Wayne Newton on his early work in country music

February 11, 2026

Listen to an interview with “Mr. Las Vegas” Wayne Newton. With a career spanning more than seven decades, Wayne Newton is among the most enduring figures in American popular entertainment.

He’s best known for his 1963 hit “Danke Schoen,” and for a record-setting run of performances in Las Vegas. But Newton’s career began much earlier, in the 1950s, when he was still a child, singing country music alongside his brother, Jerry.

On February 14th, Wayne Newton brings his latest tour to Central Indiana, with a performance at the Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.

WFYI’s Kyle Long spoke with Wayne Newton about his early years in music, and his rise from radio and television to the Las Vegas Strip.