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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZNEWTON, Wayne(b 3 April '42, Roanoke VA) Cabaret singer, dependable on ballads. Inspired by a childhood visit to Grand Ole Opry touring show; regular TV appearances began with Jackie Gleason TV show early '60s; first top 40 hit was Bert Kaempfert song 'Danke Schoen' '63 (prod. by Bobby Darin, reached no. 13 USA), then late-'40s ballad 'Red Roses For A Blue Lady' (no. 23 '65), English hit by Peter Callendar and Geoff Stephens 'Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast' was biggest (no. 4 '72, on Chelsea). He returned to the top 40 with country song 'Years' (no. 35 '80 on Aries II). He had many minor hit singles and ten LPs in the charts '63--72, all long out of print. He is the no. 1 entertainer in Las Vegas and has done very well investing in hotels; when it was proposed that the Beach Boys play at USA Centennial celebrations, a Secretary of the Interior named Watt objected, proposing Newton instead; the whole nation laughed, and Newton probably laughed with it. |