Wayne Newton Albums (14)
What The Critics Say
The Real Thing tells the story of Wayne Newton's early years through a collection of demos, acetates, independent label recordings and Capitol sides that, in many cases, are rare beyond belief. Newton's transformation -- from one-half of a kiddie hillbilly act to the archetypal Las Vegas showman -- is so extreme that many of his early recordings may appeal to '50s rock & roll and country fans who never gave Newton's music a moment's thought. For those who admire Newton's far-ranging talents as an entertainer, though, The Real Thing is a revelation. Wayne Newton and his brother Jerry, billed as the Newton Brothers or the Newton Rascals, began as a pure hillbilly duo with matching cowboy outfits, country and western songs, and a steel guitar played by Wayne himself. Their earliest demos and singles, made when Wayne was only 12-years-old, include up-tempo novelties and boogies comparable to the Collins Kids' first recordings. From there, they evolved into a rock & roll brother duo similar to the Everly Brothers with songs such as "Baby, Baby, Baby" and "Rock 'n' Roll Lullaby." Three recordings from a 1959 Capitol session are a highlight as one is previously unreleased, and the other two -- "I Spy" and "The Real Thing" -- comprised Newton's most collectable single. When the brothers moved to George and Lama Records in the early '60s, Wayne's vocals dominated and the material moved into the teen idol realm with novelties such as "Calorie Date" and mild rockers like "Little Jukebox." A cover of Johnny Ray's "The Little White Cloud That Cried" appears in two versions: the original George label recording and an overdub that Challenge issued to minor chart success in 1964. The final seven cuts on the collection are early highlights from Newton's second go-around with Capitol, where he worked with Bobby Darin and produced the hits "Heart," "Danke Schoen," and "Shirl Girl." All of the latter recordings are available on Newton's installment in the Capitol Collectors Series and will be familiar to his fans -- it is the early recordings that make The Real Thing such a rare treat. ~ Greg Adams, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wayne Newton's Christmas Songs is exactly that, a collection of his renditions of several holiday songs. Newton performs these songs in his typical Vegas-style croon, with most of the songs being up-tempo and playful with a few exceptions. Fans of Newton should not be disappointed, but the casual listener might not be hip to his showbiz-heavy style of performing. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide
'Merry Christmas from Wayne Newton'
Release Date 1/1/1990
Tracks 13
Label Curb
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
While Merry Christmas from Wayne Newton includes its share of seasonal staples like "Winter Wonderland," "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Silent Night," what's more impressive are the Newton originals like "It's the Season" and "Blue Snow at Christmas," both worthy additions to the contemporary seasonal canon. ~ Marvin Jolly, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wayne Newton's Summer Wind album has more pop cachet than many fans of '60s music might want to admit and is a marvelous and fun study for those willing to abandon the notion of his glitzy Las Vegas leanings. Produced by the Trinity Music publishing company, owned by his mentor, Bobby Darin, this fine-sounding album was engineered by eventual MOR production king Brooks Arthur. It was Darin who brought the young singer "Danke Schoen," his breakthrough hit from 1963, and just listen to the opening arrangement to "Summer Wind" -- the melodies to the titles of both songs are as similar as "Moon River" is to "Goldfinger." You could very well mistake this "Summer Wind" for "Danke Schoen" until the vocals kick in. The bid for a follow-up to his 1965 hit "Red Roses for a Blue Lady" didn't quite do it, but this short and sweet album, 11 songs coming in at 20 minutes and 21 seconds, has lots to offer despite the fact it all could have fit on one side of a disc. The Henry Mayer/Johnny Mercer tune "Summer Wind" of course went Top 25 for Frank Sinatra in September of 1966, number one adult contemporary, with pianist Roger Williams also utilizing it as a title track for an LP of his own. It's a perfect vehicle for Newton, as are the other familiar standouts, Nat King Cole's Top Ten nugget from 1963, "Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer," and the Dean Martin number one hit from July of 1964 that became his signature tune, "Everybody Loves Somebody." The production by T.M. Music is so solid it has to be commended again, great stereo separation and comfortable arrangements creating a pleasant atmosphere for the singer's distinctive voice. Three tunes come from the minds of "Under the Boardwalk" songwriters Ken Young and Artie Resnick and work well in this context while country film actor/singer Stuart Hamblen's "Remember Me, I'm the One Who Loves You" also gets a nice treatment. Newton's voice is so high it has much in common with one of his contemporaries, pop/adult contemporary singer Chris Montez. Montez didn't get as famous as Newton, though he maintained a coolness that eluded Wayne, despite Newton's appearance in a James Bond flick. Summer Wind, however, is cool, and the secret is that the singer doesn't take on Nat King Cole or Dean Martin. He just embraces their material and acts as if he owns it. A surprisingly strong and very well-constructed musical experience definitely worth your time. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
