Wayne Newton Hints at Calling it Quits

(AP)  Wayne Newton is telling fans "Danke schoen" after 50 years in Las Vegas and hinting that his latest run could be his last. But the singer synonymous with Sin City says he's leaving himself an opening in case he wants to perform after April.

The man known throughout the world as "Mr. Las Vegas" says retirement is possible, but that decision won't hinge on the success of his new show that opened Wednesday night at the Tropicana Las Vegas hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Wayne Newtown's Web site

Instead, he says, it depends on whether his itch to keep working conflicts with his desire to spend more time with his 7-year-old daughter.

"I'm enjoying my second daughter in a way that I didn't get a chance to do the first time around," Newton, 67, told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "The decision that I make, whether or not to perform or retire, will pretty much be based on that."

Newton brought his second-grader home Wednesday night before heading to the Tropicana for the opening night of his latest show, "Once Before I Go."

The show, which Newton says took 2½ months to write, is presented as a live memoir of Newton's life and his career, with never-before-shared insights from Newton about personal episodes along the way.

"It's challenging to keep it entertaining," Newton said. "And that was my first prerequisite."

Wednesday night, Newton told stories about Dean Martin failing to rehearse for a TV duet, Elvis Presley writing a note that inspired the lyrics for "The Letter" and Bobby Darin fighting a publisher to let Newton record his signature tune "Danke Schoen."

Newton told the crowd that it was tough for him to pick highlight songs from a career that includes 165 records.

"It would be impossible for me to pick songs from all of them even if I remembered them, which I don't," Newton quipped.

As a youth, Newton and his family lived in Phoenix. Newton's Web site said he suffered from severe asthma and his family relocated to Phoenix from Virginia.

Newton arrived in Las Vegas in 1959, when a two-week tryout at the Fremont Hotel & Casino turned into lounge act of six shows per night, six nights a week for nearly a year. The crooner earned national fame after a 1962 television appearance on "The Jackie Gleason Show," which led to many more singing and acting gigs on TV and in film.

He also headlined at several casinos throughout Sin City, including the New Frontier, which hosted entertainers including Elvis Presley, Ronald Reagan and Siegfried & Roy over its 65 years. The casino was imploded in 2007.

"I've been working since I was four," Newton said. "There really has not been a time in my life that I don't remember working."

Newton said writing "Once Before I Go" has taken a toll on him and will likely be emotional to perform nightly.

"If I still feel like I have something to give when this particular show is over, then I'll make the decision to probably curtail work a little bit but not give it up totally," he told the AP. "If I don't feel that way at the end of this, then I'll probably hang it up."

[wnfan]

Lets stop trying to put people over 60 out to pasture. It will come for all of you quicker than you think, then see if your ready to give up on life. No, his voice isn't as strong as it used to be, and I hope there is something that can help it come back, but he is a great, energetic entertainer. Obviously there are thousands that still think so or the hotels would not keep booking him. Look at Tony Bennett. He's in his 80's and more popular than ever. Lighten up guys and gals and don't be so judgemental.

[jxknowles]

I thought he was already retired. Oh well, congratulations on the comeback and then the retirement.

[stupa3]

get the hook!

[stupa3]

no hints just do it!

[stupa3]

he's a hack!

[stupa3]

about time good riddens & dunkershein

[SingleandHappy]

I saw Wayne in the early 80's and he was a great performer then and I'm sure he's still a great performer. He pleases the audience which is what entertaining in Vegas is all about! Good for you Wayne! You've put on a good show all these years. You now deserve to take it easy.

[LuckyTiger1111]

Actually I have seen Wayne Newton's show. He really puts on a great show with tons of high energy (of course the rumors are he gets his energy from white powdery stuff, but...). Props to someone who can take mediocre talent and work like h*ll to put together acts that last for 50 years. I mean, how many people can last in that business for ten years let alone 50? Give the guy his due: this guy is a worker, at least, and not asking for a hand-out.
I've never been a big Wayne Newton fan, but his show is really good and worth the time to see. There is a reason, people, for someone to last 50 years in a really hard core town like Las Vegas where people expect the best.

[LuckyTiger1111]

Actually I have seen Wayne Newton's show. He really puts on a great show with tons of high energy (of course the rumors are he gets his energy from white powdery stuff, but...). Props to someone who can take mediocre talent and work like h*ll to put together acts that last for 50 years. I mean, how many people can last in that business for ten years let alone 50? Give the guy his due: this guy is a worker, at least, and not asking for a hand-out.
I've never been a big Wayne Newton fan, but his show is really good and worth the time to see. There is a reason, people, for someone to last 50 years in a really hard core town like Las Vegas where people expect the best.

[aldon61]

Some of you posters have probably only seen Newton on TV; I had the pleasure of seeing his act at the Frontier in the late 70's. Outside of Bobby Darin, Newton's act is the best I have ever seen and I've seen alot of them, including Elvis, Sinatra, Martin and a few others. Wayne Newton connects with his crowd much like Bobby Darin did.........he was one with them. Our crowd was supposed to be out at 2:30AM, we kept asking for encores and Wayne supplied them. When finally someone from the Frontier reminded him there was another crowd waiting to come in, he told the messenger, don't worry, if they're half as good as these people, I'll do the same thing for them. The crowd outside the door heard his words and applauded as loud as we did. The guy is a fantastic entertainer and deserving of the title " Mr. Las Vegas".