Carson Wayne Newton (born
April 3, 1942, in Roanoke,
Virginia) is an American
singer and entertainer based
in Las Vegas, Nevada. He
performed over 30,000 solo
shows in Las Vegas over a
period of over 40 years,
earning him the nickname Mr.
Las Vegas. His best known
songs include the kitschy
"Daddy Don't You Walk So
Fast" (1972), "Years" (1980)
, and his signature song, "Danke
Schoen" (1963).
Newton was born in Roanoke, Virginia, the half-Native American son of an auto mechanic. (His father was Irish-Powhatan and his mother German-Cherokee.) Newton was active in show business at an early age. He learned the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at the age of six. Along with his older brother Jerry Newton, he appeared with the Grand Ole Opry roadshows, performed for President Harry S. Truman, and auditioned unsuccessfully for Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour.
Wayne's severe asthma forced the family to move to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1952. In the spring of 1958, toward the end of Wayne's junior year in high school, a Las Vegas booking agent saw a local TV show on which the two Newton brothers were performing and took them back with him for an audition. Originally signed for two weeks, the two brothers eventually performed for five years, doing six shows a day.
Newton achieved nationwide recognition on September 29, 1962, when he and his brother performed on The Jackie Gleason Show. He would perform on Gleason's show 12 times over the following two years.
Many other entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Bobby Darin, Danny Thomas, George Burns, and Jack Benny lent Newton their support. In particular, Benny hired Newton as an opening act for his show.
After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the Flamingo Hotel, but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act.
From 1980 to 1982 Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel, in a partnership that lead to a number of lawsuits and a failed attempt by Newton to purchase the entire hotel in 1983.
In 1994, Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas.
In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust, calling for him to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week in a showroom named after him. In 2005, in preparation for the eventual demolition of the casino, the deal was, from all reports, amicably terminated; Newton began a 30-show stint that summer at the Hilton.
In 2001, Newton succeeded Bob Hope as “Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle.” In January 2005, Newton started a reality television show on E! called The Entertainer. The winner got a spot in his act, plus a headlining act of their own for a year. And recently during player introductions at the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Newton sang Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas."
Newton is currently performing with a full band at casinos and major venues throughout 2007 across the United States.
Newton will be the Grand Marshall of the 80th Annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, Virginia, May 1st through May 7th, 2007. He cancelled a sold-out show to join the Festival.
Newton was born in Roanoke, Virginia, the half-Native American son of an auto mechanic. (His father was Irish-Powhatan and his mother German-Cherokee.) Newton was active in show business at an early age. He learned the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at the age of six. Along with his older brother Jerry Newton, he appeared with the Grand Ole Opry roadshows, performed for President Harry S. Truman, and auditioned unsuccessfully for Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour.
Wayne's severe asthma forced the family to move to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1952. In the spring of 1958, toward the end of Wayne's junior year in high school, a Las Vegas booking agent saw a local TV show on which the two Newton brothers were performing and took them back with him for an audition. Originally signed for two weeks, the two brothers eventually performed for five years, doing six shows a day.
Newton achieved nationwide recognition on September 29, 1962, when he and his brother performed on The Jackie Gleason Show. He would perform on Gleason's show 12 times over the following two years.
Many other entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Bobby Darin, Danny Thomas, George Burns, and Jack Benny lent Newton their support. In particular, Benny hired Newton as an opening act for his show.
After his job with Benny ended, Newton was offered a job to open for another comic at the Flamingo Hotel, but Newton asked for, and was given, a headline act.
From 1980 to 1982 Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel, in a partnership that lead to a number of lawsuits and a failed attempt by Newton to purchase the entire hotel in 1983.
In 1994, Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas.
In 1999, Newton signed a 10-year deal with the Stardust, calling for him to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week in a showroom named after him. In 2005, in preparation for the eventual demolition of the casino, the deal was, from all reports, amicably terminated; Newton began a 30-show stint that summer at the Hilton.
In 2001, Newton succeeded Bob Hope as “Chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle.” In January 2005, Newton started a reality television show on E! called The Entertainer. The winner got a spot in his act, plus a headlining act of their own for a year. And recently during player introductions at the 2007 NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas, Newton sang Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas."
Newton is currently performing with a full band at casinos and major venues throughout 2007 across the United States.
Newton will be the Grand Marshall of the 80th Annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival in Winchester, Virginia, May 1st through May 7th, 2007. He cancelled a sold-out show to join the Festival.
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