Hickory – If you walk into a local nightspot and notice couples swaying to tunes made famous by Dino and Sinatra, you may suspect you’ve been transported to another time. You might forget your troubles for a while to reflect on the best moments of your life, which will be just fine with Wayne DeLoriea – that’s why he takes the stage to perform his generation’s greatest hits every week.
On March 3rd (March 9 th and every other Thursday) you’ll find DeLoriea performing at The Vault (9541 NC-127, Hickory, NC 28601) from 5-7 p.m. And he performs at Da Vinci’s Italian Restaurant (2968 N. Center St. Hickory, NC 28601 2968 N. Center St. Hickory, NC 28601) every Friday night from 7-10 p.m.
From the top of his fedora to the bottom of his black cowboy boots, Wayne DeLoriea cuts a striking figure at the mic – a little dab of country style to round out his crooner cool.
Wayne DeLoriea
DeLoriea is a well-known Renaissance man. Some know him as the founder of Coach’s Hardcore Gym, home to powerlifters and bodybuilders alike. To others he’s the man who coached his NASCAR pit crew teams to national championship glory. To many he’s the author of his motivational memoir, “Coach Without a Whistle.” To Eric Estrada he’s the writer and co-star of the film DeLoriea wrote, “The Mutt.” And “Law and Order” fans can look forward to his upcoming appearance on the show.
Specializing in the classics made famous by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Ricky Nelson (with a little Elvis Presley thrown in for flavor) DeLoriea’s vocal style is velvety smooth – some say his voice glides like butter.
And they say it’s the best butter in Hickory.
Chris London owns The Vault, and he’s known DeLoriea for years. In fact he let DeLoriea use The Vault to film a scene for the forthcoming movie “The Mutt.”
“I think Wayne is one of the most multi-talented people I’ve ever met,” London said. “He has a great voice, and everything he does he puts 100 percent into it.”
DeLoriea’s goal is simple and straightforward.
“I sing the greatest music ever written, so the pressure’s not on me – I’m delivering a gift,” he said. “I want you to remember the sweet moments in your life. I’m going to expose people to something wonderful, and I’m chomping at the bit to get on stage every time I perform.”
Songs of love and longing, and tunes that bring a smile to your face and set your feet tapping – they’re the heart of every DeLoriea show.
Not too shabby for a guy who’s just getting back into the saddle after taking a 50-year break from singing for the public. When he was 5 or 6 years old he knew he wanted to be an entertainer and he got his chance when he became the Air Force’s first official vocalist. He’d front rock shows at colleges. The idea was to enhance the USAF’s recruiting efforts. He’s not sure how successful the recruitment was, but getting a chance to be on tour and perform was a whole lot of fun. He went on to win the Tactical Air Command Talent Show, beating out thousands of competitors. After he mustered out of the service, he’d perform from time-to-time, but life got in the way and his focus on entertaining faded.
These days DeLoriea’s mic stand and PA system only leave his living room when it’s time to get onstage. Otherwise he spends his hours preparing to deliver beyond his audience’s expectations.
When you come out for an evening with DeLoriea you’re going to get more than entertainment. You’ll have the opportunity to lend a hand to those in need. Every one of DeLoriea’s shows are charity benefits. His March shows will benefit Hickory’s faith-based supportive housing non-profit: Exodus Homes. Donations will be accepted.
Wayne DeLoriea is represented by Dorothy Houston of Connections Model & Talent. For more information call (828) 327-3349.
