Rick Michel's Blog

The 50th Anniversary Show for Sammy’s Showroom, Harrah’s Reno is in its last days proving all good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, but there’s always another door ahead and my next door takes me north, way north into Western Canada, where I’ll be touring for five shows of Sinatra Forever in three different provinces - Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Read More

I truly miss the television variety shows that would glue people to their sets for an hour to watch the top names in the entertainment industry sing and dance right into the viewers’ living rooms. Entertainers seemed more rounded then, able to work without rigid scripting because they exuded an innate talent that allowed them to rise to the top. The Hollywood Palace was a program that could wow you every week while exposing many to genres they may not have necessarily watched. Read More

Earlier this week our fifteen-year-old pup, Angel, was diagnosed with a mass on her spleen and if you’ve ever had a beloved pet of your own, I don’t need to tell you that made us nervous. She is going back for another sonogram to see if the mass has gotten at least 20% larger in order to determine whether we need to address taking out her spleen all together. Thankfully Angel is doing great and is back home enjoying her favorite toys, but it did get me thinking about the similarities apparent in my love of animals and the same fondness Frank Sinatra showed for all creatures great and small throughout his life. Read More

Did anyone watch the new Harry Connick, Jr. NBC television show, “Harry” this week? Connick, Jr. is a wonderful musician and if anyone was thinking about putting together a Rat Pack today, it would be difficult not to include him. He projects an innate ease on camera and possesses the requisite amount of “cool” to be a part of the club. It doesn’t hurt that he knows a bit about Frank and Dean too. Read More

When Frank Sinatra was once on the Tonight Show, Johnny Carson joked asking him, “When you’re in a romantic mood and you’re trying to make out, whose records do you put on?” Of course Johnny was referring to how Ol’ Blue Eyes’ voice could make a lady swoon, but it begs the question, What music did Frank Sinatra listen to? Read More

How does the saying go? “Time flies when you’re having fun.” Clichés exist for a reason: they’re true. We’re already passing the half-way point with our run of the Sammy’s Showroom 50th Anniversary Show at Harrah’s Reno and it’s not only been a blast, the response has been so overwhelmingly positive that our promoter, Greg Thompson Productions, is going to be marketing us at the APAP (Association of Performing Arts Presenters) conference in New York City. Read More

Someone said, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” to me the other day - no, I’m not going to share the details! - and I realized that this phrase has become so ingrained to our American culture that it seems almost like some ancient proverb, some advice your dad may have passed onto you with “the talk” when you came of age. So, as often happens with me when my interest gets piqued, I started doing some research and what I found is surprising. Read More

Whenever I see a billboard highlighting the performers for that venue, I can’t help but think of old-time Las Vegas and Reno with Rat Pack stars’ names lit up in big, bold letters - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. - inviting you inside to see a show you know you’re going to enjoy. Picture the original Ocean’s Eleven stars, those icons standing confidently in front of the Sands Hotel’s sign, as straight and tall as the letters themselves. That’s Vegas and that’s the Rat Pack all summed up in one classic film. And guess what? Now they’re doing another remake, but with an all-female cast. Read More

Frank Sinatra did a number of pop covers in the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s and some worked, while others didn’t quite resonate with the audience or fit his voice and style. I’ve written about the rather strange choice with Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” and today the subject is another potentially odd selection - “Both Sides, Now.” Read More

Summer is in full swing and that means plenty of hot weather, days by the water with lots of great food, and music, either outdoors or bathed in priceless air conditioning. The Rat Pack had many summer hits; it’s the season that revolves completely around love and relaxation. For me, music is the most important part of every summer recipe and I find myself drawn to a few staples that may have slipped your mind that I’d like to share. Read More