Jesus Is Coming to Branson and So Is Wayne: memoirs of my entertainment life with Dondino

The impact of the international singing sensation Dondino has been felt across the nation and around the world for over thirty years. Born in Italy and raised in Brooklyn, he first set foot on stage at the age of 13. For the first decade of his professional career, Dondino traveled the world, electrifying audiences with his concerts and nightclub act. His tightly choreographed, lushly orchestrated shows mixed original work with old standards into a dazzling display of showmanship.Yet almost as quickly as he burst onto the musical scene, Dondino gave it all up "I got tired of traveling all over the world peforming." Only the allure of the stage proved far more difficult to leave behind than Dondino ever imagined. What was calling him back to music?The answer lay in the desert...Las Vegas. "At first it was a struggle," Dondino remembers with a wry grin. "I had my doubts-writing charts, hiring musicians and backup singers, putting a show back together..and I didn't have a single gig. Everyone thought I was crazy." But one job led to a second and word began to spread around town about the talented performer. Then one day a call came from Donna about a gig at the Four Queens Hotel and Casino. As a result of that call, for the next 12 years Dondino graced their showroom with six magical performances a week. He attracted fans from around the globe with his stage presence and lavish Vegas production numbers, and in doing so, built a worldwide fan club of over 4,000 members.