Lon Bronson and the Lon Bronson All-Star Band put on one of its most memorable shows Thursday (April at the Green Valley Ranch.

In addition to its own music, the evening included a revealing performance by headliner Terry Fator, whose one-of-a-kind ventriloquism act is at the Mirage.

Fator left his puppets at home and took on the room bare-handed, revealing to fans that he in fact has a great singing voice in his own right – not just a second-banana vocalist to a troupe of puppets.

However, Fator did bring his own band to the gig – which included guitarist/vocalist Jim Buck who probably should have his own career going as a jazz/blues/rock star. The guy is incredible.

Also on hand for the All-Star evening was Early Clover – whose unusual first name is for real (“I was born a month early,” he once told me.).

Clover is an R&B and blues man whose interest in music was sparked by listening to the radio as a child growing up in Georgia.

“Being born poor, we had very limited resources,” Clover said. “We had one small radio the family enjoyed, and I hogged it.

“I would sit in front of it and listen to the songs when I was 7 years old, learning them word for word.”

Then he would sing the words he learned from the music of Little Richard, James Brown, B.B. King and others.

SPEAKING OF, AND TO, FATOR

Terry Fator has changed the perception of ventriloquism, once thought to be nothing more than schtick mostly for kids, a hokey form of entertainment.

“I think I’m bringing ventriloquism into the mainstream as a valid art form,” Fator once told me. “Hopefully, Jeff Dunham and I will inspire the next generation of ventriloquists.

“I think we have raised the perception of the quality of the art – so much in the past was just schlock.”

Jeff Dunham and Fator – both Texas natives – are two of the most sought-after ventriloquist acts in the world.

Jeff (who has occasional shows at the Colosseum), however, is the only one who does much traveling.

“He travels all the time,” Fator said. “I can’t stand traveling. I loved it till I got 15 or 20 years into it and then I didn’t like it. I longed to have a dream gig, where everyone comes to you.”

A new crop of young ventriloquists is beginning to grow around the world.

One of Fator’s favorites is 13-year-old Adino Trapani, a rising star in South Africa who won the SA’s Got Talent completion (just as Fator won America’s Got Talent contest).

“There are several young ventriloquists in the U.S. who are up-and-coming,” Fator says. “Just go on Youtube and you’ll see a lot of kids really learning the art.”

by Jerry Fink

thejerryfink.com

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