Charlie Daniels
Dec. 7, 2017
Audio of interviews will be posted below
Charlie Daniels guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
The Charlie Daniels Band will bring their unique blend of country, southern rock and Christian music to The Golden Nugget Showroom on December 10.
His signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” topped both country and pop charts and brought him international recognition. The single was certified platinum, earned three CMA awards, became a cornerstone of the soundtrack for the movie “Urban Cowboy” and propelled Daniels’ “Million Mile Reflections” album to triple-platinum levels.
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Judy Collins, Don McLean
October 19, 2017
Audio posted posted below
Judy Collins is appearing at The Smith Center on Oct. 21 with Stephen Stills. The Award-winning singer-songwriter Collins’ rendition of Joni Mitchell’s, “Both Sides Now” from her landmark 1967 album, “Wildflowers,” has been entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Her version of “Send in the Clowns,” a ballad written by Stephen Sondheim for the Broadway musical “A Little Night Music,” won “Song of the Year” at the 1975 Grammy Awards.
In 2008, contemporary and classic artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Gutherie, Joan Baez and Leonard Cohen honored her legacy with the album “Born to the Breed: A Tribute to Judy Collins.” For more go to http://judycollins.com/index1.php
Legendary artist Don McLean guest on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
In 1969, McLean recorded his first album “Tapestry” in Berkeley, Calif. Student riots were going on outside the studio as Don was singing “And I Love You So” inside. The album was first released by Mediarts and achieved commercial success.
His transition to international stardom began with the release of “American Pie” in 1971. A month later, McLean’s song first played on New York’s WNEW-FM and WPLJ-FM to mark the closing of The Fillmore East, the famous New York concert hall. Thirty years later, the song was voted # 5 in a poll of the “365 Songs of the Century” compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
In 2004, McLean was inducted into The Songwriters Hall of Fame and has charted 40 gold and platinum records during his career. For more go to http://www.don-mclean.com/
TweetEddie Money, Crystal Gayle
September 28, 2017
Audio of shows will be posted below
Eddie Money guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong to promote his upcoming appearance at The Golden Nugget on Sept. 30.
After signing a recording contract with Columbia Records, Money burst onto the scene with his eponymous debut album in 1977. Fans immediately fell in love with Money’s sound, and the album, which went double platinum, featured hits like “Baby Hold On” and “Two Tickets to Paradise.” Money followed the success of his debut album with a stream of Top 40 hits, as well as some of the era’s most creative videos for songs like “Think I’m in Love” and “Shakin.” In 1986, Money released Can’t Hold Back, which featured the classic, Grammy-Nominated duet with Ronnie Spector, “Take Me Home Tonight.” The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album went platinum and also featured the hit “I Wanna Go Back.”
These days, Money continues to delight new and old fans alike at venues throughout the country. Having opened the summer concert season at the famous DTE Energy Music Theatre in Detroit for nearly 20 years, Money draws fans from all over who are eager to see the legendary musician. Ask any concert attendee and they’ll tell you he retains his signature style and performs with the same passion today as he did more than 30 years ago.
In addition to maintaining a busy touring schedule, Money has featured on hit television shows like “The King of Queens,” where he performed for his good friend Kevin James, and “The Drew Carey Show,” where he played Mimi’s ex-husband.
In recent years, Eddie has been joined on tour by his daughter, Jesse Money. Jesse, who was on MTV’s “Rock The Cradle,” is a talented and charismatic vocalist who has chosen to follow in her father’s footsteps. While on tour with Eddie, Jesse sings back-up vocals and adds an exciting twist to the duet “Take Me Home Tonight.” Eddie and his wife Laurie also have four sons – Zachary, Joseph, Desmond, and Julian.
Along with having sold more than 28 million records, Money’s songs have appeared in dozens of movies and television shows, and have recently been included in hit video games like “Grand Theft Auto” and “Guitar Hero.”
For more go to http://www.eddiemoney.com
Grammy Award Winner Crystal Gayle
Grammy Award Winner, Crystal Gayle guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong. As always, Michele gets “personal with the stars,” asking Crystal about what it was like to start out in the shadows of her sister Loretta Lynn, and many other things that are not the normal struggles of every singer.
In the wake…her hit list of platinum and gold record sales was to be matched only by her awards and accolades. CMA’s “Female Vocalist Of The Year,” for two consecutive years, she became a Grammy Award Winner for “Best Female Vocal Performance,” thanks to her beloved “Brown Eyes” – a song that she today admits she has never grown tired of singing. Crystal swept the Academy Of Country Music Awards for three of their “Top Female Vocalist” statuettes. As her music and her career path widened to mainstream audiences—so did her accolades. She is the recipient of three “American Music Awards” –voted by the nation as America’s “Favorite Female Artist.”
The glamour and the mystique of the Crystal Gayle phenomena made her an instantly “ in demand” artist. From symphony halls to Carnegie Hall…from the best kept stages in Las Vegas to the prestige of the London Palladium… one word—“Crystal”—crossed musical genres and oceans.
Crystal Gayle will be appearing at The South Point Hotel Showroom Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at 7:30pm.
For more about Crystal Gayle: crystalgayle.com
TweetJim Belushi, Tony Butala-The Letterman
Sept. 21, 2017
Audio of interviews are posted below
Comedian, actor and blues musician Jim Belushi guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Performer Jim Belushi, along with blues band The Sacred Hearts, will bring high-energy, soulful hits and a lot of laughs to The Tropicana Oct. 6-8.
Jim Belushi is known worldwide for making people laugh as a regular on “Saturday Night Live,” his long-running comedy series “According to Jim” and his many film appearances. In addition to his film and TV career, Belushi’s music career blossomed in 1995 when he joined forces with House of Blues regulars, The Sacred Hearts. Soon after, friend Dan Aykroyd asked Belushi to join him as part of the Blues Brothers. To get ready to play with the Blues Brothers, Belushi would crash rehearsals of The Sacred Hearts. He had so much fun jamming with them, they eventually collaborated and have been performing as Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts ever since.
Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts have played for many notable figures including Al Gore, former President Bill Clinton and former California Governor Gray Davis. The band frequently headlines shows at the House of Blues venues, benefits and hundreds of corporate events.
The band’s first CD, “36 x 22 x 36,” was released in 1998 and delivered a blend of Memphis rhythm & blues seasoned with a lot of soul. Additionally, the “According to Jim Soundtrack” was released in 2005, containing music by Jim Belushi & The Sacred Hearts featured in fan-favorite series episodes. Much of the show’s music was written and recorded by Belushi and bandmates Johnny Rubano and Tony Braunagel, who also made regular guest appearances on “According to Jim.”
Belushi is known for his work on the live stages of Second City and “Saturday Night Live,” to the soundstages of “About Last Night,” “K-9,″ “Mr. Destiny,” “Return to Me,” and in ABC TV’s breakout comedy series of 2002 “According to Jim.” For the concert with The Sacred Hearts at The Orleans, Belushi will sing, talk, flirt, dance on table tops and do at least one back flip.
Tony Butala, original founding member of The Letterman
Tony Butala, Original founding member of The Lettermen guests on Las Vegas Backstage Talk radio show with Comedian Michele LaFong to promote The Lettermen’s upcoming engagement at The South Point Showroom on Sept. 23 & 24 at 7:30pm.
Butala estimates that the group made some 200 appearances on television shows such as Dick
Clark’s “American Bandstand” series, “Shindig”, and “Hullabaloo” were interviewed and
performed on talk shows and variety shows with Johnny Carson, Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin,
Jack Paar, Milton Berle, Steve Allen, Dinah Shore, and many others throughout the 60’s and 70’s,
cultivating new crops of fans.
Over its 50 years, the trio has gone through a few personnel changes. Engemann left in 1967,
replaced by Gary Pike, Jim Pike’s younger brother. A few years later, due to vocal problems,
Jim left the group and was replaced by his even younger brother, Donny Pike. The group stayed
stable, with this combination all through the seventies and early eighties led by the constant
member Tony Butala. Since then, Mark Preston, Ernie Pontiere, Bobby Poynton, Darren Dowler,
Don Campeau, Chad Nichols and Donovan Tea, have each had stints as members of The
Lettermen.
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.
TweetBJ Thomas, Sommore
August 24, 2017
Audio of interviews are posted below (scroll down)
Five-time Grammy® Award winning hit-maker BJ Thomas, guests on “Las Vegas Backstage Talk” radio Show with Comedian Michele LaFong. LVBST radio show is the only show that “Gets Personal with the Stars.”
Five-time Grammy® Award winning hit-maker BJ Thomas will perform at the Golden Nugget on August 25.
In 1966, Thomas released his first hit record, a cover of Hank Williams classic, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” From 1967 to 1975, Thomas charted numerous hits, including: “The Eyes of a New York Woman,” “Hooked on a Feeling,” “It’s Only Love,” and “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.”
Thomas is perhaps best-known for “Rain Drops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” featured in the 1969 movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and winner of an Academy Award® for “Best Original Song.” Since then, the song has been featured in numerous movies, including “Forrest Gump,” “Clerks II,” “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle” and “Spider-Man 2.”
During the ‘80s, Thomas’ music crossed over to the country charts with “Whatever Happened to Old-Fashioned Love,” “New Looks from an Old Lover” and “Two Car Garage.” He became the 60th member of the Grand Old Opry in 1981.
In 1985, Thomas recorded “As Long As We’ve Got Each Other” which was later used as the theme song for the hit ABC sitcom, “Growing Pains.”
In 2007, he released his fourth holiday album, “Home for Christmas.”
More about BJ Thomas here–>
Comedian Sommore
Actress and comedienne Sommore guests on LVBST with Comedian Michele LaFong.
Sommore is appearing at The Suncoast Showroom August 26 & 27 at 7:30pm
Equal parts classy and sassy, Sommore’s frank, fearless routines and controversial wit have garnered loyal fans worldwide. Among the top-grossing stand-up comediennes in the United States and abroad, Oprah Winfrey proclaimed her “a force to be reckoned with in the new millennium.”
New Jersey native Sommore began her career as the first woman to host BET’s ”Comic View,” later hosting Russell Simmons’ “Def Comedy Jam” and “Showtime at the Apollo.” In 2000, she entered “The Guinness Book of World Records,” performing for an audience of more than 50,000 people in Atlanta as part of the “Queens of Comedy” tour. A recording of the show became the longest-running and highest-rated special in the history of Showtime Networks. She is the 1995 recipient of the Richard Pryor Award for Comic of the Year.
Sommore’s film credits include roles in “Soul Plane,” “Friday After Next” and “Something New.” She has also graced the small screen, appearing on “Flavor of Love,” as a regular on “1 vs. 100” and competing for the winning team on season six of “Celebrity Fit Club.” Her comedy specials “The Queen Stands Alone” (Comedy Central, 2008) and “Chandelier Status” (Showtime Networks, 2012) earned rave reviews.
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