Wayne Newton says practice key to voice longevity

Entertainer Wayne Newton made a couple of appearances in central Iowa this week, giving a concert Thursday night and making a speech at a noon-time political fundraiser earlier in the day. Some performers refuse such speaking engagements, arguing they need to protect their voice. Newton earns top dollar from his performances in Las Vegas.Newton says Vegas is very dry, and some singers complain of getting “Vegas throat” — but not him.Newton says the answer to “Vegas throat” is really quite simple. He says most of the performers who come to Las Vegas never have vocal problems when they’re starving, it’s only when they’re successful.Newton says the vocal chords are muscles, and the more they’re used, they get stronger instead of weaker. Newton, who is now 60 years old, first hit the top of the charts at the age of 21 with the song “Danke Schoen” which earned him his first gold record.