Is showmanship missing from today's concerts?

Great entertainers may be more rare

Chubby Checker may be 83 years old, but he still has the energy of a much younger man.

Checker played at the annual Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake last weekend. He danced and pranced on the stage, dragging fans onto the stage in an impromptu dance-off.

Not every performer has something that Chubby has — showmanship. Tom Jones has it. Paul Anka? Definitely. Wayne Newton? No question.

But many of today’s artists have that special something. Embracing and connecting with an audience.

Chubby Checker recently took the stage at the annual Winter Dance Party at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. (Photo by John Naughton.)

Not only did Chubby Checker perform his Saturday night set with energy and entertainment value, he returned to the stage for a late night encore. Clad in a hoodie, he spontaneously sang along as a mix of Winter Dance Party guests played.

The musicians strummed and drummed as Chubby sang bits of the songs of Fats Domino and others. The audience — thinned a bit as the show ran into early Sunday morning — danced and sang along.

Chubby has been performing on national stages since the late 1950s. He’s a master of pleasing people, something you may not get from your local punk or heavy metal band.

Wayne Newton, shown here at Kansas City’s Ameristar Casino, brings a lot of showmanship to his performances. (Photo by John Naughton.)

Wayne Newton, 82, still has it, too. The Las Vegas legend visited Kansas City Friday for a casino show.