Dale's Career in Music
Dale McKenzie’s performing career began in childhood and has now spanned more than half a century. He began singing at a very young age, taught himself guitar and banjo, and was singing in coffeehouses as a teen. Entertaining audiences became his passion. Dale has traveled from the Midwest to the glittering lounges of Las Vegas and Reno and back again any number of times, in all manner of venues, entertaining crowds from intimate club settings to auditoriums. He has been a radio disc jockey, fronted lounge bands and dance bands, written music for and recorded commercials, acted as emcee and male vocalist for a prominent and prestigious big band, co-written and produced shows for that band, acted as master of ceremonies and featured vocalist for Miss America Scholarship pageant preliminaries for a dozen years, and entertained delighted tourists on the Las Vegas Strip.
A Dale McKenzie live performance was sure to encompass all styles and eras of music, from vintage 1920s banjo sing-a-longs to Broadway show tunes, pop, oldies, country, and tributes to some of the Las Vegas greats. He showcased not only his versatile singing voice, but also his skills on the strings of both guitar and banjo. In the years prior to his retirement from live performing, Dale worked both singly and in a duo in very successful long-term club/lounge environments, where he built a loyal following. In addition, you could engage him for private functions in the Las Vegas area and surrounding states, both as a single and with a show band. In later years, he turned his attention to songwriting and recording, and produced a CD of original material, as well as CDs of cover songs, favorites that he shared with fans.
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It's Showtime
I have to admit, I've had the opportunity to do some amazing things onstage in my career! Here, I'm with my good friend Mia, doing a fun Carmen Miranda number. ~ Dale
Dale’s last performance onstage was in central Florida in May of 2015, where he reunited with bandleader Harry Hershey, and they reprised the the WWII tribute show they had co-written, called “Victory 1945 - A Musical Celebration”. It coincided with the 70th anniversary of the end of that war, and was a benefit for the Honor Flight veterans organization. It was a great way to cap off a diverse and rewarding career!