I used to watch Wayne Newton perform at the Sands Hotel in the 70′s, and he was amazing. He played all these instruments, and jumped around, and wore a white Elvis suit with a big belt buckle.

Coincidentally, I married his sax player Rick Frazier, and grew close to Wayne and his then wife Elaine. Really nice people. Wayne was best man at Rick and my wedding. Elaine was always wonderful to me, and invited me to their home. His voice was a little strange, nasal and kind of high, but it was in tune and he could hit the notes.

He helped me with my Band “Fantasy“, getting an open ended contract with Summa Corporation. That means until they give you two weeks  notice!! It lasted two years, so I’m not complaining.

This blog came after hearing Whitney Houston‘s voice from a concert in Europe and was mortified. “I Will Always love You” was two keys down from the original and she STILL couldn’t hit the notes. It reminded me of Wayne, and the question I have had , WHY? Why/How did these two talented performers lose their voices. I am getting on in years and my voice is stronger and better than ever. What have they done to damage their voice?

In Whitney‘s case, it appears to be drugs, alcohol and cigarettes. I didn’t know that such use or misuse could damage your voice… this badly. I am beginning to wonder why Wayne lost his voice. Does he have an alcohol problem? Did he? Or is it some medication that inflamed his vocal chords?

I am not a drinker, and if I ever dabbled with drugs, it was not out of bounds. I don’t have a problem with my voice unless I get too little sleep. Note: I am writing this at midnight!.

I am a night owl, and it is hard for me to get tired after 10pm. That is when i come alive. Too bad I can’t start a graveyard teaching class. They would kick me out of the neighborhood.

A recent review of Wayne said that (paraphrasing) “his voice sounded like he had been gargling with broken glass.” Ouch, that would hurt my ego. I would hope that someone who cared for me would tell me when it is time to go. I believe that time has come for Whitney and Wayne. It is a sad thing to think about. they gave us so much joy. So much entertainment, and the saddest part is, there is no one to replace them.

Gordie Brown should be the new Mr. Las Vegas. For some reason, he doesn’t have the right people getting the word out there. This an has it all, voice, comic timing, impressions, and improvisational skills  you wouldn’t believe. If you ever get the chance, see him. Trust me.

Whitney: Your new CD went platinum, good for you, but we all know what they do in the studio. my worst day in the studio can be tweaked by any engineer. So, darlin’, please, stop being the joke of the late night gossip shows and YouTube, and quietly slip away while your CD is on top.

Wayne: I wish you a joyful life, I’m thrilled your daughter pulled through her tragic medical emergency, and i wish you a second life perhaps in Branson, Missouri, where you could do a show with the band drowning you out a bit, or a good sound man who could put special effects on your voice.

Singers: Take care of your bodies, don’t drink to excess and don’t do drugs. It’s not worth it. Get your rest. Yeah, easy for me to say! OK except for the rest part, I do all of that.

Drink, lemon water, honey, warm tea, work your voice out, and then cool down like an athlete does. We can’t fake it, it is our bodies that are our instruments. We need to cover our throats in the cold wind with a scarf.

We need to baby ourselves. That is probably how we got the nickname, Divas.

Jessica Marciel
Las Vegas Vocal Training