by Norm Johnson Send Me E-mail

As you know I visited with a great friend a couple of weeks ago, well to be exact two friends. One is a major star and the other should be a star. How do you talk about a guy who does it all and does it remarkably well and with such ease. Clint Holmes at Harrahs on the Strip is one of those rare individuals that truly loves what he does and it shows during his almost 90 minute show in his showroom.

The other friend is a young lady by the name of Michelle Rohl Justice, who has been around our little village for a few years. If you've ever been to one of those Legends type shows you have seen Michelle: She is one of the best impressionists in the business of copying famous female singers. But with Clint she gets to sing as herself and all I can say is... Wow! Ms. Justice had replaced Clint's regular singer Ms. Masse, who took a maternity leave and has now returned to the show.

The show opens with Michelle singing Set the Night to Music, followed quickly by the Man himself singing All About the Music, an original written by Clint's keyboardist, Ronnie Foster. From that point the show flows smoothly from song to song. One of my favorites is Stand by Me and of course his tribute to my old friend Sammy Davis, Jr. with Once in a Lifetime. There is a very moving moment in the show when guitarist Jerry Lopez joins Clint up front. The two sing, Since She Went Away and I want to Come Back Home with warmth rarely seen.

Clint Holmes is a giving man on stage and with his personal time. Every member of his band conducted by Bill Fayne (the two men have been together for a long, long time) gets his moment in the spotlight. During the show Fayne sings a Beatles hit, I Wanna Hold Your Hand plus an operatic type song of which I know not the title. Both are very well done by the way!

There is a film showing his father (who was a wonderful jazz musician) and mother (who was and still is a beautiful opera singer / teacher). If Mrs. Holmes is in the audience (quite frequently she is) she'll come on stage and sing a few bars from a famous opera, which brings a glow to her famous son's eyes. Another group songfest is accomplished for Lean on Me.

The end of the show is nearing, but not the music. An original song written by Clint should be an American staple: America Was Waiting! It is a wonderful, honest tribute beautifully done by its author, as his is Las Vegas, another tribute song for his adopted city. His conductor joins Clint once again and the two sing a medley of famous songs from some of the greatest Broadway shows, including selections from Porgy & Bess, Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar. This is a definite highlight among many.

The finale is two wonderful songs sung so beautifully by Clint: The Impossible Dream and I Believe I can Fly. Very appropriate musical selections for a man who, as a youngster dreamed he would one day be a star. And, who like most of us when we were very young, wanted to fly. Well his dream did come true and he flies (with his voice) every night at Harrahs on the Las Vegas Strip!

Michelle Justice moves over to the Westward Ho Showroom on the Strip, where she'll be performing as Shania Twain and Bonnie Rait beginning August 20. More on her in another column.

THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:

Well, gang, that's it for this week. I'm outa here!

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