Friday, Oct. 14, 2005 | 7:10 a.m.
She was shocked.
Kimberly Styles, lead vocalist with the Fabulous Baker Boys, had a year's contract to perform in lounges at Wynn Las Vegas.
At least she thought she had a contract.
Apparently she missed some fine print.
Tuesday she and Howard and Phil Baker (brothers who have performed together for more than 30 years) were given a 30-day notice that their services would no longer be needed -- six months after they began their yearlong engagement.
A year isn't what it used to be.
The act, which includes many standards from the Great American Song Book, is classier than the treatment they received. They are performing at the B Bar. Styles sings; Phil plays piano and sings; Howard is on drums.
"Someone got fired, a new guy came in -- they're changing the room we're in now, turning it into a high rollers lounge," Styles said.
She says she isn't angry.
"I'm disappointed, more than anything," Styles said. "But maybe they'll change their mind."
The timing was bad. Their last day will be Nov. 11. "Just before Thanksgiving," Styles said.
"We had lots of offers before this gig -- to do this to us, literally the week before Thanksgiving. But, that's the way this town is."
Wynn Las Vegas officials could not be reached for comment.
The Rhode Island native has been in Las Vegas 10 years and has never had a problem finding work -- performing at Paris Las Vegas' Napoleon Bar for several years and in clubs at New York-New York and Bellagio, among other places.
A lot of people in the business know her uncle Lou Styles of Lou Styles and the Stylists -- a popular band here in the '50s and '60s.
The Stylists was the house band at the Sands for more than 15 years. Steve Wynn liked Lou Styles.
"Before Wynn bought any hotels he used to go watch my uncle all the time," Kimberly Styles said.
But the fact that Wynn knew her uncle didn't give her a lock on the gig at the new venue.
"It was not an easy job to get," Styles said. "We auditioned several times."
Although she says booking season for entertainers just ended (another disappointment) she is confident that she and the Bakers will find work.
"We've got some offers here in town," Styles said. "Our feelers are out."
There may be some corporate gigs -- possibly something in California.
"Nothing we've decided on," she said. "It's only been a couple of days."
Meanwhile she will continue to be busy giving private singing lessons and singing in the music ministry of the Catholic Church.
"Mostly at Our Lady of Las Vegas," she said. "I lead the songs in Masses and other ceremonies, and I sing at church.
"I do a lot of weddings and funerals."
She says singing in church is very rewarding, emotionally.
"It's like, the note comes out and the reward comes back," Styles said. "When you soothe somebody with music, you can't get fuller than that."
Unlike some casinos, where it's the fullness of the cash register and not the fullness of the heart that counts.
Jerry Fink can be reached at 259-4058 or [email protected].
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