I MOVED TO Las Vegas in 1979, and one of my first friends was Howie Newman. Howie has been a good buddy for over 26 years, and he was my trainer-manager during my Hot Dog eating days. The other day Howie said, "Why don't you do a story about Doo-Wopp.com?" Doo-Wopp.com is a very popular Las Vegas Oldies Band, and Howie's wife is one of the lead singers. What a good idea.

It is always great to see your friend's dreams come true. A few years ago, Howie's wife Julie wanted to start a rock & roll band. Howie quickly became the band manager, and got them a booking at the Fiesta Rancho. Every Thursday night for over three years, the band learned songs and perfected their style. Despite a standing room only crowd, with a change of management at The Fiesta, the band was out. After three years on stage, they became a very professional band, but with no regular gig, something very common in this town. Las Vegas eats up, and spits out performers. Would they ever get another regular gig, could Howie do it again? Enter the Suncoast and a new era for Doo-Wopp.

The Suncoast is just one of the many hotel and casinos built by Michael Gaughan, as in Jackie Gaughan, his father. Kirk Kerkorian and Steve Wynn get much of the credit for building Las Vegas. All the while Jackie & Michael Gaughan have quietly built an empire of very successful hotel-casinos all over town. Jackie moved to Las Vegas in 1951; he was very good at bookmaking, and opened a couple of sports books, the Saratoga and the Derby.

The El Cortez Hotel & Casino downtown was already 20 years old, when Jackie bought it in 1963. The El Cortez was an unattractive place, with a checkered past. In fact, in the movie, Bugsy, Virginia Hill tells Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegal to "sell the dump" because it will always be a loser. Jackie faired much better than Busgy, turning The El Cortez into the corner stone of the Gaughan family dynasty. There secret for success; very generous with complementary rooms, meals and drinks, and always, good quality at reasonable prices.

Michael left The El Cortez and his father's nest in 1978 to build his first hotel-casino The Barbary Coast, followed by the Gold Coast, The Orleans, Suncoast, and now The South Coast.

Last year Howie booked the band for one night at the Suncoast. Now, every Tuesday night at 7:30 at the Suncoast, over 500 people come to see Doo-Wopp.com. Every Sunday night at 7:00 at Rock's Lounge in the Red Rock Station is packed with fans. In addition, they always play to a standing room only crowd at The Casino Monte Lago, The Rampart Hotel, and the San Gennero Feast.

WOW, it just came to me, not only a terrible friend, but a bad reporter, this story was right under my nose, and I had to be asked to write it. The facts speak for themselves; there is no other rock & roll band in Las Vegas that plays this many venues, or draws this big of a crowd.