catch a re-run of my performance on ABC’s The Morning Blend on KTNV Las Vegas as part of the “Dating Divas” advice segment on dating. Married girls can give advice to single people too! Men e-mailed in with questions and we answered them on the air. WATCH BELOW.

Michelle Johnson and The Desert Angels can be seen regularly at the House of Blues inside Mandalay Bay every Sunday. The rotating roster of talented gospel artists features some of the best voices and musicians in Las Vegas, in a new headliner format. Part history lesson, part concert, and part classic floor show, this gospel extravaganza has something for everyone.

WATCH THE LATEST TELEVISION INTERVIEW BELOW

Music insiders have long known that legendary soul and R&B singers who recorded gold records for labels like Motown and Stax saved some of their best performances for church. Michelle Johnson and the Desert Angels will give some of the younger singers making up the “next generation” of iconic groups like the Coasters and the Temptations the chance to highlight their gospel roots.

This guest headliner approach is a new step for the House of Blues, and it promises to be exciting and fresh every week. (See images below.)

The House of Blues Las Vegas is located at 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV. Tickets for show and southern-style buffet are $40 and $20 for children under 11. Doors open at 10:00 a.m. for 10:45 show and at 1:00 p.m. for the 1:45 show. Call (702) 632–7600 for tickets.

Bruce Williamson

Sunday’s gospel brunch also often features former Coaster Sandy Wyatt. Wyatt, whose agile tenor voice has been compared to that of Sam Cooke, is currently appearing in Hitzville at the V Theater inside Planet Hollywood.

Past singers include Avis Ellis (Hitzville) , Tim Wells (Bootlegger) , Skye Miles (formerly starring in Menopause, the Musical) , and Toni Morgan (Gladys Knight Show).

Tymara Spears

Future gospel brunches will showcase the talents of Smokey Robinson’s backup singer Serena Henry, and backup singers who have worked with Gladys Knight, Sheena Easton, Chaka Khan, and gospel star Yolanda Adams to name a few.

Serena Henry and Smokey Robinson

Elisa Furr and Chaka Khan

The gospel brunch tradition began in 1985 in New York City, when owners of Lola’s restaurant in Manhattan hired gospel singers from churches in Brooklyn and Queens to entertain brunch diners. The experiment worked: the brunches became so popular that Lola’s added two more seatings to accommodate crowds. The House of Blues has made its gospel brunch a world-famous stop in cities around the country.

Connect with the Desert Angels on Facebook by clicking here: GOSPEL BRUNCH ON FACEBOOK

(Diva Las Vegas Productions was contracted by Soli Concepts to produce a one of a kind Gospel Brunch for the House of Blues, as of Sunday, June 12th.) Come out and see what all the buzz is about!

You can view the Diva Las Vegas website in Flash or HTML by clicking here:

FLASH WEBSITE

HTML WEBSITE

The month of December brings holiday music and live jazz to Grape Street Cafe and Wine Bar, featuring Michelle Johnson and guitarist Mark Speights, performing in an intimate, sophisticated setting. Reminiscent of the sound made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass,  their beautiful blend of guitar and vocals injects new energy into classic songs from the Great American Songbook, along with some adult contemporary pop, blues and classic rock songs. Stay tuned for details of a Christmas CD release party to be held soon, featuring Mark and Michelle’s new CD of beautiful Christmas music. You will be able to buy it right at their Grape Street shows on Thursdays.

Delivering the right mix of songs, the right volume, and the right mood every time, the duo has stumbled upon a refreshingly simple yet beautiful art form, and they do it with class, grace, and above all outstanding musicianship.

Soaring vocals and flying fingers … every Thursday from 6 to 9 pm, at the award winning Grape Street Cafe, Wine Bar and Cellar, your place for fine dining in a cozy and friendly setting. Order some wine, have some dinner, and breathe in the music. Enjoy.

CALL 702-228-9463 TO MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY. (Suggested for parties of 6 or more.)

GRAPE STREET IS LOCATED AT 7501 LAKE MEAD BOULEVARD, LAS VEGAS, NV 89128

Grape Street Cafe, Wine Bar, and Cellar offers over 80 glasses of wine by the glass, scrumptious dinner and desert, incredible wine bottle deals, a fantastic happy hour, excellent prices, and an intimate, cozy setting that has kept regulars (including Michelle) coming there for years. Celebrating their 14th year in business, the restaurant is a critics favorite. Add beautiful music to the mix and you are in for a wonderful evening.

Take a look at the wine list and the menu and check out owner Chef John and General Manager Daniel Bessent’s recent appearance on ABC’s The Morning Blend.

About Mark Speights

Mark Speights of Flint, Michigan, has traveled from coast to coast with numerous musical groups. The son of two musicians, he attributes his vocal ability to his mother, a singer, and his broad interest in music fundamentals and styles to his trumpeter father. Both his parents worked with some of the great big bands throughout the 1940′s. At the age of twelve he discovered the guitar by borrowing one from a friend. It took two years before he received his own as a Christmas gift from his parents. He has never looked back.

Mr. Speights has written and performed music for television and radio ads, two short subject movie scores, has accompanied Little Anthony and the Imperials, Chuck Berry, Chuck Mangione, Charo and a diverse host of others. When Clive Davis began his own Arista label Mark’s band was signed along with Barry Manilow, Melissa Manchester and the Outlaws as one of the new hot acts. That led to touring as opening act for Lynyrd Skynyrd .

Mark moved to Las Vegas in 1980 and worked with bands and shows up and down the Strip. He later did a stint in entertainment management at Walt DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida where he booked and managed talent, and he contracted musical acts for Tokyo Disneyland as well as Tokyo Disney Seas. Seven years ago he returned to Las Vegas and a full-time performing career. He would tell you he has worked in many music related fields over the years, but performing is his niche. His advice to young people who wish to make a living in music – “Listen to everything and learn to play multiple styles of music convincingly.”

What happens when a world class guitarist and a local diva get together?  Electricity! Headliners in their own right with Broadway, touring, recording, television and radio credits, John Wedemeyer and Michelle Johnson have consistently graced audiences with their talent, musicianship and versatility.  

The two sought after performers met through mutual acquaintances in the music industry, and have now teamed up on a new project that is perfect for intimate, sophisticated settings. Reminiscent of the sound made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass,  their beautiful blend of guitar and vocals injects new energy into classic songs from the Great American Songbook, along with some adult contemporary pop, blues and classic rock songs.  

Delivering the right mix of songs, the right volume, and the right mood every time, Wedemeyer and Johnson have stumbled upon a refreshingly simple yet beautiful art form, and they do it with class, grace, and above all outstanding musicianship.

In addition to Mr. Wedemeyer, Michelle will also be appearing at Grape Street with other phenomenal guitarists on a rotating basis. More on these fine musicians soon.

Soaring vocals and flying fingers … every Thursday from 6 to 9 pm, at the award winning Grape Street Cafe, Wine Bar and Cellar, your place for fine dining in a cozy and friendly setting. Order some wine, have some dinner, and breathe in the music. Enjoy.

CALL 702-228-9463 TO MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY. (Suggested for parties of 4 or more.)

GRAPE STREET IS LOCATED AT 7501 LAKE MEAD BOULEVARD, LAS VEGAS, NV 89128

Video of Michelle and John

About Grape Street:

Grape Street Cafe, Wine Bar, and Cellar offers over 80 glasses of wine by the glass, scrumptious dinner and desert, incredible wine bottle deals, a fantastic happy hour, excellent prices, and an intimate, cozy setting that has kept regulars (including Michelle) coming there for years. Celebrating their 14th year in business, the restaurant is a critics favorite. Add beautiful music to the mix and you are in for a wonderful evening.

Take a look at the wine list and the menu and check out owner Chef John and General Manager Daniel Bessent’s recent appearance on ABC’s The Morning Blend.

About John Wedemeyer

John Wedemeyer of Los Gatos, California, has played guitar professionally since age 19. John developed a devoted following and garnered awards and accolades in the Bay area before moving to Las Vegas in, where he is one of the city’s most sought after live and session players.

An outstanding musician who plays anything from blues and rock to jazz and avant garde music, Mr. Wedemeyer has toured worldwide and has played/recorded with a variety of artists including: America’s Got Talent winner and Sony recording artist Michael Grimm, Donny and Marie Osmond, Martin Nievera, Lani Misalucha, Susan Anton, Mickey Thomas (Starship), Phil Lesh (Grateful Dead), Bonnie Raitt, blues harpist Charlie Musselwhite, Wayne Newton, Clint Holmes, Curtis Salgado (formerly with Santana) , and many more.

In the Bay area, where he is somewhat of a legend and a “Blues Rock” hero, his band W.H.a.T won the 1992 KOME Best of the Bay Competition Award, and opened for artists such as BB King, John Haitt and the Dixie Dregs. In Las Vegas, his band “The Other Guys” offers a refreshing take on live music on the strip, and has received rave reviews for shows at the Palazzo and other casino properties.

John is a man of few words. On paper, that is. When he is not on tour or on stage, he is recording or contributing to music projects of those who are lucky enough to have him. His sound is unmistakable, his passion for the blues and jazz irrepressible, and his ability to bring just the right touch and flavor to any kind of musical event remarkable.

“… jaw-dropping fretwork in support of Michael Grimm, winner of America’s Got Talent.” — KeithHollandGuitars.com

“His over-the-top fretwork invariably raises the roof”

– Nicky Baxter, Metroactive Music

I will be performing with Sonny Turner (former lead singer of the Platters) at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas this Saturday, July 30th. He is an amazing performer and a true legend. If you have not seen his show, you do not know what you are missing!!! The concert is entitled “Sam’s Town Presents An Evening of Pop and Doo Wop” and other performers include The Flamingoes, and Danny and the Juniors. Click here for more information and for ticket sales: http://www.vegasnews.com/51656/sam’s-town-presents-an-evening-of-pop-and-doo-wop-july-30.html

I will be going on tour with Sonny (all across Japan) for three weeks, starting August 27th.

I am thrilled to announce my upcoming show, this Tuesday in the Ovation Room in Green Valley Ranch. Here is the accompanying press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ragtag Entertainment Presents Michelle Johnson in An Independent Woman:

A Salute to The Great American Songbook

June 30, 2011 – Las Vegas, NV– On Tuesday, July 5, Michelle Johnson will perform a special Independence Week cabaret show honoring The Great American Songbook, in the Ovation Room inside Green Valley Ranch. An Independent Woman will feature songs by Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin to name a few. Accompanying Johnson will be a full band with horns. Green Valley Ranch is at 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy, in Henderson, Nevada. Admission is $10, with half of the proceeds going to Golden Rainbow of Las Vegas. Show time is 8:00 p.m., and doors open at 7:30 p.m. For tickets, simply buy at the door, or visit Green Valley Ranch or call (702) 617-7777.

Johnson’s first encounter with jazz standards (the classic popular songs of the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s), took place when she was a young child. She learned how to use her parents’ record player at age four, and would spend long hours sitting under the stairs with their albums, listening to Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and others. “I was fascinated by the way each singer had her own distinct way of interpreting the same song” she says. Johnson was singing “Misty” around the house by age five, but it would be another five years before she made her onstage debut singing “I Don’t Know How to Love Him” from Jesus Christ Superstar in a school program.

On her website, www.michellejohnson.com, Johnson is known the “diva” of her production company, Diva Las Vegas Productions, but onstage she views herself as a member of the ensemble. “I try to emulate Ella Fitzgerald, who ‘sang like a trumpet’ and who approached songs more as an instrumentalist than as a typical frontwoman.”

Johnson is looking forward to her first time as a headliner in Green Valley’s Ovation Room, which is particularly suited for a show with a large band. Despite the size of her band, Johnson intends to create a sense of intimacy with her audience by tying the evening together with a narrative thread that celebrates themes of female independence. In a typical nightclub show, Johnson said, “you come watch someone sing, they do a bunch of songs, and everybody goes home,” whereas at a cabaret show, “I’ve done my job if the audience gets to know me by the end of the night.”

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Art Laboe has been around almost as long as radio has, and in the 1950s he helped usher in the Rock ‘n’ Roll era as one of the first DJs to play the new kind of music. Now you can get Art Laboe Show tickets to see him live and in person along with some great artists. The upcoming Las Vegas show’s lineup includes Zapp, Peaches & Herb, The Temprees, MC Magic, Sophia Maria, Blue Magic, Aalon, Barbara Lynn and Sly, Slick & Wicked.

I am thrilled to be singing backups for Barbara Lynn (You’ll Lose a Good Thing) and Aalon (Rock & Roll Gangster) at the upcoming concert, which will be at Planet Hollywood on Saturday, May 14th. The show is sponsored by 105.7 The Oasis. Go online for tickets or check out the show’s Facebook Page.

BARBARA LYNN AND AALON – RIGHT CLICK PICTURES BELOW FOR MORE ON THESE ARTISTS – OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW

ABOUT ART LABOE

From Wikipedia: Art Laboe (born Arthur Egnoian August 7, 1925) is an American pioneering disc jockey, songwriter, record producer, and radio station owner who is generally credited with coining the term “Oldies But Goodies.” Through his “Original Sound Records” company, Laboe put together the first-ever record album to feature hit songs by various artists from more than one label. Titled “Oldies But Goodies,” the album stayed on Billboard magazine’s Top 100 LPs chart for over three years.

For decades, Laboe was at the heart of the West Coast music scene, and worked on such pioneering stations as KPOP, where he broadcast a live show from Scrivners’ Drive-In in Los Angeles, and KRLA in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, all the way through to the present. The city of Los Angeles declared July 17, 1981 to be “Art Laboe Day” when he received a star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. Art Laboe memorabilia can be seen at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum’s interactive Rock and Radio exhibit in Cleveland, Ohio. Today, Art Laboe continues in music as an MC, promoter, and Internet disc jockey. His “Killer Oldies” show can be heard every Sunday night in select cities across the West Coast.

Don’t miss the LIVE Art Laboe show this May in Vegas!! Get tickets HERE.

]]> http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/13/art-laboe-show-live-at-planet-hollywood/feed/ 0 http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/12/zowie-bowie-vintage-vegas-returns/ http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/12/zowie-bowie-vintage-vegas-returns/#comments Fri, 13 May 2011 05:50:03 +0000 Michelle http://www.michellejohnson.com/?p=1237

New on Sundays at 7 PM!

Backups for Zowie Bowie’s “Vintage Vegas”

They’re back! Zowie Bowie’s classic Vegas show returns, featuring the classic music of Las Vegas with cocktails, cufflinks, a big band, and special guests galore every Sunday at 7 PM in the Ovation Room at Green Valley Ranch Hotel and Casino. Conducted by Dave Perrico.

This show is a must see, as it captures the “other side” of Zowie Bowie. The duo is known for their high-energy Hip Hop and Top 40 show, which plays at the Red Rock Hotel’s Rocks Lounge every Friday night to a consistently packed house. “Vintage Vegas” will take you back to the days of the Rat Pack, Bobby Darrin and more, as Zowie Bowie and Marley Taylor trade their urban hip hop look for a tux and a gown. Come swing with us and enjoy some great music, great banter, and a drink or two. As Chris Phillips (Zowie Bowie) says: “Let’s keep the spirit of Las Vegas alive!”

Readers of my blog get special VIP passes.

E-mail me at divalasvegasproductions@gmail.com for more details.

WATCH VIDEO BELOW

Enjoy a sampling by watching the video below or READ LAS VEGAS SUN ARTICLE ON ZOWIE BOWIE HERE

Week of June 12 – 18, 2011

Some may know Sundays as a day of rest, but for some reason, Sunday has become my crazy day for work. Everything happens on Sunday! This Sunday, June 12th, you can catch me at the debut of the new House of Blues Gospel Brunch show, at the Zowie Bowie Vintage Vegas show, with the Steven Lee Group on what is sadly our last night at Red Rock, or on the radio at 8 PM PST on 720 AM KDWN in Vegas or streaming live HERE.

The Dennis Bono show also re-airs on Monday the 13th at 3 PM PST HERE.

Thanks for supporting live entertainment! Right click on flier to the right and open in a new window.

On a completely different note, catch a re-run of my performance on ABC’s The Morning Blend on KTNV Las Vegas as part of the “Dating Divas” advice segment on dating. Married girls can give advice to single people too! Men e-mailed in with questions and we answered them on the air. WATCH BELOW.

]]> http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/12/sundays-are-busy/feed/ 0 http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/08/courting-venue-support-in-vegas/ http://www.michellejohnson.com/2011/05/08/courting-venue-support-in-vegas/#comments Sun, 08 May 2011 19:00:55 +0000 Michelle http://www.michellejohnson.com/?p=688

Lounges that used to have live music have become late-night velvet rope clubs.

Radio and corporate sponsors are an endangered species. Venues are slashing their marketing budgets like never before, especially in entertainment.  Celebrity DJ’s are the new “bands” in Fabulous Las Vegas.

So … what’s a would-be working musician to do?

For starters, one would have to have a grasp on marketing trends.  Let’s cut right to the heart of the way entertainment is being booked and marketed across Las Vegas.  I am speaking particularly about supplemental, non-headliner entertainment.  You know … what properties would call the fluff, the afterthought, the garnish, the background music, the ambience quotient as it were.  That is where many of us make our bread and butter.  These days it would seem that there is only a bit of crust to sustain us.

Entertainment is the first thing to go when economic times are bad, and the first thing to come back when things perk up.  I have watched this cycle for years, and it is nowhere more commonplace than in Las Vegas — the Entertainment Capital of … the World?   Well, we used to be.  As entertainment goes, so goes the casino market in general.  Right now, pockets are tight and “four walling” is the name of the game.

Keeping a steady gig is increasingly difficult these days, even for heavyweight musicians who used to have to turn things down right and left.  (That is part of the reason I was able to pull such great players for my former monthly jazz gig.)

One of the reasons for the decline in steady shows is that properties are not working in tandem with entertainers to develop a following or pull in any repeat customers for their entertainers.  We have become our own marketers, managers, press agents, roadies, and in some cases even our own sound engineers.

I don’t mind that trend.  I rather like being responsible for my own marketing weight, and I love not being told what to do.  However … any marketing campaign, be it generated by the world’s largest gaming company or by Joe Piano Player, needs lead time and a follow up strategy if it is to succeed.  Without those elements, the best PR in the world will inevitably fall flat.

Unfortunately, those elements require foresight, patience, consistency, and quality control.  The foresight to plan ahead and promote an act with at the very least some inexpensive electronic marketing via the web is essential.  The patience to give the act time to actually succeed is very hard to come by in the current climate.  I am not talking years here; I am talking weeks –weeks using the SAME act so that people get used to the schedule and know where an artist is playing.  Consistency in marketing and in the delivered quality of the eventual entertainment experience itself is equally crucial.  That means good food service, a polite wait staff, and booking good entertainment in the first place.

So … when a venue decides from week to week who to put on stage, sends out nothing to its customers in the way of promotional material or electronic flyers, puts out very little signage at the venue itself, skimps out on good bar and food service, and does no follow up marketing … well, then even a musician who is a marketing guru is sunk after the first few weeks of a run go by and the buzz had died down.  The property is sunk, too.

This is a very panicky strategy, and when there is panic, everyone drowns.   This is happening all over the Valley.  When venues do not meet artists halfway, the road is tough tired and long.  As a friend of mine said to me today:  “You just have to shake off the dead leaves and move on.”

Dead leaves indeed!

So how do artists survive all of this? It is up to us to use the same strategies I mentioned earlier: foresight, patience, consistency, and quality control.

By understanding the temporal approach properties are taking towards entertainment we can plan ahead and pursue many leads, instead of leaving all of our eggs in the current “gig basket.”  That kind of foresight helps to buffer the pain of the gig roller coaster. By looking ahead and assuming that things can and will change, we stay flexible, prepared, and most importantly optimistic about our prospects. There is no time for a pity party when you are always developing new product and hunting down new leads. Remember, an object in motion stays in motion.

We need to be patient when trying to build a following, and we need to focus on branding ourselves so that people will be drawn to any gig we play, whether is is a steady engagement or a one nighter.

We need to be consistent about rehearsing, preparing, networking, and following up with those who come to see us and those hire us. If you don’t attempt to have an open line of communication with your fans, contractors or agents, you will be even more baffled when work suddenly disappears.  Stay on top of why things go away and why they show up. Draw your own conclusions based on the facts you do have.  Above all, stop complaining and become proactive and willing to reinvent yourself continuously.  Don’t be bitter. Move on.

Lastly, insist on quality control on your end. Are you learning new material? Are you keeping abreast of new music, new production techniques, and new internet marketing capabilities?  Are you embracing technology?  (If not, find someone who will help you do so – Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, just like cell phones, they are here to stay at least for a while!  Don’t become a dinosaur – we all know what happened to them!)  Is your band tight?  Does everyone show up on time, looking AND playing their best regardless of any “gig drama” that may exist?  Do you have a good reputation?  Do people  know who you are?   Have you done all of that and still found yourself perpetually “suddenly gigless” after a short run somewhere? It’s just a sign of the times. Things are tough all over right now. It is your job to court venues to the best of your ability by being ready to play and willing to do much of the heavy lifting by yourself. That is the current reality.

There is a bright spot in all of this. Some venues have gone back to their “old Vegas” roots and forgone the expectation of high sales with bad service in lieu of delivering consistent, branded entertainment that is tied in to the identity of the property.  Some great examples of this are Red Rock’ Station’s promotion of Zowie Bowie’s hip-hop night, or the Lon Bronson Band’s current headliner laced, packed house shows at Green Valley Ranch, or the Santa Fe Band’s phenomenal ongoing run at the Palms, or the Steven Lee Group‘s new smooth jazz series at Red Rock’s Rocks Lounge.  By working WITH these artists and embracing all of the built in marketing that the artists have already developed, these properties are having to spend very little cash and are being rewarded with increased foot traffic … another thing that used to matter.

So the lesson here?  When things are bad, don’t panic.  Don’t switch from one strategy to the next.  There is no latest greatest thing that will catapult a business or a freelance artist out of the recession.  There is only brand building, identity building, and quality preservation.  Booking and promoting quality entertainment used to be a critical tool in fostering those business strategies.  Hopefully the trend will return.  Until that happens, it is up to entertainers to market themselves, forge ahead, and, well … shake off the dead leaves.

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