Mr. Las Vegas. Mr. Entertainment. The Midnight Idol.
It doesn’t matter how he’s known, because Wayne Newton is one of the legendary performers of the 20th – and now 21st – century.
He started performing at 4 years old, had his own radio show at 6, and was singing nightly in Las Vegas when he was 15.
After getting early boosts from megastars Jackie Gleason and Jack Benny, Newton launched what is now one of the most successful and enduring show business careers in history.
Newton will be performing his one-man show “Up Close and Personal” on Sunday, September 11, at the Des Plaines Theatre. Showtime is 5pm, and tickets are available here. TripAdvisor ranked it as one of the “Top 4 Shows In The World.”
The Justa Coupla Guys podcast spoke with Newton in his Las Vegas home recently where he spoke about his life, his music, and the incredible array of legendary stars he’s met along the way, from his big breaks with Benny and Gleason to his odd friendship with Elvis. (And, of course, Sinatra.)
Here’s the podcast in full. It is also available on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Stitcher.