[Dixielandjazz] Las Vegas Strip Historical website

[Dan Augustine]

DJML--
    I just gotta tell ya: i was doing a web-search (well, OK, i was 'googlizing'; amazing how fast the word lost its capitalization and became a verb) for members of the Village Stompers, and i stumbled across a website on the history of the Las Vegas Strip:
                   http://www.lvstriphistory.com/
It has all kinds of information about bands that played various casinos, anecdotes about Shecky Greene and lots of others, recipes, you name it.
    One reason i'm intrigued is that in the 1960's i was in the University of Nevada at Reno marching, concert, and stage (jazz) bands playing tuba, and we would sometimes take trips to Vegas for concerts and stay at the old Stardust. Basie would play frequently and we would hang out at all hours and listen to the band (in between illegal booze-parties in our rooms).  One time some of us walked into a room where Buddy Rich was rehearsing his band, and from the reaction of Buddy you'd think we were Communist spies sent to steal all his charts and secrets (from the name of the song, "Who cares?").  
    Brought back a lot of memories reading just the stuff from the Sahara. I'm going to have to go back and read more, as it's a fascinating bit of history. Just thought some of you might be interested.

    Dan