Las Vegas of yesteryear is revived every week with ‘The Dennis Bono Show’

By John Katsilometes

Published Monday, Dec. 1, 2014 | 12:57 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2014 | 1:53 p.m.

Dennis Bono would offer to sit and relax on a nearby sofa for this talk about his long-running show at South Point Showroom, but he can’t.

It’s the pants.

“I don’t want to wrinkle them,” Bono says. “It’s an old trick. Sinatra, he used to walk around in his underwear before shows with his pants hanging up.”

Ah. So Bono stands, preserving those knife-sharp creases. Minutes later, he is onstage, fresh and well suited and unleashing the shtick.

“I see where we now have a new czar, an Ebola czar. This is in concert with the CDC, the Center for Disease Control,” Bono says. “We have more czars than Russia in this country!”

Drummer Mike Mechem snaps out a three-beat rim shot, and a ripple of chuckles fills the showroom.

“Thank you, Mike!” Bono sings, acknowledging the needed boost to that punch line.

Bono knows all the old tricks, as he should. He is both the pilot and navigator of one of the last remaining genuine Old-Vegas entertainment pleasures, “The Dennis Bono Show,” which is performed 2 p.m. Thursdays and broadcast at 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Saturdays and 8 p.m. Sundays on KDWN 720-AM, and also at 7 p.m. Sundays on KJUL 104.7-FM.

Bono debuted the show 15 years ago, securing a locals crowd at Sunset Station’s Club Madrid even as he worried that the show would fizzle within two months. But the show soars right along, showing no signs of ebbing. He celebrates his sixth year at South Point, where the room is regularly at capacity, in January.

In October, the classic crooner signed a syndication deal with the CRN Network. As a result, Bono now reaches 30 additional radio stations in 11 million more households across CRN’s 11 states, primarily those in California.

CRN’s lineup of hosts includes Dennis Miller, Robert Conrad, Fred Dryer, Michael Medved and Thom Hartman. Bono’s broadcast is singularly entertaining for its polished, vintage, variety-show format, rare in any form of media today.

The husband of Bootlegger Bistro owner, onetime Las Vegas lounge singer and former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt-Bono, is a living example of how entertainment was once presented in Las Vegas. Bono’s show can be likened to “The Love Boat ” in that every entertainer of consequence in Las Vegas will eventually take a voyage.

Bono’s inner circle is well represented, with Steve Lawrence and Rich Little among repeat visitors. Recent shows have spotlighted Deana Martin, Kelly Clinton-Holmes, “Shakin’” star Eric Jordan Young, veteran standup comic and singer/songwriter Dennis Blair and Sin City Theater afternoon comic Murray Sawchuck.

Typical of these afternoon performances was a Motown medley by the soul vocal group Spectrum, which strode out in pearl-colored suits and charged through a set of songs, not missing a note or a step.

“Even the ‘Jersey Boys’ could not have performed that any better,” Bono says, not exaggerating. The show’s hour moves at a quick clip, and guests are invited to Bono’s couch for lively banter and plugs for upcoming shows.

Bono’s onstage crew is tightly knit. Corrie Sachs is a longtime Las Vegas singer best known for her tribute to Reba McEntire. Her husband, Bob, is the great bassist who has backed Wayne Newton among countless other stars and still performs with Clint Holmes at Cabaret Jazz in the Smith Center.

The music director is Joey Singer, long the MD for Debbie Reynolds. On guitarist is Dave Hart, known for his time in the bands of "Vegas! The Show" at Saxe Theater and "Hitzville" at V Theater (both at Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood) and also as member of Sheena Easton's band.

The band works under the title of the Bob Rozario Ensemble, named for Bono’s late pianist and MD who was Bobby Darin’s longtime music director. Rozario died in 2013, and Bono and he were friends for more than two decades. The trusty sidekick and announcer is Mike McHugh, who gooses the audience to make noise before the radio telecast.

Bono lost his sidekick and announcer of 10 years, Scotty O’Neil, in 2011 when O’Neil collapsed and died onstage during a show. O’Neil had assumed that role since the show’s inception.

“I think the thing you can say about all of us is we get it, and I am smart enough to know at this stage of my life to surround myself with talented people,” Bono says. “We get the tradition of old-school entertainment, and that goes for (hotel owner) Michael Gaughan and (entertainment director) Michael Libonati, who are just the best people to work with.”

Bono frequently evokes the name of Sinatra, usually precluded by “Francis Albert,” and the two were friends who shared an affection for “saloon singers,” as Bono often refers to himself. In 1988, Sinatra’s friend Jilly Rizzo had heard Bono singing on CD and set up a meeting with Sinatra in New York. Sinatra helped Bono sign on with Don Rickles as Rickles’ opening act and in 1992 open an engagement at Desert Inn.

Bono’s radio show, which originally aired on KJUL, premiered in 2000 under a six-week deal at Sunset Station. The show moved to Sam’s Town in 2005, then to South Point five years later.

The common thread: These are all locals’ casinos. Bono estimates that 90 percent of his audiences are Las Vegas residents.

“The first thing to remember is, you don’t try to outsmart these people. They’ve seen it all. They know what’s good. They recognize talent and have been watching it for decades,” Bono says. “As long as the artists are good, and it’s funny, we are in good shape. There is a lot of wisdom with this audience. They respect music even if it’s a style they are not necessarily interested in.”

Bono knows his audience well in terms of demographics and in fact. He sees the line stretch from the entrance of the showroom out to the casino floor every week. “They are an older crowd, 50 to 55 and older, and tend to be retired,” he says. “Those who listen on the radio are younger.”

Bono says he has never heard the show online.

“I don’t even know how to pull up my show on the Internet,” he says, smiling. “But it is well received and has a big audience. Don’t underestimate radio. This syndication deal we have is just crazy.”

Bono remains forever unflappable and easy going. When a joke clunks, he just strides to the next.

“I just love what I do. I do,” he says. “I might strike out twice, but I’m still playing baseball. I’m still a saloon singer, and this is my saloon.”

Follow John Katsilometes on Twitter at Twitter.com/JohnnyKats. Also, follow “Kats With the Dish” at Twitter.com/KatsWiththeDish.