THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 14, 1996 TAG: 9607120189
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 02 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Frank Roberts
LENGTH: 69 lines
They're hooked, karaoke junkies who go from club to club to sing their hearts out.
Some are quite good. Others, ``Well, they try,'' said Wayne Umphlett. ``I give 'em credit.''
He and BJ, his wife of one week, probably have heard as many karaoke singers as anyone in the area. He has been hosting it for four years, and she joined him about 18 months ago.
He started part time. Then, when it ``went great guns,'' both he and BJ left their other jobs. Duke Entertainment, as they now call themselves, are at Shuckers twice a week and at Partners once weekly. Both clubs are in Suffolk. They also do karaoke at Deb's Road House in Ivor.
Their business card offers ``A Party Waiting For A Place To Happen.''
The Umphletts met at Partners. He and his buddies were celebrating a softball win. Charlie Daniels was on the jukebox, and Wayne and pals were singing along.
He serenaded BJ with ``The South's Gonna Do It Again,'' but no take.
She warmed a few months later, though, when he was sober and sang some more Charlie Daniels.
The 39-year-old bride and mother of three, in her second marriage, began singing at church when she was a youngster. ``The good Lord put us together for a reason,'' she said. ``We work so well together.''
Karaoke participants pick a song from a large catalog, then sign up to sing. The Suffolk couple - he is a John F. Kennedy grad, she graduated from John Yeates - offer a selection of more than 3,000 songs, and even more is on the way.
The music is a mix of country, rock, blues and even Bon Jovi. Line dances are most popular.
No matter who's performing, ``I pick on all of 'em,'' he said, referring to his joking manner.
Many follow the Umphletts from club to club. While some are eager to perform, others suffer stage fright. Kelly Wilson was once in that category. ``It took us six months to get him to sing. Now, we call him Kelly Wonder,'' BJ said.
``Some people just don't want to get up and try. But once they do, they're amazed at what they can do,'' Wayne said. ``This one guy, though, couldn't carry a tune in a pickup truck with a camper shell.''
Members of area bands often do karaoke with the couple, including music ``they can't do with their groups.''
He sometimes plays fiddle with some of the groups. Fiddling and singing were his stock-in-trade years ago.
Now, BJ and karaoke are his life.
There are more than enough singers and dancers to keep Duke Entertainment busy. Last month, BJ said, they had only six nights off.
Some hosts may make karaoke boring,'' BJ said, but ``he never does.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Wayne Umphlett's company, Duke Entertainment, provides karaoke.
AT A GLANCE
Karaoke (care' e ok' ie ): Originated in Japan, means ``music
without the band''
Karaoke nights:
Shuckers, 425 E. Pinner St., Suffolk. 934-2822. 9:30 p.m.
Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Deb's Road House Inn, U.S. 460, Ivor. 859-6151 after 4 p.m. 8:30
p.m. Thursdays.
Franklin Bowling Center, 1327 Armory Drive. 562-0221. 9 p.m.
Thursdays and Fridays.
Partners, 729 N. Main St., Suffolk. 539-9209. 9:30 p.m. Sundays. by CNB