. He came across all American as apple pie, and was quite humble and personable both on and off stage. I had no idea what to expect from Charlie’s show but I knew after 50 plus years of creating his own new definitions of music which scored hits on rock, country, pop and Christian charts alike, and winning almost every music award along the way that I would be in for a real treat… and I was!
From the moment Daniels hit the stage, he displayed personality using some theatrics in some jovial interaction with his fellow band members. He really played to his audience when he sang a song about rednecks that clearly won the room over early on. Every type of music was covered from classic Christmas songs to blues and everything in between with Charlie’s signature southern sound and spin in the music’s interpretation. He even played a Johnny Cash tune to play tribute to the star that was so kind to him in Nashville when he was trying to break into the very competitive music business.
Charlie also showed much appreciation of his fellow band members throughout the show and during the introduction of an instrumental entitled Black Ice, an intricate, jamming concert-piece which was designed to showcase the skills of his musicians with solos from each band member which included an 8 minute solo from drummer, Pat McDonald which received a standing ovation in the middle of the show.
I found it interesting that the two Dylan songs that Charlie chose to play were coincidently the same two that I picked to showcase samples of during my interview with him which aired on LVBST. Tangled Up In Blue, and Gotta Serve Somebody, which I absolutely loved! (I noticed when I interviewed Daniels that we had the exact same taste in artists from Gregg Allman to B.B King, when he confessed, “I would love to have the opportunity to record with B.B.) Bob Dylan was the original before the Beatles, and before everyone else.” Charlie declared on stage. He told the story of how he was called to record with Dylan as a one-time fill in because the guitarist that was hired for the series of recording sessions could not make the very first one however after the session was over, Bob insisted that Daniels stay on and finish the project with him because he was the perfect person for the job.
Of course the show closed with the much awaited Devil Down in Georgia, which had the audience on its feet.
What a perfect way to end National Finals Rodeo week! Charlie will be touring the country starting in January, and has several dates in casinos nationally. I highly recommend his show.
The other artist featured on Las Vegas Backstage Talk with Daniels was Ventriloquist Jay Johnson, who is mostly remembered for his role as the schizophrenic ventriloquist “Chuck and Bob” on the classic ABC television comedy “Soap”. Jay was on my radio show promoting the new DVD release of his Tony Award-winning Broadway show The Two and Only,” a show which he wrote and performed. Jay Johnson made his Broadway debut at the Helen Hayes Theatre. Four months before the Broadway opening “Jay Johnson: The Two and Only” played the Colony Theatre where it won the Los Angeles Ovation award for Best Solo Show. The show was originally produced Off-Broadway the previous season at Atlantic Theatre company where it earned rave reviews and a Lucille Lortel Award nomimation. He has written and performed in television specials for NBC, CBS, HBO and made hundreds of appearances on variety specials and talk shows like “The Tonight Show” (with Jay Leno and Johnny Carson) and “The David Letterman Show”. He has been featured in more than 30 national commercials. His acting credits include appearances on “CSI”, “That 70’s Show”, “Dave’s World”, “Night Court”, “Broken Badges” and many other shows that have come and gone.
I had the pleasure of working with Jay years ago when we were performing on Senor Wences’ 100th Birthday Tour at The Improv in LA with Paul Winchell, Milton Berle, John Byner, Charles Fleisher, and many more. I hadn’t had the opportunity to speak with Jay since that night’s performance and it was gratifying to hear that his rendition of that very special evening’s dinner with those two ventriloquist legends had matched my exact recollection of events. The full interviews of Charlie Daniels and Ventriloquist Jay Johnson are archived on Lasvegasbackstagetalk.com, as with all our other shows. Please Like us on facebook to be eligible for future show tickets and other offerings. With rodeo week, Christmas, and New Years’ behind us the schedule for headline entertainment in Las Vegas for 2015 is slowly being put together and released.
My Picks: Joe Rogan, the Mirage, January 1-2, January 30- 31, Elton John, Caesar’s Palace, January 16–24, Rob Schneider, South Point, January 16– 17, Styx, Palms, January 18, Santana, Mandalay Bay, January 21-31, Daniel Tosh, Mirage, January 23–24, Tommy Roe, South Point, January 23-25, Rod Stewart, Caesar’s Palace, January 27 – February 15, Bobby Slayton and Kevin Pollock, South Point, January 29-31, Burt Bacharach, Smith Center, Jan. 30, Jackie Evancho, Smith Center, Jan. 31, Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias, Mandalay Bay, Jan. 31, Tim Allen, Mirage, Jan. 31
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Jeff Tracta, David Brenner
April 17, 2014 6pm-7pm PST 1230AM in LV & The Web
Audio of interviews posted below (Scroll down)
Master Impressionist Jeff Tracta guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong to promote his upcoming One Night Only Extravaganza With Rising Country A Cappella Quintet Home Free, Recent Winners of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” at LVH on April 24, to benefit St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, a non-profit organization that transforms the lives of abused, neglected and homeless children and young adults in Southern Nevada. Tracta’s funny, cutting edge multi-media show, “A Journey Through Pop Culture” at the LVH Theatre at the Las Vegas Hotel and Casino will benefit St. Jude’s Ranch for Children Tracta, whose 100+ hilarious, spot on impressions include Bruno Mars, Usher, Ray Romano, Adam Sandler, the entire cast of “Family Guy,” Black Eyed Peas, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Billy Joel and Elton John, is sharing the one night only musical and comedy extravaganza with five piece country a cappella powerhouse Home Free, winners of Season 4 of NBC’s “The Sing-Off” who just released their major label debut Crazy Life. .”A Journey Through Pop Culture” is co-created and produced by John McEntee, President and Founder of TEI Entertainment, who is one of the nation’s leading talent buyers and producers. For more info: (www.jefftracta.com) Tickets can also be purchased at the box office or over the phone at (800) 222-5361. |
David Brenner
Due to popular demand, I will re-air my interview with David Brenner that aired in 2012.
“Legendary stand-up comedian and long time Tonight Show favorite, David Brenner, passed away at the age of 78 after a courageous battle with his final dragon, cancer,” his rep Jeff Abraham. “Brenner died peacefully at his home in NYC surrounded by his family at his side. David is survived by his wife, Ruth, his three sons, Cole, Wyatt, Slade and his grandson, Wesley.”
Brenner has made 158 appearances on “The Tonight Show” over the course of his career, making him the most frequent guest in the show’s history. Known for basing his routine on current events, Brenner was a popular TV political pundit, with regular appearances on MSNBC, CNN and Fox News.
Prior to stepping on stage, Brenner wrote, produced and directed 115 television documentaries, which earned him nearly 30 awards, including an Emmy®. He has written numerous books, including “I Think There’s a Terrorist in My Soup” and the best-seller “Soft Pretzels With Mustard.”
Brenner has four HBO specials to his credit, including “David Brenner: Back With A Vengeance,” which was one of the cable network’s highest-rated specials. In 2010, he appeared as himself on the ABC show “Modern Family.”
More about David Brenner here–>
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