John Katsilometes

Myron Martin was around for one of the great events ever in Strip entertainment, the USO benefit show from November 2011, “Las Vegas Salutes the Spirit of America.”

To say Martin was “around” for the event is not quite giving full credit, actually. He helped produce the event, which sold all 7,500 tickets made available to the public at $25 apiece. The show drew an array of headliners who (at that point) had strong ties to Las Vegas, including Wayne Newton, Clint Holmes, Earl Turner, the Scintas, Lance Burton, Amazing Johnathan, Siegfried & Roy, Robert Goulet, Carrot Top, Rich Little, Bill Acosta and Bob Anderson. Nearly every name performer turned out to help raise money for the USO just two months after 9/11. It was thought we would not see such a show again, but we will, and Martin is again at the center as he is helping amass the talent and providing the stage for the “Nevada Sesquicentennial All-Star Concert,” set for Sept. 22 at Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets go on sale Friday and are $25-$100; go to the Smith Center website for info.

Acts, individuals or shows to be represented thus far include Las Vegas entertainment legend Jerry Lewis, Cirque du Soleil, “Jubilee,” “Jersey Boys,” “Million Dollar Quartet,” Penn & Teller, Human Nature, Clint Holmes, Frankie Moreno, Bob Anderson, Susan Anton, Antonio Fargas and Mark Shunock of “Rock of Ages.”

The house band is a dandy: The Lon Bronson All-Star Band, boosted by the Las Vegas Mass Choir. Cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell will hearken to the state’s infancy, and tributes to Frank Sinatra, Mark Twain and Liberace (separately, we can expect), will be performed.

The show is an officially sanctioned event by Nevada, which is celebrating its 150th birthday with a series of events evoking the state’s heritage. These range from book signings to cowboy poetry readings to such a show as the all-star production at the Smith Center.

As for the star-studded lineup, more acts and celebs will be added, to be certain, as there are some big names not on that initial list. But Martin, president of the Smith Center, already has a fantastic, freewheeling lineup.

“We have a great show, right now, even with no other names added,” he said Tuesday afternoon after the press conference and performance announcing “Georgia On My Mind,” the tribute to Ray Charles at the Venetian featuring Cabaret Jazz headliner Clint Holmes. “There are a handful of big names that we’re still kind of hoping for, but they haven’t been able to confirm yet. We’re still pretty far out from the show date. In the next couple of weeks, as the time horizon gets shorter, people will say, ‘Yeah, I want to do it.’ ”

Some performers have just learned of the show and have contacted Martin seeking a spot in the program. He is not taking all comers, hoping not to repeat the length of the USO show, which was a four-hour spectacle. He wants the best of the best, but not everyone can be involved, simply because of scheduling. Don’t count on in-person appearances from any of the Colosseum super- star headliners, for instance.

And, also similar to the USO production from ’01, this is a show to be remembered, not recorded.

“There are no plans to do video, not at the moment,” Martin said. “When you try to record a show like this, everything gets more complicated. Rights, union, all those things are involved. I have a box full of video (from the USO) show, from every camera, with the idea that it would be turned into a TV show. It never happened.”

The September show, too, will live on only in Vegas lore.

“I see it as one glorious night, one experience,” he says, “and if you’re there you’ll get to be a part of it.”