48 Facts About Wayne Newton

One of the most popular singers in the United States from the mid-to-late 20th century, Newton remains one of the best-known entertainers in Las Vegas and has performed there since 1963.

Wayne Newton is known by other nicknames such as "The Midnight Idol" and "Mr Entertainment".

Wayne Newton is of mostly English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German ancestry.

Wayne Newton's father served in the US Navy during World War II, Newton spent his early years in Fredericksburg, Virginia, learning the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at age six.

Wayne Newton performed in a local music radio show, playing steel guitar and singing country music, before school.

Wayne Newton began singing in local clubs, theaters, and fairs with his older brother, Jerry.

Wayne Newton attended North High School where he was the Sophomore Class President.

Wayne Newton was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps.

At age 18, Wayne Newton intended to join the US military but because of his asthma he was given a 1-Y rejection meaning he was qualified to serve only in the event of a major emergency.

In 1962, Wayne Newton performed the Irish folk song "Danny Boy" for Jackie Gleason in Phoenix.

Darin, who was impressed by Wayne Newton, agreed to produce Wayne Newton's records.

Wayne Newton's hit song "Danke Schoen" was originally written for Darin to sing, however Darin was intent on Wayne Newton having a hit song of his own and gave it to him.

For example, after Benny saw Wayne Newton performing at a nightclub in Sydney, Australia, he hired him to perform an opening act for a booking he had at Harrah's Reno.

In 1965, Wayne Newton performed on The Lucy Show as a country boy singing to animals.

Wayne Newton was known for his distinctive high-pitched voice, which stayed with him for most of his career, although his voice did lower somewhat in the 1970s and 1980s.

Wayne Newton holds the record for total crowd counts during his peak.

In 1975, Wayne Newton was featured in Glen Campbell Live in London, a TV special for the BBC.

Wayne Newton entered the Independence Day stage on the Mall on July 4,1983, to mostly cheering members of the audience, but some members booed.

Wayne Newton performed his 25,000th solo show in Las Vegas in 1994.

In 1999, Wayne Newton signed a 10-year-deal with the Stardust, calling for Wayne Newton to perform there 40 weeks out of the year for six shows a week in a showroom named after him.

Wayne Newton's last show at the Stardust was on April 20,2005.

Wayne Newton was featured on the 2007 fall season of Dancing with the Stars partnered with two-time champion Cheryl Burke.

Wayne Newton became the third contestant to be eliminated from the contest.

Wayne Newton appeared after a trip to Las Vegas was shown.

In 2010, Wayne Newton took a five-year hiatus to spend time with his family and prepare his voice for later shows in Las Vegas.

In June 2020, Wayne Newton was seen on television commercials in North America as a spokesperson for Caesars Entertainment to promote the reopening of Caesars Entertainment resorts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 1,1968, Wayne Newton married Elaine Okamura; they divorced in 1985.

Wayne Newton was floated as a potential candidate for United States Senate by Frank Fahrenkopf, the former Republican State Chairman of Nevada, but Wayne Newton declined to run.

Wayne Newton was elected to the Gaming Hall of Fame in 2000.

In 2010, Wayne Newton testified in front of the Rules Committee of the Virginia House of Delegates where he appealed for the state to recognize the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia.

Wayne Newton bought his first horse when he sold his bicycle and his parents' movie camera to buy a foal when he was a sixth-grader.

Wayne Newton first came to the attention of Arabian breeders in 1969 when he partnered with Tom Chauncey, an Arabian breeder and television station owner, to purchase the stallion Naborr from the estate of Anne McCormick.

Shortly thereafter, Wayne Newton formed a partnership with other Arabian breeders to purchase Aramus, who was a son of Naborr.

Wayne Newton became the sole owner of Aramus in 1972.

Wayne Newton was given the Arabian Horse Breeders' Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 during the first Arabian Breeder's World Cup in Las Vegas.

Wayne Newton continues to be directly involved in management of his horses, planning the breeding program for his horses, determining which to keep and which to sell, and even assisting his ranch staff during foaling season.

Wayne Newton was awarded the Arabian Professional and Amateur Horseman's Association Breeder of the Year award in 1996.

Wayne Newton was featured in the production of "You Can't Say Love Enough", an all-star single, featuring Dolly Parton, Heidi Newfield and several other artist-celebrities; this production served to raise funds for diabetes research.

In 2001, Wayne Newton succeeded Bob Hope as chairman of the United Service Organizations Celebrity Circle, a nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment to members of the United States Armed Forces and their families.

Wayne Newton canceled a sold-out show to join the Festival.

In 2008, Wayne Newton received a Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service.

From 1980 to 1982, Wayne Newton was part owner of the Aladdin Hotel, in a partnership that led to a number of lawsuits and a failed attempt by Wayne Newton to purchase the entire hotel in 1983.

In 1992, Wayne Newton filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize an estimated $20 million in debts, much of which was accumulated while suing NBC for libel; he claimed the network had reported that he partnered with the Mafia to buy the Aladdin.

In late 2009, officials at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Michigan, claimed Wayne Newton owed the airport more than $60,000 for unpaid parking fees, which they claimed he owed after having abandoned a $2 million Fokker F28 plane there more than three years before.

In February 2010, Bruton Smith sued Wayne Newton, claiming he was delinquent on a loan he had personally guaranteed, then bought from Bank of America.

The officers attempted to serve civil papers and seize property as part of a $501,388 judgment against Wayne Newton awarded to Monty Ward, his former personal pilot, but security personnel employed by Wayne Newton refused to accept the papers.

Wayne Newton was enmeshed in another lawsuit over a stalled project to convert his 40-acre home into a museum.

The developer claimed that he had invested $50 million on the project, but that Wayne Newton had failed to move out and had deliberately thwarted construction efforts.