Columnist Jerry Fink: Williams hoping to recapture blues magic

Friday, Sept. 7, 2001 | 9:24 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at 259-4058 or at jerry@lasvegassun.com.

For the past 13 years the Sand Dollar Lounge on Spring Mountain Road has been the most popular spot in Las Vegas for local blues fans.

The Royals Blues Palace & Restaurant on South Decatur Boulevard, five blocks west of the Sand Dollar, may soon be in contention for that honor. The same folks who converted the Sand Dollar from a neighborhood bar into a blues mecca are now in charge at Royals.

John and Shirley Williams became the managers of the upscale lounge and restaurant more than a month ago, and as the news spreads a lot of their fans are seeking them out.

John Williams is better known to his fans as John Earl, of John Earl and the Boogey Man Band fame.

Sunday John and Shirley held a benefit for longtime local blues pianist and vocalist Pat Martinez, who is in the hospital recovering from major surgery. Fifteen local bands performed during the 12-hour fund-raising marathon.

More than $2,000 was raised to help defray medical expenses for the 48-year-old Martinez, who suffered an asthmatic attack on May 13 and went into a coma that lasted 3 1/2 weeks. While he was on life support, Martinez, a diabetic, developed a blood clot in his foot, and his leg was amputated.

"Doctors are amazed he survived," his fiancee, Kathleen Vilyeu, said. "They couldn't explain how he woke from the coma with his brain intact. He's in physical therapy now, three hours a day learning to use his limbs again."

Tax-deductible donations are still being accepted; contact Royals at 364-8848 for information.

"About 15 years ago, when John first started playing in Las Vegas, Pat played with John," Shirley Williams said.

John Earl has been a popular local fixture for years, but not everyone knows that before coming to Las Vegas he was popular in Amsterdam.

"I was performing with a country-and-western band on a USO tour and I liked it over there so I stayed for about 10 years," John Earl said.

That's where he met his wife, Shirley, a native of Ireland who was raised in England and worked in Amsterdam.

Shortly after moving to Las Vegas, the owners of the Sand Dollar asked the couple for help.

"It was just a neighborhood bar that did a lot of business during the daytime, because it was in an office complex, but after 8 o'clock (at night) it was dead," Shirley said. "That's why they asked me to do something, and I said I would put my husband in and let him play music."

At first there was live music twice a week, but as the popularity of the place grew, live music was expanded to seven nights a week.

About three years ago the couple left the Sand Dollar for reasons they would rather not discuss. They were free agents until they were asked to try their hand at Royals.

"The owner, Ed Harper, wanted to revitalize the place, and he felt that John and I, because of our history, could do that," Shirley said. "At the moment, we're just trying to get established. We've got to get the word out."

She doesn't envision Royals being a carbon copy of the Sand Dollar.

"In a way, we want the same type of atmosphere, but not quite the same," Shirley said. "Every place is different. You have to go on."

Royals has a seating capacity of 160, a small stage for musicians and a menu of soul food on nights there is live music. The menu includes items such as barbecue ribs, Cajun catfish, blackened steaks, corn bread and collard greens.

There is live music from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. on Thursdays and 10 p.m.-2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Boogey Man Band has special guests, and there are always musicians who just drop by to jam.

"It's in its early stages, but it's starting to pick up," Shirley said.

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