Kaleidoscope vocalists

The very definition of the word gives one insight as to what expect from this fabulous group. Phrases such as "An endless variety of patterns" and "Successions of changing scenes, colors, actions and phases", begin to shed light on what this myriad of stellar vocalists have created as they join forces as a vocal ensemble to be reckoned with. Despite the level of individual achievements which can be attributed to the members of Kaleidoscope, this is a perfect example in which "The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts".

Formed in Las Vegas in response to a continuous clamoring for musical programs with a strong focus on the soundtrack of the lives of The Baby-Boomer Generation, Kaleidoscope takes on the unenviable task of credibly covering what was the vast, varied and ever-evolving musical repertoire of the mid-Sixties to the early Seventies.

Folk-Rock, Pop-Rock, Soul, Psychedelic-Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul, Songs of Love & Peace, a New Era of Standards and so much more. One can only begin to describe what's in store from a show by Kaleidoscope by naming some of the artists that gave voice to this era of music which defies categorization. The Mamas & The Papas, Carole King, Simon and Garfunkel, The 5th Dimension, Petula Clark, The Byrds, The Supremes, The Carpenters, The Beatles, The Young Rascals, The Righteous Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Doobie Brothers, Marvin Gaye, Neil Diamond; need we say more? Kaleidoscope wows its audiences with the best songs from some of the best artists ever. Concert-goers only disappointment may be that there wasn't enough time to hear Kaleidoscope perform more!

Michelle Johnson is an international vocalist whose versatility, affinity for languages, unique voice & impressive range have made her a hot commodity in the music business. She grew up primarily in Cairo, Egypt & then attended & graduated from Yale University. Her original path to Harvard Law School diverged onto a different route when her passion for the entertainment industry eventually won out.

Michelle has performed on Broadway & shared a stage with or recorded with several artists including Paul McCartney, Elton John, Slash, Paul Rogers, Neal Schon (of Journey) & PM Dawn. She has appeared on Jay Leno & the Tonight Show, the Arsenio Hall Show, Soul Train, & many shows in Asia & Europe. She has sung backups & toured with David Cassidy, the legendary Gladys Knight, & 80's pop icon Sheena Easton, shared the stage with David Foster, Josh Groban, Spyro Gyra, Wynonna, Vince Gill, & Cher, was contracted as the vocal arranger/soloist opposite Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, & Robin Williams in HBO's "Comic Relief," & recently performed with Sugarland at the AMC Awards on CBS. You can also hear her signature sound on numerous television & radio jingles. Now a Las Vegas resident, she is the voice of the Las Vegas "UNLV Tickets" jingle among other popular spots.

Her unique talents as both an entertainer & producer take her across the country & the globe several times a year via her production company, Diva Las Vegas Productions. Clients include Mercedes, Toyota, IBM, AT&T, Bayer, HBO, MTV, the NBA, & countless recording artists.

An accomplished singer songwriter, she is in the process of recording a new compact disc. She is also a coauthor of the inspirational book "Power of the Platform" & is in the process of writing a book about the music industry. Her passion is uplifting people through the power of music, & she is in the process of creating a non-profit music therapy foundation.

Mark Speights was raised in Flint, Michigan during the days when cars were king in America and Buick was the city's claim to fame. He was the oldest son of two musician parents who influenced him greatly though did not initially support his quest for a life in music. He attributes his vocal ability to his mother and his broad interest in music fundamentals and styles to his trumpeter father. Both his parents worked with some of the great big bands throughout the 1940's.

Starting piano lessons at the age of eight he added trumpet at ten. He won many awards performing on trumpet in solo ensemble festivals throughout middle school and early high school. At the age of twelve he discovered the guitar by borrowing one from a friend. It took two years before he received his own as a Christmas gift from his parents. All previous training was laid aside in pursuit of this new passion which bordered on obsession. To play guitar you could also sing and sing he did. While in high school he organized his own dance bands and performed at many school functions which fed the fire. He also took the highly acclaimed high school choral department to the state championships where they took first place with him as featured vocal soloist.

He has traveled from coast to coast with numerous musical groups. He has written and performed music for television and radio ads, two short subject movie scores, has accompanied Little Anthony and the Imperials, Chuck Berry, Chuck Mangione, Charo and a diverse host of others. When Clive Davis, once president of Columbia Records during its heyday in the 60's and 70's, began his own Arista label Mark's band was signed along with Barry Manilow, Melissa Manchester and the Outlaws as one of the new hot acts. That led to touring as opening act for Lynyrd Skynyrd until their untimely demise. He moved to Las Vegas in 1980 and worked with bands and shows up and down the Strip. In the late eighties he became leader of the house bands at the Reno Peppermill and the Reno Flamingo Hilton. In the nineties he was relocated to Florida by Walt Disney Entertainment. Shortly thereafter he designed a customized vocal group for Disney's Yacht and Beach Club resorts. That became his ticket into entertainment management. He became the company musician expert and hired all musicians for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida and contracted musical acts for Tokyo Disneyland as well as Tokyo Disney Seas. Seven years ago he returned to Las Vegas and a full-time performing career. He would tell you he has worked in many music related fields over the years, but performing is his niche. His advice to young people who wish to make a living in music – "Listen to everything and learn to play multiple styles of music convincingly."

Sally Stewart's music career began at a very early age, singing and playing the piano when she was in the first grade. Starting with songs such as "My Country 'Tis Of Thee" and the birthday song, her repertoire quickly expanded to anything and everything she could get her hands on, from Top-40 hits to musicals, and even classical pieces. As it turned out it was classical music that took her from Biloxi, Mississippi via Albuquerque, New Mexico to Los Angeles in the form of a vocal scholarship to the University of Southern California as a first soprano. After studying classical music full time for a year, Sally couldn't wait any longer to get out into the "real world." She decided to enroll in Los Angeles' Dick Grove School of Music and graduated with honors.

Sally hit the "real world" ground running, recording movie soundtracks, commercial jingles, and performing both cover and original material in live performances all over the world. She starred in and sang on the soundtrack to "Dance To Win" for MGM/UA. She has also released an album on CBS Records and has been involved with numerous production shows. She is an experienced piano /keyboard player with over 20 years of professional performing experience. Sally recently arranged all of the back- up vocals and sang on the duet "To Love Somebody" for Greg Williams' CD "The Return Of Johnny Bravo" who is more popularly known as "Greg Brady" from The Brady Bunch. Sally had a tremendously successful 10 year run fronting the very popular and versatile band "Wildlife" and now fronts her own band and freelances with many other acts. Stewart has paid her dues and is now reaping the benefits of her efforts singing cover and original songs regularly throughout Las Vegas and across North America.

She is a popular staple on the Entertainment Capital's corporate circuit comprised of all of the major casinos and country clubs in and around Las Vegas including Mandalay Bay, Venetian, Rio, New York-New York, MGM, Bally's, Paris, Station Casinos and too many more to name. Her vast experience and work ethic has turned her into a phenomenon to hear and watch who has always surrounded herself with the best and most talented musicians. Her 3 octave range covers many different musical genres- including the music of some of the more challenging singers such as Chaka Khan, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Ann Wilson, and Annie Lennox among others. From opera, R&B, to rock she covers all the bases! Sally provides private instruction, vocal training lessons and is the proud mother of 4 wonderful children to boot! Put simply, Sally Stewart is an amazing singer and performer that brings a joy to the stage and will treat your ears and eyes to a stunning sensation, Come and see her work!

Cushney Robert's remarkable voice has taken him from New York's "21 Club", to Chicago's Pump Room, to headlining on the Las Vegas Strip. A versatile singer who's musical roots and interests have ranged from classical & symphonic music, to pop, R&B and jazz; and he's had the opportunity to perform them all.

As early as age nine he was earning money as a boy Soprano in a church choir, learning to play the trombone and guitar and booking his own singing group at neighborhood parties around his hometown of East Orange, NJ. While earning a degree in Engineering and Business Management at Princeton University, Roberts co-founded, managed and performed with "Quiet Fire", a Pop / R&B group that styled themselves loosely after the Fifth Dimension. They performed around university clubs as well as the New York metropolitan area. After graduating, "Cush" worked for ten years, as a corporate engineer while moonlighting full time at night in clubs around Chicago and later Dallas, Texas as a solo act.

Cushney later moved to Las Vegas to pursue his avocation on a full time basis. He first made his mark in Vegas fronting his own group crooning standards and contemporary pop music in the casino lounges and was dubbed "The Ivy League Showman". During his years as a solo performer, Cush amassed a resume that includes the featured male vocalist role in major production shows, opening for the likes of Tony Bennett, Doc Severinson and the late Marty Robbins, co-starring in the Broadway drama "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" as an equity actor, SAG roles in motion pictures and a guest TV spot on Donahue.

He later joined the show-band Edy Gainer & Dezire and toured the Reno/Tahoe circuit for several years before leaving to form his own group. SPECTRUM was formed in 1995 specifically to portray Motown's Four Tops in American Superstars' & Legends in Concert's multi-million dollar Las Vegas tribute shows, which they did with great success for 6 1/2 years. As is indicative in the name of the group however, Cush had his sights set on a much broader "spectrum" of music than that of the great 4 Tops, when the group was conceived. The larger vision for SPECTRUM is presently being pursued and realized with the very popular tribute to Motown and R & B performed in Las Vegas, on Royal Caribbean Cruise Ships, with Symphony Orchestras, at private functions and around the globe.

Cush formed the group Kaleidoscope to compliment his other musical creations Spectrum and Radiance, (who are already quite popular nationally and on the Pops circuit), in response to requests for more programming aimed at the Baby-Boomer generation. He still performs full-time with Spectrum.

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