by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

We took in another special Holiday show, this time by our friend Clint Holmes. Through New Year's Eve, Holmes and his band of music makers will be delivering some appropriate tunes for the occasion, plus songs attributed to Clint and his buddy, Bill Fayne, in the main showroom at the Sahara Hotel.

One of the early highlights, in a show with a number of them, was when Holmes sang "I Sing," from his Broadway bound production of "Just Another Man... JAM.." It was a perfect opener. Domenick Allen, who joined Holmes at the Excalibur last August, is once again with his friend. At one time, Allen was the lead singer and instrumentalist for the rock group, "Foreigner." He currently resides in Las Vegas. Domenick is one huge talent, not only as a singer, but also as a musician, playing the guitar, sax and clarinet. Joining Holmes, Fayne and Allen at the Sahara is bassist Keith Nelson and a very talented young drummer, Brian Czach, who performs a classic drum routine created by the late, great, Gene Krupa, which is nearly a showstopper. David Saxe, one of the nice guys in Las Vegas, is producing this particular show...

Fayne and Holmes are two wonderfully, relaxed entertainers who only need to glance at one another to know what is coming next (changing the show rundown). It has taken them more than 25 years to accomplish this, and to get them to the stage of the Sahara and their next stop, Broadway.

Showtime is 9 p.m. nightly through New Year's Eve with tickets starting at $25 up to $59 for VIP seating. For reservations (strongly suggested for Dec. 31) call (702) 737-2515.

We, the entertainment cadre of Las Vegas and the World, lost another one on Saturday, December 15, when Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith (68) of the internationally famous Checkmates was found dead in his cabin aboard a cruise ship. Sonny Charles, his partner and lifelong buddy, found Smith when he failed to show up for a rehearsal.

The Checkmates had a number of hit recordings, "Black Pearl" being their biggest in 1969. During their more than 50 years of performing, with many of those years spent right here in Las Vegas, they befriended everyone they met. This was evident at Palm Mortuary last Friday when the 450 seat room was filled to SRO (befitting) and everyone there really knew him.

I first spotted the Checkmates when they were performing at Caesars Palace in early 1966. Ash Resnick, who at the time was a casino host for Caesars (actually that was just a title, as he was far more important than being a host), had curtained off an area of the casino to make a mini-showroom for the group. Ash had asked me to drop by and see his discovery (we knew each other from my days with Joe Louis) and possibly write something about them in my column for the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. The group was then comprised of three singers: "Sweet Louie," Sonny Charles and Bobby Stevens. Prior to their arrival at Caesars, they were playing at the "Pussycat A Go Go," on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. South and Sands (where the Wynn Hotel now stands), where jazz singer extraordinaire Nancy Wilson discovered them. She mentioned the group to Resnick, who went with Wilson to the nightclub to see for himself. The rest is what you say, showbiz history. They never looked back. In 1970 the group sorta broke up, but later got back together without Stevens.

The last time I watched them perform was in the lounge at the Sahara Hotel, earlier this year. And Louie never looked happier. He had just married his longtime girlfriend, Linda. When you saw the pair, you knew nothing would ever tear them apart. It was beautiful to see. But the Man Upstairs must have needed a singing drummer, because he called him far too soon.

Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith will be greatly missed by our community and the world. They just don't mak'em like they used to anymore!

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY: Bob Anderson, a long time resident of Las Vegas, who moved to Branson about four years ago, will be in concert with the 38-piece Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra and members of The Utah Symphony Orchestra, along with his buddy and conductor, Vince Falcone, at the Rose Wagner Theatre in downtown Salt Lake. If it wasn't so darn cold right now, I 'd venture up that-a-way to see a great entertainer do what he does best, entertain!... This Sunday (Dec. 30) the number one rated unscripted show, "Dancing With the Stars," is on the road again and will be dancing in the Orleans Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. This is the third year a tour has been assembled from the competitors, and will include special guest star Wayne Newton. Tickets are priced from $52.50 to $198 including tax and fees... Founder of the world famous Supremes, Mary Wilson, left Las Vegas on a redeye flight last Friday (Dec. 22) for Iowa. She did a whirlwind one-day tour of Waterloo, Ia., for Democrat Presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, returning late Saturday night. She then flew out of Las Vegas Christmas day for a two-week gig in the Caribbean. This is a busy lady... The South Point Hotel / Casino has a full schedule of top entertainment to help bring in the New Year, beginning with the Las Vegas Tenors at 11 a.m. Dec. 31st and ending with the wonderful Debbie Reynolds... Once again it's my pleasure to await yet another New Year with everyone out there. I just pray that one of these years it could be a wee bit more peaceful. Happy New Year, gang... I personally will be spending New Year's Eve with my good friends, Marvin Lashever, Jack Wishna and of course the fabulous Tony Orlando at the Cannery...

I'm outa here!

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