Columnist Jerry Fink: Charles helps keep Las Vegas blues alive

Friday, April 2, 2004 | 8:33 a.m.

Jerry Fink's lounge column appears on Fridays. Reach him at jerry@lasvegassun.com at (702) 259-4058.

You don't have to be sad all the time to sing the blues.

"People get the wrong impression," said Billy Ray Charles, who performs late-night gigs Thursdays through Sundays at the Cellar Lounge.

"They think you always have to feel bad, but it's the opposite. Singing the blues allows you to get all that off you -- whatever is bugging you, you can play that stuff off you. That's what I do when I'm down and not feeling up.

"I play the blues and I feel good. It's like a soundtrack to my life, and it makes me feel good."

Charles' life has been colorful, one steeped in blues from his very beginning, almost since his birth 56 years ago in Shreveport, La.

"My mother allowed me and my brother, Larry, to draw on the floors and the walls of our house," he recalled. "When it came to the arts and stuff, she allowed our creativity to take wing. She allowed us to do all kinds of stuff."

The brothers' creativity turned to music early -- not surprising, since they were born in the cradle of the blues.

Billy Ray took up the guitar, Larry the drums.

When they were children they lived for a while with an aunt who was a bootlegger.

"She had a jukebox and a cigarette machine in her living room," Charles recalled. "She got busted once for bootlegging and had to pay $200 bail. I have the newspaper clipping from that.

"It was during the Jim Crow days down in Louisiana."

Charles listened to blues on his aunt's jukebox.

"The first music I ever heard was B.B. King and Bobby 'Blue' Bland," Charles said. He first learned to play the guitar by ear and then took a few lessons.

"That opened the whole thing for me," Charles said.

He taught himself to play blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll and country. Charles was a pretty good teacher. He says he has always found work as a musician.

"I've made a living at it my whole life," Charles said. "That's almost unheard of. I've never been out of work."

His work has included opening for such legends as King. He has written songs for King, Bland, The Temptations, Freddy Cannon, Tyrone Davis and many others.

"I've written for a lot of people," Charles said, "people I idolized as a kid -- life has been one adventure after another for me."

His adventures in Vegas began in '94.

"People told me I needed to come to Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World," Charles said.

With his six children grown, he decided he'd come to Vegas to check out the music scene.

He says he didn't have any problem finding work.

"It wasn't that tough," Charles said. "I sat in with different guys, met a lot of people. It wasn't that hard for me. I was the musical director for the Platters; I worked with Joe Williams, in his band at Caesars; I played with B.B. King, opened for him in Jackson, Miss."

Charles had his own band, performing in Vegas, Laughlin and Mesquite. For a time they were Harrah's house jazz band.

Five years ago he began performing Fridays and Saturdays at the Cellar, a neighborhood bar in a retail center on West Sahara Avenue, east of Valley View Boulevard.

A couple of years ago the venue was sold. New owners Russ Davies and Dave Smith liked the after-hours blues and jazz atmosphere created by Charles and his band and gave them two additional nights -- Thursdays and Sundays, starting at 10 p.m., except for Sundays, when they begin at midnight.

"We came with the lease," Charles laughed.

He says the Cellar is great. He and his musicians can be themselves.

"It's about the music," Charles said. "It's always been about the music."

He doesn't perform in casinos anymore, focusing on his Cellar gig, where he plays the blues until everyone decides it's time to go home.

"Blues is like America's music," Charles said. "It's the foundation for all types of American music. I love it."

He has survived in a town where blues and jazz are not as prevalent as they are in other metropolitan areas.

"But I made it work in this town," Charles said. "It's more acceptable now than when I first got here, and I feel good about that."

Charles said he knew Vegas was set in its ways as far as entertainment goes.

"Las Vegas was not going to change, and I wasn't going to change," he said. "So we compromised, and me and Las Vegas met in the middle.

"Blues is never going to be the main thing on the Strip, but off the Strip I like to think I had something to do with its becoming more acceptable. I didn't bend."

Lounging around

Sixtiesmania has been exciting fans in Vegas for more than 18 months, so why can't they get a steady gig? The nostalgia band from Australia began at the Castaways in December 2002, where its contract was renewed three times. The 220-seat lounge was packed every night.

Now they are at the Sahara's Casbar Lounge -- or are they? With much fanfare, a few weeks ago they were among a list of entertainers who were paraded before the press as part of the new image of one of the Strip's oldest venues.

But their last date was March 27, with no indication their stay will be extended, despite standing-room-only crowds.

The Bootlegger Bistro will feature a double-event party tonight -- one honoring the birth of 81-year-old Sonny King (who hosts the restaurant's "Off the Cuff" show) and another observing the third anniversary of the restaurant's new location at 7700 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

A massive birthday bash for everyone born under the sign of Aries is planned at the City Lights Bistro (formerly the Kitchen Cafe) on Wednesday. Keyboardist Dennis Mellen will will lead jamming by a host of musicians.