The newest member of the legendary Society of Seven is a workaholic who, at times, has held three jobs to keep his entertainment dreams alive.

“I want to die singing,” says 38-year-old Mykel Laygo. “I can do a lot of things – but the No. 1 thing I do is sing. If I can ever do just that, I’ll be happy.”

At 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Layton is part of the cast of SOS, which includes “American Idol” finalist Jasmine Trias, a native of Hawaii who replaced Philippine singing sensation Lani Misalucha when Misalucha started her own show at the Hilton.

There’s been a lot of replacing going on in recent years, since the untimely death in2006 of 54-year-old Gary Bautista, who had been with the band for 22 years.

Among those who have been with the group is another Philippine superstar, Martin Nievera, who performer with SOS in 2008.

But the veteran core of the show band continues to perform, including founders Tony Ruivivar and Bert Sagum. Also in the cast are Hoku Low, Roy Guerzo, Wayne Wakai and Vince Mendoza.

Unlike Trias, who grew up fascinated by SOS (which has a second troupe in her native Hawaii), Layton was only vaguely aware of the sensational entertainers.

Laygo was born and raised in Manila, where he began singing and performing professionally at the age of 15.

“I auditioned and got into the plays ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ and ‘Annie,’” says Laygo, who performs mostly pop/rock when he isn’t with SOS.

At the same time he was entertaining he attended college, majoring in advertising and marketing.

“My goal has always been to be an entertainer, but I needed something to fall back on,” he says.

After college he sang in clubs and began a recording career and at the same time pursued a career in advertising, working as a media buyer for awhile. He also managed several bands.
He discovered he didn’t care much for advertising and quit to continue to pursue entertainment.

“That has always been my goal,” he says.

He lost his singing voice for awhile and became an entertainment manager at a small hotel, booking bands.

“I ran sound and everything,” Laygo says.

Eventually he regained his vocal ability and made a second album.

“My first monster hit,” he says. “It was a song called ‘I Love You.’”

Then a sister visited Las Vegas on vacation in 2005 and it changed his world.

She told him about SOS featuring Misalucha and he decided Vegas probably was where he should pursue his entertainment goals.

“I only heard about SOS before that because Martin Nievera’s father had been with the group way back, so SOS’ name came up once or twice,” Laygo says.

In 2005 he left his wife and their six children behind in Manila and paid a visit to Vegas primarily to see Misalucha and SOS.

“I actually cried when I saw her with SOS,” he says. “She made it this far and I wanted to make it, too. That was my dream. I literally cried, I was so happy.

“I wondered how I would get into the group. I thought about suggesting they become the Society of Eight.”

Laygo liked what he saw in Vegas and stayed on, sleeping on an uncle’s couch while looking for work so that he could bring his family here.

He tried to get a job in advertising and marketing, but was told he was over-qualified.

Laygo is a mechanic (he owns a garage in Manila) and held a job for a time as a mechanic, but it interfered with his search for entertainment work.

“I cleaned back yards, I was a pooper scooper, I did dishes,” he says. “I handed out lots of applications and had lots of interviews, but got no response.”

At one point he was working two valet jobs – one at the Jockey Club, the other at the MGM’s Signature Towers – and as an aircraft re-fueler.

“I don’t drink or party, I’d rather work,” he says.

While working three jobs he continued to try to get into the SOS cast, meeting them whenever he could, text messaging them.

He once had an audition for them, before Bautista died.

“They were not that enthusiastic,” he says. “They said I was too Filipino.”

He had song most of his audition songs in his native language.

Eventually, he says, they came to like him but when Bautista died they hired someone else to fill the spot.

When the replacement quit in late 2008, Laygo was given his opportunity.

He joined the cast after years of hard work and pared his workload down to one job, valet at the Signature Towers.

Two weeks later the show at the Flamingo was canceled.

“But it was magical,” he says. “I finally got what I worked for.”

After the show closed he went on tour with the group, working it around his valet schedule.
In August he brought his wife and four of their children (ages 12, 11, 7, 6) to Las Vegas. Two grown children, 25 and 26, remain in Manila to run Laygo’s production company.

Laygo couldn’t be happier these days.

He’s surrounded by his family and fans.

He works 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays as a valet (a union job that provides the family with benefits) and Fridays through Sundays at 7 p.m. he performs.

“Just give me a mike and a room,” Laygo says, “and I’ll sing.”

Who: Society of Seven, featuring Jasmine Trias
When: 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Where: Gold Coast
Tickets: Start at $34.95
Information: 367-7111

by Jerry Fink
thejerryfink.com