Holmes in N.Y. as mom passes away
Clint Holmes' return to New York City's music scene this week took a sad turn.
His mother, Audrey, a British opera singer who met and married jazz singer Eddie Holmes, died Wednesday in a Las Vegas hospice. She was 96.
Her son, who was in New York City for the opening of his three-week run of "Remembering Bobby Short," received word of her passing a few hours before he went on stage at the Café Carlyle, a legendary venue in the Carlyle Hotel. Short died in 2005 at the age of 80.
A memorial will be in Las Vegas next month, Holmes said.
His mother often attended shows and was beloved by Holmes' fans for her show-stopping rendition of George Gershwin's "Summertime." He would introduce her and ask her whether she wanted to sing, and she would knock it out of the park every time.
During dinner at the Carlyle on Monday, Holmes told me his mother was in grave condition.
He shared a touching story that his family members had just passed along. Holmes' daughter Brittany was visiting her grandmother, who had lost consciousness recently.
"Brittany held her 4 ½-month-old son close to mom, and she opened her eyes, saw him and sang," said Holmes, who held up a smartphone to our table to share a photo of the tender moment.
Holmes' tribute to Short, the iconic cabaret singer who performed for more than 35 years at the Carlyle, is the first tribute done in his room, a cozy 70-seat venue where Eartha Kitt often performed.
Woody Allen played clarinet with a jazz band the night our party attended.
Holmes was recently named the artist in residence at the Smith Center, which opens early next year.
GETTING THE EVIL EYE
Al Davis collected three Super Bowl rings on the strength of an us-against-them mentality he preached to the Raiders.
On occasion the fierce competitive streak of the legendary NFL coach and owner morphed into psychotic paranoia.
Orange County Register sports columnist Mark Whicker included this anecdote in a column this week about Davis, who died Saturday at the age of 82: "In 1990 Davis entered the Mile High Stadium press box and saw Norm Clarke of Denver's Rocky Mountain News.
"Davis did not know that Clarke wore an eye patch out of necessity.
" 'Who is that (fellow)?' Davis sputtered. 'What the (heck) is that (fellow) doing?'
"He immediately thought Clarke was ridiculing the Raiders' logo."
THE SCENE AND HEARD
Best-selling cookbook author Todd Wilbur of Summerlin, who stars in the new Country Music Television show "Top Secret Recipe," the title of his book, re-creates the Cinnabon cinnamon rolls in tonight's second episode at 9 p.m.
MAY I RECOMMEND
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Las Vegas at the Flamingo goes after a Guinness World Record today for largest margarita, a 8,500-gallon monstrosity. The final pour at 5 p.m. will be followed by the first serve of the "Lucky Rita."
SIGHTINGS
Singer Nick Lachey, declining photo requests with female admirers at Surrender Nightclub (Encore) on Wednesday. He married Vanessa Minnello in July. Earlier he dined at Nove Italiano (Palms) with fellow members of 98 Degrees: brother Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre.
THE PUNCH LINE
"Herman Cain was in second place in most of the national polls, behind Mitt Romney. Apparently his message of 'less government, more toppings' has been well-received." -- Jimmy Kimmel
Norm Clarke can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com. Follow Norm on Twitter @Norm_Clarke.
