Born Carson Wayne Newton on April 03, 1942 in Virginia, Wayne began performing as a child. On a family trip to the Grand Ole Opry that came through Roanoke, he was inspired & knew immediately he wanted to be a performer.
Wayne began playing the steel guitar at the age of four and was paid $5.00 for his first professional singing engagement at the age of six. Newton first hit the radio airwaves at age six for WDBJ in Roanoke where he did a morning show. Because of serious asthma, the Newton family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona.
He and his brother, Jerry, became a duo as children and by his early teens Wayne appeared on the Lew King Ranger Talent Show on station KPHO in Phoenix. They were known as the Rhythm Rascals and then later as the "Newton Brothers".
At the age of 16 when the brothers were offered a five-year booking at the Freemont Hotel in Las Vegas. In 1962 they were heard by television star Jackie Gleason, who booked them on his program in September. While in New York for the Gleason show, the duo also played the famous Copacabana, where Wayne met Bobby Darin.
Darin oversaw the production of most of Newton's early Capitol recordings. Newton's first single to chart was 'Heart (I Hear You Beating)', in 1963 which was recorded in one take. Also in 1963 Wayne recorded his First Gold Record, 'Danke Schoen' . In 1964 Wayne began working with Jack Benny on a three-year tour. Brother Jerry dropped out in 1970. Wayne continued to headline in Las Vegas in addition to television appearances on The Lucy show, Bonanza and more.
He has won the Entertainer of the Year award more than any other performer, set a record as the highest-paid nightclub performer in history, bought (and later sold his interest in) the Aladdin casino, was knighted in Malta, and in addition to his numerous charity works, managed enough spare time to win an international award for his most active hobby, the breeding of Arabian stallions.
