Million Dollar Quartet delivers magnificent talent, delights

"Million Dollar Quartet" at Harrah's in Las Vegas is top entertainment.

SIZZLING, HIGH ENERGY VEGAS ACT BRINGS ELVIS, CASH, PERKINS and LEWIS TOGETHER NOSTALGIC TRIBUTE SHOW PAYS HOMAGE TO GREATNESS  

Martin Kaye is fabulous as Jerry Lee Lewis.

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

IMAGINE if four brilliant performers from the 1950s got together for an impromptu jam session.

A Broadway musical, "Million Dollar Quartet,"
is splendidly performed in Las Vegas. 

Imagine those four were Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
Imagine that they were all little known then, just making their names and emerging on the international music scene.
This really happened -- in Sun Records studio. 

Elvis and girlfriend sing a sexy duet in "Million Dollar Quartet."

"Million Dollar Quartet" is a lively musical based on this 1956 meeting, little known until the writers came up with the idea -- a brilliant one -- to share the thrill of this unique moment of rock 'n' roll history. The show was a Broadway smash, closing four years ago.

The joint is jumpin' as fantastic actors portray the day in 1956 when
legendary singers and performers jammed into history in Memphis.

THE MEMPHIS jam session happened by chance.  Perkins, the first of the four to meet success, was coasting on his "Blue Suede Shoes," when he dropped into the studios with his brothers Clayton and Jay. Drummer W.S. Holland was there, too.  The plan was to cut some new songs, including a revamping of an old blues song, "Matchbox."

The real guys, with Elvis Presley's
girlfriend, in Memphis in 1956.

Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, invited his latest acquisition, then unknown piano genius Jerry Lee TAKE A HIGH ROLLER RIDE, click here
Lewis. Cash and Presley were both in town, and the four started jamming, along with the brothers and Holland. Cash said in his autobiography that he actually arrived first, and that Elvis slipped away first -- but only after the four were recorded together. 

Head out of the Flamingo and past Wynn
into Harrah's, for "Million Dollar Quartet."

WOW! An amazing chemistry happened with the talent gathered that day. "Million Dollar Quartet" boasts fantastic actors as the four soon-to-be stars, and another terrific actor as Phillips, who tells the story.
The back-up musicians are fabulous, too.  
The splendid company includes Martin Kaye as the rambunctious Jerry Lee Lewis, Benjamin D.Hale as Cash, Tyler Hunter as Elvis and Robbert Britton Lyons as Perkins.
Marc Donovan is Phillips, terrific as the narrator-producer, with Felice Garcia as Presley's girlfriend Dyanne and Jim Belk and Mikey Hachey as the brothers.
  DON'T OVERLOOK this fabulous tribute show when you're shopping for Las Vegas entertainment. The energy is electric.

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga at Planet Hollywood.
We were at the SRO concert -- front and center.

"Million Dollar Quartet" is the name given the recordings made that historic, lucky day. Don't miss the show, up the escalator to Harrah's Main Showroom.
UP NEXT WEEKEND: Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga thrill a packed house at Planet Hollywood.  We're in the front row for the standing ovation! Remember to explore, learn and live and catch us Saturdays at www.lilianslastdance.com