In 1948, New Orleans veteran trumpeter and singer Louis Prima stumbled
into a young girl named Keely Smith. She was barely a performer at all,
almost half his age, destined for a relatively quiet life; their
encounter was pure coincidence. But they went on to invent The Wildest,
the most exciting and successful lounge act Las Vegas has ever seen, an
act that became one of the hottest in the U.S. in the late 1950s and
early 1960s. Their records were hugely popular, and they were courted by
Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Robert Mitchum, and other well-known
entertainers of the day. Their professional success helped bring about
the rise of Las Vegas as a mecca of American entertainment. Their love
story ended soon after they helped usher in John F. Kennedys presidency,
singing "That Old Black Magic" for him at his inauguration, but their
influence is still evident. And Keely still draws SRO audiences to her
nightclub appearances.
Now, on the occasion of Louis Prima's 100th birthday, comes the first
book on this duo, illustrating not only one of show business greatest
love stories but also the Vegas milieu in which they reached the
pinnacle of their success.