Jay White - Our Vegas Diamond is Back Home in Las Vegas
Photos by Nikki Artale
It was exciting to see Jay White’s Christmas Show once again on December 6, 2014 at the Suncoast Hotel in Las Vegas. Jay was back in town to celebrate the holidays before leaving on his busy schedule for the next couple of months. After playing New Year’s Eve in Reno with King Errisson, Neil Diamond’s percussionist, Jay prepared for his 2015 tours. The Christmas show was magical and the audience made themselves a part of the show as they sang along with Jay when he pointed the microphone towards them. As Jay gets older he looks more and more like Neil Diamond and his voice and mannerisms are so perfect, you could close your eyes and hear Neil Diamond. www.AmericasDiamondLive.com
Jay has been doing the Neil Diamond tribute show for over 30 years and many of his band players have performed with him for many of those years. He is proud to have his son Neil White (Bass guitar) playing in the band also. Neil has released a new album, showing his many talents and he soon will be starting his 2015 US Tour.
Neil White
Jay White and his band will continue to play Casinos, Corporate and Performing Arts Theaters around the states in Wisconsin and the Skagit Casino in Washington State. Next month will find them in Newfoundland Canada and then on to Australia and Chile South America. Everyone will be thrilled and excited to see and hear Jay White because he is the next best thing to Neil Diamond. Neil Diamond once told Jay White “Keep singing so I can stay home and relax”. Neil sent Jay two of his jackets, one a black sequined and one a silver glitter sequined that he wears in the show. How exciting is that?
Jay recently played with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and is looking forward to some additional dates with them here in the US. The Grammy award winning Philharmonic Orchestra provides artistic excellence that enriches the quality of life through live music and Jay White fits right in there for his spectacular performances.
His second love is hockey and it all started when he was eight years old and his dream was to make it to the NHL one day but only got as far as two pre-season games with the IHL Kalamazoo Wings. Over the last 10 years, he not only played in several professional NHL Alumni games with some of hockey’s greatest players, but from 2004-09 (at age 50 plus) he was the Emergency backup Goalie for ECHL Las Vegas Wranglers (ages 18-32). Last month in his home town of Detroit he was on the ice at Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings hockey team, playing goalie in a game with the Red Wings Alumni team that ended in a tie. Jay said it was a real thrill competing with players that he admired and watched on TV. He stays in shape by hitting the gym and the ice three times a week, staying in top form so he can perform both on the stage and on the ice.
The goalie mask he wears is custom painted, as are all goalie masks, and it shows his passions. The important things that are painted on his goalie mask are some Las Vegas Hotels that include the Riviera where he starred for many years, the Neil Diamond pose from The Jazz Singer and the words “Vegas Diamond” painted on the chin. He truly is our Vegas Diamond and Las Vegas is so proud of him.
And as true to form Jay meets his fans and friends in the lobby after the show and stays there until all the greetings and pictures are taken. Thank you Jay, my friend for all the joy you bring to everyone’s life with your beautiful show. Good times never seemed so good.
Jay White Nikki Artale
Jay White Carole Aronin
