Friday, July 11, 2003 | 8:33 a.m.
At Cafe Nicole, Snow reigns.
That would be Jeannie Snow, a voluptuous and charismatic 45-year-old smooth jazz vocalist who has been earning her living singing professionally since the age of 14.
Most Fridays, starting around 8 p.m., Snow can be heard at the popular restaurant at 4760 W. Sahara Ave.
She can also be seen, and the sight is exquisite.
While Snow primarily sings for a living, she also is a model -- in print and at trade shows. On occasion, she has been an artist's model.
But she would rather talk about her music.
"I don't care about the venue where I sing, as long as I can be in touch with the people," Snow said.
She genuinely loves people and entertaining fans. The attitude probably runs in the family.
Snow's parents are Mimi and George Volk. Mimi was a singer and dancer, George a stage and screen actor.
Snow's brother is Phil "Fang" Volk, the original bass guitar player for Paul Revere and the Raiders frm 1965 to 1967.
Among the Raiders' hits are, "Like Long Hair," "Kicks," "Stepping Out," "Birds of a Feather" and "Indian Reservation."
Volk, who moved to Vegas about 12 years ago, has a band, Fang and the Gang, that often performs in Las Vegas venues. Most recently the group was at the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin, where Snow joined him for a number of sets.
Snow's brother got her into entertainment when she was 14.
"I had been singing in my bedroom since I was 9," Snow said.
Among the vocalists she copied in her pre-teen years was Dinah Washington, who died in 1963 at the age of 39 of an accidental drug and alcohol overdose.
Clyde Otis, who produced Washington's hit, "What a Difference a Day Makes," once paid Snow a supreme compliment.
"He said, 'You have a true voice, Jeannie,' " Snow recalled. "I asked him what that meant and he said, 'There aren't a lot of true singers in this world, but Dinah was one. Aretha (Franklin), Whitney (Houston) and Celine (Dion) are true singers. These are artists with true voices, without any affectations.' "
Although Snow now leans more toward the Motown sound and R&B, her roots are in rock 'n' roll.
After Volk left the Raiders, he eventually formed his own group with his wife, Tina, and they landed a gig at Disneyland.
Snow was invited to join the group, performing at Disneyland and Disneyworld in Orlando from the age of 14 to 18.
Then she got married and had four children, but continued to pursue her musical career through the disco era of the '70s and '80s.
About six years ago Snow turned more to smooth jazz.
"But I enjoy rock 'n' roll," she said. "It brings out my sassy side."
Her brother persuaded Snow, who had gotten a divorce, to move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas about 18 months ago.
She landed a gig after only a week in town, singing at the Paris Las Vegas' Ortanique restaurant.
After a year Snow began performing at other venues around town.
Friday, July 18, she will sing at the Stardust's Wayne Newton Theater as part of a free jazz night series sponsored by KOAS FM-105.7 (The Oasis).
One of Snow's goals is to meet and sing a duet with Gladys Knight, who appears at the Flamingo.
"I would like to get up onstage and sing 'The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me' with her," Snow said. "She was a powerful influence on me."
And that's no snow job.
Lounging around
Karaoke is being elevated to a higher form of entertainment at the Bootlegger Bistro. At around 9:30 p.m. Mondays, fans are treated to an unusual array of performers taking their turn at the mike. Magician Lance Burton recently pulled a couple of songs out of his hat. This week those at the restaurant/lounge on South Las Vegas Boulevard included Harrah's resident entertainer Clint Holmes and his musical conductor, Bill Fayne; Jimmy Hopper (still a sensation at the Bellagio's Fontana Bar); comedian Sandy Hackett (the Comedy Club and The Rat Pack at the Greek Isles) and Sheena Easton (the Las Vegas Hilton).
"Karaoke with Kelly Clinton" has transformed a slow Monday night at the Bootlegger into a lively evening of fun. The personable Clinton used to sing with Wayne Newton. She recently was the lead in the interactive dinner theater production, "Ba-Da-Bing."
Poppermost, an alternative rock group based in Vegas, will perform at the International Pop Overthrow, a pop music festival that will be held at the Palms' Palapa Lounge on Tuesday and Wednesday. For more information, call 942-7777.
The festival has been held in Los Angeles the past six years.
The Club at the Cannery will feature "Frank, Sammy & Dean" in a special weekend performance July 18 and July 19. There is a two-drink minimum at the otherwise free concert. A 12-piece orchestra will kick off the evening at 7 p.m. with a Big Band Dance followed by the tribute show at 8 p.m. The cast of the tribute production includes Steve Lippia, Doug Starks and Rick Michel.
Midnight Affair, with Mike Shane and Jessica Marciel, will sub for Frank Sinatra tribute artist Bobby Barrett at the Casa di Amore on East Tropicana Avenue from 8 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday.
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