Biography

Richard Eliot guitarist
Richard (Dick) Eliot has a musical career that has spanned five decades, thirty-years of which he performed in Las Vegas…the Entertainment Capital of the World.

While in Las Vegas, Dick played for all the Sinatras [ Frank , Nancy, and Frank Jr.] , Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Tony Martin, Barbra Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Elvis Presely, Tom Jones, Nancy Wilson, Perry Como, Eydie Gorme & Steve Lawrence, Frankie Laine to name a few. He was staff guitarist in Caesar's Palace House Band, The International Hotel House Band, with twenty-five years at the Riviera Hotel, with the Dick Palombi Orchestra. From an era of huge bands and Orchestras Dick Eliot is a master guitarist -- a musical archive embodied in an instrumentalist.

Dick was choosen to play for the Nixon/Agnew inauguration in 1969 with the Caesar's Palace showroom band/ Les Brown band. Dick was also voting member of NARAS the National Associations Recording Arts and Sciences.__During his time in Las Vegas, Richard did world tours with Sammy Davis Jr., Andy Williams, and traveled with Shirely MacLaine, Marilyn McCoo, and the Original 5th Dimension.__Eliot's recording credits include gold records with Pattie Paige, Perry Como, Elvis Presley, and Harry James Big Band with Buddy Rich. His Broadway show credits include: "Mame", "Hello Dolly", "Sweet Charity", "Fiddler On The Roof", "Show Boat", "42nd Street", "Chicago", "Grease", "Annie", "Cabaret", "Thoroughly Modern Milly", and "Spit Fire".__

Television shows that Dick played on while in the Military's NORAD Command Band under Col. Mark Azzolina were Steven Allen Show, the Dinah Shore Show, and the Bell Telephone Hour. In Las Vegas he did the Ed Sullivan Shows, the Merv Griffin Show, the John Davidson Show, and the Tony Awards._

Dick returned to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from Las Vegas in 1996, to be a care-giver for his mother, Mary, who passed away two and half years later at the age of eighty-nine. Richard shares time in Las Vegas and in Milwaukee where he performs with his jazz trio and duos. He has been featured soloist with the Milwaukee Symphony and has backed numerous stars with the Symphony's Pop Series, including Debbie Reynolds, Neil Sedaka, Doc Seveninsen and Bill Conti.__ _

At the age of eight he and his brother Don were taught music by their father Leo who was also a professional musician. In his own words Richard gives thanks to God for his gift of music and to his mother and father who put the guitar in his hands enabling him to lift people up with music. Dick Elliot is a gold card member of the Musicians Local #369, and a life member of the Milwaukee Musicians Union Local #8.