Myron’s at the Smith Center, December 17-18
This week on “Talk About Las Vegas,” Ira sits down with Earl Turner—singer, songwriter, musician, dancer, and master storyteller ahead of his holiday show (joined by Elisa Fiorillo and Ken Young), “Another Very Soulful Christmas” lighting up Myron’s at The Smith Center, December 17–18.
In this episode, Earl reflects on a life shaped by music—from picking up the guitar at age 10 to learning a lesson (involving music) while preparing to perform in New Orleans. He opens up about what keeps the spark alive on stage, why music is such a powerful and personal art form, and how performers truly serve their audiences—and get just as much back in return.
Earl shares unforgettable moments, including the first time he saw James Brown and Diana Ross, and discusses his commanding on-stage persona that demands attention—while embracing a quieter, more grounded life offstage. He talks about the joy of both downtime and performance, the blessing of playing for audiences who genuinely want to be there, and how that energy fuels his work.
The conversation also dives into how “Another Very Soulful Christmas” came together—his first holiday show was in 2022—how he selects songs that inspire and lift spirits, why he chose Elisa Fiorillo and Ken Young as collaborators, and why he’s adding “Please Come Home for Christmas” to this year’s set. Earl also shares insights about fans who travel from out of town to see the show, priceless advice from Sammy Davis Jr., and the difference between inspiration and the hard work that turns it into something magical.
It’s a heartfelt, soulful, and joyful conversation—perfectly timed for the holiday season.
At the age of 13, Earl made his performing debut at the local American Legion Club. He played bass; his eight-year-old brother Darrell played drums. For three hours they played the same four songs and were rewarded with a hefty fifty cents. Earl was hooked. At age 19 Earl went on the road with a Chicago-based band, The Earl White Review, staying with them for nearly seven years. This would prove to be the training ground where Earl would learn the business of music and show business.
Fronting his own band from the early ’80s on, music took Earl to nightclubs and hotel-casino stages across the country, and one of his original dance tracks- “Love Caught You By Surprise”-hit the top 40 charts in Europe.
By the early 90’s Earl was performing on Las Vegas stages in legendary hotels such as The Dunes, The Sands, The Aladdin, and The Desert Inn. Earl had found his stage in a city that values entertainers more than any other. He would become a fixture at the Excalibur, the Luxor, Caesars Palace and the Rio where in 2001, the hotel took the almost-unprecedented step of successfully converting Earl’s lounge show into a ticketed nightly event, Earl Turner Live!
His talent and hard work won Earl ever-increasing audiences and – in a city where there’s so much outstanding entertainment – the Las Vegas Review Journal’s “Male Vocalist of the Year” award.
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