Dennis Wilson an experienced musician was born in Arabi, Louisiana in 1951. His parents both served in the Marine Corps. Dennis started playing the clarinet in the 4th grade but he did not stop there by the time he was in college he could play the alto saxophone, flute, and clarinet. He received a scholarship to Loyola University in New Orleans. The first introduction to Las Vegas was in 1971. At this time Dennis played for Wayne Cochran and the C.C. Riders traveling all around the United States with the band. In 1979 Dennis moved back to Las Vegas after a short stay in New Orleans. On his return to Las Vegas Dennis recalls his experiences playing with relief bands and performing weekly at Stardust, Dunes, Flamingo, Tropicana, Sands and Caesars. Dennis recalls what it was like working in Las Vegas and the rigorous schedule of a musician. Dennis has had a successful carrier as a musician he went on to play for Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick traveling the world. He then settled back in Vegas working on prominent shows such as Avenue Q, Spamalot, and Phantom of the Opera. Dennis still resides in Las Vegas and is now a paraprofessional at Johnson Junior High.
From the UNLV Libraries Single Item Accession Photograph Collection (PH-00171). Photograph of a painting titled "The Navajo Gamblers", by E.A. Burbank. For fifteen years he lived among 125 different tribes of North American Indians, painting their pictures and studying them at close range. This shows a group of Navajo men playing "Koon Can", a favorite pastime of the Navajo.
From the Harvey's Hotel and Casino Postcard Collection (PH-00367) -- A collage of casinos and sights at Lake Tahoe. Inscription with the image says, "Both the North Shore and South Shore of Lake Tahoe offer a fine selection of hotels, restaurants, casinos and fabulous floor shows on the Nevada shores, and scenery beyond compare on both Nevada and California shores, every season of the year."