Country Legends Oak Ridge Boys Play Three Nights at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Sparks/Reno, Nev. – The Oak Ridge Boys possess one of the most distinctive and recognizable sounds in the music industry. Their upbeat songs and four-part harmonies have delivered multiple country hits and a #1 pop smash, while earning Grammy, Dove, CMA and ACM awards and garnering a host of other industry and fan accolades. Catch the venerable Oak Ridge Boys, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 26-28, in the Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
Formed more than a half-decade ago as a country gospel group, the “Oaks” underwent many stylisic, label and lineup changes before scoring a breakout top-five hit in 1977 with "Y'all Come Back Saloon.” The follow-up, "You're the One," reached number two, and their next album, 1978's Room Service, gave them their first number one hit in "I'll Be True to You" as well as two more top-five hits in "Cryin' Again" and "Come On In."
Thus established as crossover country hitmakers, the Oaks embarked on a run of chart success that would last through the 1980s. They hit number one again in 1980 with "Trying to Love Two Women." But it was the following year that would make them a genuine phenomenon. Their recording of "Elvira," an obscure, doo-wop style novelty song from the 1960s, became a major, Grammy-winning smash. Not only did it hit number one on the country charts, but its infectious "oom-pop-a-mow-mow" bass vocal hook boosted it into the top five on the pop charts. Its accompanying album, Fancy Free, became their first to top the country charts, not to mention their biggest seller ever. The title cut of their chart-topping 1982 follow-up, Bobbie Sue, also went number one country and nearly made the pop top ten as well. American Made's title track also topped the charts in 1983, as did its follow-up, Love Song. In early 1984 Deliver became their third number one country album, and they landed two more number one singles that year with "Everyday" and "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes." 1985 brought three number ones: "Little Things," "Make My Life With You," and "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend."
The Oak Ridge Boys' sales began to slow a bit in the latter half of the '80s, but their popularity endured and they still produced big hits with regularity. They hit number one with 1987‘s "It Takes a Little Rain," and "This Crazy Love", 1988’s "Gonna Take a Lot of River", and 1990’s "No Matter How High”, giving them a total of 16 career country chart-toppers and 29 top ten hits. To this day, every time they step before an audience, the Oak Ridge Boys bring 25 years of hits and 50-plus years of tradition to bear.
With their latest album, the evergreen Oak Ridge Boys prove that they are not only enduring, they are evolving. The Boys Are Back is a roots-music revelation wherein the veteran quartet explores blues, country, Gospel and rock textures. Producer David Cobb brought the group styles and songs it has never attempted before, from John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” to Neil Young’s “Beautiful Bluebird,” from Jamey Johnson’s stone-country “Mama’s Table” to the blues classic “Troubl’in Mind.” “Hold You in My Arms” comes from pop star Ray Lamontagne. Country rebel Shooter Jennings wrote the collection’s title tune especially for the Oaks. “Live with Jesus” and “You Ain’t Gonna Blow My House Down” are Nashville songs, while “Hold Me Closely” comes from Los Angeles. This album’s innovative repertoire is perhaps best illustrated by The Oak Ridge Boys’ striking version of The White Stripes’ song “Seven Nation Army.”
The Oak Ridge Boys play three nights, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 26-28, in the Celebrity Showroom at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $50 and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and show packages are available. Do the Nugget Tonight!

Surf Guitar King Dick Dale at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Sparks/Reno, Nev. – Dick Dale wasn't nicknamed "King of the Surf Guitar" for nothing: he pretty much invented the style single-handedly, and no matter who copied or expanded upon his blueprint, he remains the fieriest, most technically gifted musician the genre ever produced. See Dale on Friday, June 19, in the Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
Dale's pioneering use of Middle Eastern and Eastern European melodies (learned organically through his familial heritage) was among the first in any genre of American popular music, and predated the teaching of such "exotic" scales in guitar-shredder academies by two decades. The breakneck speed of his single-note staccato picking technique was unrivalled until it entered the repertoires of metal virtuosos like Eddie Van Halen, and his wild showmanship made an enormous impression on the young Jimi Hendrix. But those aren't the only reasons Dale was once called the father of heavy metal. Working closely with the Fender company, Dale continually pushed the limits of electric amplification technology, helping to develop new equipment that was capable of producing the thick, clearly defined tones he heard in his head, at the previously undreamed-of volumes he demanded. He also pioneered the use of portable reverb effects, creating a signature sonic texture for surf instrumentals. And, if all that weren't enough, Dale managed to redefine his instrument while essentially playing it upside-down and backwards — he switched sides in order to play left-handed, but without re-stringing it (as Hendrix later did).
"Let's Go Trippin'" was a huge local hit, and even charted nationally. Dale released a few more local singles, including "Jungle Fever," "Miserlou," and "Surf Beat," and in 1962 issued his (and surf music's) first album, the groundbreaking Surfer's Choice, on Del-Tone. Surfer's Choice sold like hotcakes around Southern California, which earned Dale a contract with Capitol Records and national distribution for Surfer's Choice. Dale was featured in Life magazine in 1963, which led to appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show and the Frankie/Annette film Beach Party; he also released the follow-up LP King of the Surf Guitar, and went on to issue three more albums on Capitol through 1965. During that time, he developed a close working relationship with Leo Fender, who kept engineering bigger and better sound systems in response to Dale's appetite for louder, more maniacally energetic live performances.
Dick Dale plays one night, Friday, June 19, in the Celebrity Showroom at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $25 and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and show packages are available. “Do the Nugget Tonight!”

Sparks Local Instantly Wins $6,258.53 Playing Home Sweet Home at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Reno/Sparks, Nev. – Longtime Sparks resident Mark Smith instantly won more than $6,000 when he hit the cash jackpot on the free daily swipe game, part of the Home Sweet Home promotion, today at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Casino Resort.

“I’ve been coming into the Nugget for a long time, cashing paychecks since I was 21 years old,” said Smith, who worked many years for Model Dairy and eventually became an independent distributor for the company. “This has always been a friendly place. I know everyone and they always take care of me. The Nugget is a great place to hangout.”

Smith jokingly suggested he’d take the rest of the week off after collecting a check for $6,258.53.

Guests can play the Home Sweet Home daily swipe and win game for cash and prizes free once daily, and can get additional free swipes with casino play. The instant jackpot reset at $1,000 after the win. The Home Sweet Home promotion culminates in monthly drawings and a grand prize event in November when one person will win their choice of a brand-new 3-bedroom, 2-bath home from Tanamera or $150,000 cash.

Complete details are available at the John’s Club booth or main cashier.

John Ascuaga’s Nugget is a premier casino resort owned and operated by the Ascuaga family in Sparks, Nevada. For more information, call (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300, or visit janugget.com.

Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women Play Farewell Tour June 13 at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Sparks/Reno, Nev. – In 1990, the all-female Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women burst on the blues scene at a time when male-dominated, electric guitar-fueled bands ruled the roost. Nearly two decades later, see them play as a group on its final tour on Saturday, June 13, in the Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
At one point in the early '90s, the ladies from Saffire just considered themselves blues historians, but since their performing career caught fire on the festival circuit, they've become much more than that. All three have developed into talented songwriters. Since blues fans are always looking for fresh themes or new twists on old themes, this trio is a sought-after club and festival act. The core members of the Virginia-based group include pianist Ann Rabson and Gaye Adegbalola and while the trio was accompanied for a while by bassist Earlene Lewis, she has since left the group. Lewis was replaced by mandolinist Andra Faye McIntosh, also from the Washington, D.C./Virginia area. Rabson worked as a computer programmer and Adegbalola was an award-winning teacher before they gave up their day jobs to play blues full-time for a living.
With their infectious, acoustic blues Saffire reestablished and updated the long tradition of uppity women blues singers like Ma Rainey, Bessie Smith, Sippie Wallace and Memphis Minnie. Mixing first-rate musicianship with equal parts of sass, soul and humor, Saffire unleashes unforgettable originals - composed with humor and poignancy - alongside definitive versions of classic blues songs. Living Blues raved, “Saffire effectively bridges the gap between traditional and contemporary blues with grit, unpredictability and authority.”Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women play one night, Saturday, June 13, in the Celebrity Showroom at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $22 and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and show packages are available. “Do the Nugget Tonight!”

Grammy-Winning Tex-Mex Rockers Los Lonely Boys Play One Thursday Night at John Ascuaga’s Nugget

Sparks/Reno, Nev. – Tex-Mex rockers Los Lonely Boys are a unique force in modern blues-rock music. Part Stevie Ray Vaughn, part Santana, the band has carved a niche in popular music. See them play the 700-seat Celebrity Showroom in a special Thursday night show, June 11, at John Ascuaga’s Nugget.
Los Lonely Boys hail from San Angelo, TX, and consist of three brothers - guitarist Henry Garza, bassist JoJo Garza, and drummer Ringo Garza, Jr. Their father, Ringo Garza, Sr., also was a member of a band made up of his brothers, the Falcones, who played “Conjunto” music around Texas in the '70s and '80s. After that group broke up, Garza went solo, backed by his three sons even before they reached their teens. The family relocated to Nashville in the 1990s, and gradually the sons emerged as a group separate from their father. They moved back to Texas, and in 2003, their debut album, Los Lonely Boys, was recorded at Willie Nelson's Pedernales recording studio in Austin with Nelson sitting in; the album was issued by Or Music, and earned national attention. The single, “Heaven,” went No. 1 and Epic Records picked the album up for major-label distribution in March 2004. The result was a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal the following year. The Boys released their eagerly awaited sophomore album, Sacred, in 2006. Forgiven followed in 2008, which also saw the release of a holiday album, Christmas Spirit.
Los Lonely Boys play one night, Thursday, June 11, in the Celebrity Showroom at 8 p.m. Tickets are just $32 and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and show packages are available. “Do the Nugget Tonight!”

Country Superstar Travis Tritt Plays the Celebrity Showroom at the Nugget in Conjunction with Street Vibrations Spring Rally

Reno/Sparks, Nev.— One of the most enduring stars in the constellation of country music, Travis Tritt is a versatile performer who has secured major industry awards and sold millions of records to legions of fans. Catch Travis Tritt in a special acoustic show, one night only, Saturday, June 6, in the intimate Celebrity Showroom at John Ascuaga's Nugget. The show coincides with the third annual Street Vibrations Spring Rally motorcycle event taking place on Victorian Square, June 5-7.
Tritt led the charge of “new country” singers during the early 1990s, in the company of Garth Brooks, Clint Black, and Alan Jackson. He was the only one not to wear a hat, and the only one to dip into bluesy Southern rock. Consequently, he developed a gutsy, outlaw image that distinguished him from the pack. Throughout the early '90s, he had a string of platinum albums and Top Ten singles, including three number one hits.
The Storm (2007) is the latest in a seemingly unending album hit-parade in Tritt’s multi-decade career. This redefining release catapults Tritt to a whole new level. The Storm includes the current hit single "You Never Take Me Dancing." Songwriting credits on the album include Rob (more)
Thomas, Richard Marx and Diane Warren. The Storm is a brand new
album with a little bit of something for everyone. Tritt and Randy Jackson teamed up to create a radio friendly powerhouse collection of songs that emphasize the irresistible soul side of Tritt's singing.
Born and raised in Marietta, Georgia, Tritt was an early and eager student of music, picking up guitar at age eight, singing in his church youth choir and playing in bluegrass, rock and country bands through his teens. His honky tonk history started when he applied his blue-collar work ethic to the diverse sounds of Southern popular music. Tritt spent years playing small clubs where he was expected to be able to cover everything from Hank Williams to Otis Redding to Skynyrd. And that apprenticeship served him well when he first began making overtures to Nashville. Armed with a well-defined sense of artistic direction and that unmistakable voice, Tritt landed a major label deal and launched an impressive career.
Travis Tritt plays one night only, Saturday, June 6, in the Celebrity Showroom at 8 p.m. Tickets are $79, and are available by calling (800) 648-1177 or (775) 356-3300 or by visiting janugget.com. Dinner and show packages are available. “Do The Nugget Tonight!”