Carson Wayne Newton (born April 3, 1942) is an American singer and entertainer based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was born in Norfolk, Virginia. While Newton was still a child, his family moved to a home near Newark, Ohio. He began singing in local clubs, theaters, and fairs with his brother. Because of his connection with Newark, the city selected Newton to be the grand marshal of its bicentennial parade in 2003. He performed over 30,000 solo shows in Las Vegas over a period of over 40 years, earning him the nickname Mr. Las Vegas. His best known songs include the "Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast" (1972) (his biggest hit, peaking at #4 on the Billboard charts), "Years" (1980),Wayne Newton - Songs and his signature song, "Danke Schoen" (1963).

Early life

Newton was born to Evelyn Marie "Smith" (née Plasters) and Patrick Newton, who was an auto mechanic.Wayne Newton Biography (1942-)Genealogy.com: Ancestry of Wayne Newton His father was of Irish-Powhatan descent and his mother of German-Cherokee ancestry. While his father was in the U.S. Navy, Newton spent his early childhood in Roanoke. He was active in show business at an early age, learning the piano, guitar, and steel guitar at the age of six. Along with his older brother he appeared with the Grand Ole Opry roadshows, performed for President and auditioned unsuccessfully for Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour.