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Ann Margret's
company of performers made friends with us at Caesars Palace.
They would come in to hear us between their shows and then later,
we would catch up with each other for more leisure time together.
We gave Ann one of our Hudson & Saleeby tee-shirts one night
backstage at Caesars Palace and we got the word that she was jogging
on the beach in it not too long ago. Wade, Rick, Richard, and
the rest of the dancers were the most talented team we ever saw!
We miss you all.
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When Lucy
brought Barry to see us in Memphis, we were performing at Wink
Martindale's club in Overton Square. That night was really fun
for us. Barry and his friends sat right on the front row and stared
us down. We were scared to death when we chose to sing a few of
his songs and our songs for him that night, but he enjoyed it
and paid us some great compliments. He then had us in his studio
in LA to record some of his songs he had never recorded himself.
We later had the great experience of singing on stage with him
as part of his "choir".
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One night
at Caesars Palace in Vegas, we were performing on Cleopatra's
Barge with our 5 piece band. A security guard escorted a woman
in who had a short "shag" haircut. She sat at a table,
but he stood by her the entire night. We were trying to figure
out who she was, and it turned out to be Cher. She enjoyed us
so much she then brought her entire band in to see us at the end
of the night. We stayed late that night and played another show
especially for them. They all got up and played with us several
nights in a row. Cher was very nice and even suggested some herbs
to us that she takes to keep her throat moisturized. Thanks for
the tip, Cher!
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We first
saw him perform in Vegas at the Sands Hotel but met Danny and
Rosemary Thomas in Los Angeles one night when we were out having
dinner with Wink and Sandy Martindale. That was truly a thrill
since Doug's family had always viewed Danny as an "icon"
to his own family's heritage. After that first meeting, we saw
Danny many more times and Chris even had the chance to sing "Danny
Boy" for him. His talent was great and the hospital he built,
St Jude's Children's Research Hospital, is incredible.
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Debbie
Reynolds gave us the biggest tip of our career....$700. She was
in our audience at the Tropicana Hotel in Vegas and kept coming
up to the stage with casino chips and would whisper "I'll
get more". She must have been getting them from her date
for the night, but it was very cute of her the way she would run
up to the stage with a little girlish snicker on her face. She's
a great performer and really knows how to get the crowd going.
Thanks Debbie!
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Dionne
Warwick's sister, Dee Dee, used to perform at Caesars Palace in
Vegas on Cleopatra's Barge at the same time we did. We would alternate
sets. Naturally, Dionne would come check out Dee Dee and she had
no choice but to hear us, as well. She was very nice and would
spend time with us after our shows. We will always remember, besides
her beautiful talent, how striking her beauty is up close and
in person.
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Gary
Morris has always been an inspiration to us. His beautiful voice
and songs are amazing. One night while performing in Nashville
at the Opryland Hotel, Gary came in and sat at the bar. He stared
up at us and we couldn't help but to do one of his songs for him.
We have run into him again when we have been part of some of the
same events or sometimes will see him at the Bluebird Cafe in
Nashville. We were especially proud of his Jean Valjean in LeMiz
in NYC.
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The
Gatlin Brothers used to stop by the lounge at the Riviera Hotel
in Vegas when we were there. It was always great to have Larry,
Steve, and Rudy in the audience because they created such a stir
of excitement.
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We
had the honor of being in Sacramento, CA when Squeeky Frome shot
President Gerald Ford. We were performing at the Senator Hotel
across from the Capitol Building. In fact, President Ford was
staying in the Senator Hotel, as well, in the suite above us.
Yes, we heard him flush the john.
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When
Marlo used to be the spokeswoman for one of the sewing patterns
companies, she was in Charlotte, NC doing a shoot and stopped
by to have dinner at the El Villa where we were performing. She
came up on stage and sat there on the piano bench singing along.
We have since performed for her along with husband Phil Donahue
in Memphis as part of St Jude Children's Research Hospital functions.
Marlo, her sister Terre, and her brother Tony are all to be commended
for their hard work with the hospital their father started.
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It
was very cool the night Neil Sedaka came in to see us in Vegas.
His sound crew and other staff had been hanging out in the lounge
with us and they must have encouraged him to stop in. Chris sang
Neil's own "Hungry Years" for him. Neil offered his
own orchestra arrangement to us for our future use. Thanks Neil!
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The
Oak Ridge Boys used to have parties in Vegas after their shows
in a house in town they must have been renting. We appreciated
being invited to stop by. They always commented that it was obvious
we were raised singing in church and should have gone into gospel.
It was always a thrill to stop by their show at the Frontier and
hear them sing.
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Phillis
Diller used to stop by Cleopatra's Barge at Caesars Palace in
Vegas to catch Hudson & Saleeby. She was funny even in a relaxed
setting. We would spend some time at her table between our shows.
After seeing Chris play some slot machines several times, she
decided he was a "slot-a-holic".
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We
have many fond memories of spending time in Robert Goulet's dressing
rooms in Vegas where there was always a grand piano and a bar.
We'd all sing and have the best time with him as well as his daughter,
Nikki.
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Roy
and Buck always created excitement in our audience at the Frontier
Hotel's Winners Circle Lounge before, between, and after their
shows. Roy can really play the guitar!
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When
we met Tanya first in Vegas, she must have been a child. We later
ran into her again on stage at Wink Martindale's in Memphis when
she got up and sang "Rocky Top" with us. She was particularly
complimentary of our original songs.
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Working
in the same major hotel property in Vegas along with Wayne was
always an interesting experience. He and his wife would stop by
the lounge often to hear some of our music. When his shows finally
broke ( he stays on stage a long time), his audiences were always
in a great spirit.
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Wink
Martindale and his wife Sandy used to stop by to catch our performances
at the Tropicana Hotel in Vegas while they were taping "Las
Vegas Gambit". We got to be friends and before you knew it,
we were moving our home base to Memphis where he had a great little
restaurant/lounge. Thanks for all the fun times, Wink and Sandy.
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When
we were performing at the Adobe Iron Gate in Palm Springs, CA,
Lindsay Wagner would be vacationing there and was very nice to
share conversation with us, as well as some great Elvis music
coming out of her suite onto the grounds.
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When
Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield (The Righteous Brothers) were in
our audience one night, we couldn't help but get them up to sing
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling".
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We
had the chance to sing for Ernest Borgnine and his lovely wife
Tova one night at a cocktail party in Memphis at Sally Shy's home.
Thanks Sally for having us over, it was great to meet your friends,
the Borgnine's. Check
out Tova's line of beauty products, Beauty
by Tova.
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TG
Sheppard stopped by Wink's in Memphis one night to see his friends
Wink and Sandy. It was always a thrill when Wink and Sandy's celebrity
friends would stop by and then when they would enjoy our music,
that made it even better.
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We
never actually met Elvis, but saw his name on the marquis at the
Hilton in Vegas nearly every day. Since we now make Memphis, TN
our home, we have played many functions at his home, Graceland,
and we're still looking forward to meeting him someday!
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We found
out why they call Jerry Lee Lewis "The Killer" when
he stopped by Wink's one night and sat in with us. He broke a
couple of strings on the piano pounding out that great Rock 'N
Roll he's famous for!
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