Friday, Sept. 15, 2000 | 9:42 a.m.
Joe Delaney's column appears Thursday and Friday. Reach him at 259-4066 or [email protected].
Sonny King is an entertainer's entertainer ... His 28 years with the great Jimmy Durante should be credential enough ... King was an equal contributor when he worked with Shecky Greene ... There are very few true saloon singers left ... King ranks with the best, past and present ... He can trade ad-libs with the best comedians.
As a total performer, King is a role model for aspiring young entertainers ... Once the spotlight hits him and he takes the microphone, the years disappear, the mark of the consummate professional ... King is working at the Regent Las Vegas Fridays and Saturdays at 3 p.m. and Sundays at 3 and 7:30 p.m. with live musical backing and a couple of friends.
Steve Rossi, once of Allen & Rossi, and comedian Sandy Hackett are with King this weekend ... Lezlie Anders, Peter Anthony, Pete Barbutti, Freddie Bell, Denise Clemente and Rick Michel have also sat in with King.
Saloon singers
Frank Sinatra was the quintessential saloon singer ... Tony Bennett wears the crown since Sinatra left us ... King rates right there with Bennett, and so does Bob Anderson who, in addition to singing saloon songs so well, is one of the best singing impressionists ... Anderson closes out a successful run at the Stardust Sept. 30, hidden away in the convention area, yet hundreds have "found" him every show.
Anderson and his quartet deserve a quality room in a top hotel ... His style is intimate, one-on-one with the audience; his room should be intimate ... The Stardust has convention commitments these next few months.
Speaking of the Stardust, the "Old Timer's Dinner," formerly the "30-30 Dinner," will take place there again on Oct. 22 ... Get your reservations in early ... Call Ken Johann Realty at 382-6336 ... This is one of our town's nicest evenings each year.
Random ramblings
The fourth annual Summerlin Street Fair continues through Sunday at the Regent Las Vegas with a carnival, food fair, live music and dancing ... Why not catch King at 3 p.m. before or after the fair ... The Regent Las Vegas people should give King the 7:30 spot nightly and then let his band stay on for dancing, and you'll get a more mature crowd, better players, better dancers, too.
Legit theater fans should try Las Vegas Little Theatre's current production of Neil Simon's "Proposals," weekends through Sept. 24 ... Reminder, it's Marvin Hamlisch, 8 tonight, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, 2 p.m. Sunday, at UNLV's Artemus Ham Hall ... While there, pick up your season tickets for all the fine concerts set for 2000-2001.
All the best to Michael Gaughan and Co. on the opening of the Suncoast this week, and to magician Steve Wyrick in his new custom-built theater at the Sahara. We hope the wait was worth it.
Weekend wrap-up
Joe Lano's guitar stylings make the Napoleon Bar in Paris Las Vegas one of the nicest places in town to listen to tasty jazz and enjoy a libation ... The World's Smallest Jazz Band with George "Moose" Mosse and Ronnie Di Fillips is good jazz and great fun Sundays, 1:30-4:30 p.m. ... Rodger Fox's Big Band is at the Riviera Monday night, and if you are out and about this evening, head for Pogo's with Irv Kluger and Co.
Hypnotism fans have Justin Tranz at O'Sheas plus weekends at the Flamingo Las Vegas; plus Vandersaal (Boomers) and Dr. Naughty (Bourbon Street) ... Enjoy ... See you next Thursday.
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