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Golden Knights anthem singer honored for his 'golden pipes' at The Venetian

Posted at 10:27 PM, Jun 05, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-06 08:44:14-04

Even if you don't know him by name, you surely know him by his voice.

Carnell Johnson is nicknamed "Golden Pipes" for his signature style of belting out the national anthem before every Vegas Golden Knights home game. His talent has quickly made him a fan favorite.

But did you know that before he was singing in front of thousands of hockey fans Johnson was making an impression on Las Vegas visitors as a gondolier at The Venetian hotel-casino?
 
"When I'm here [at the Venetian] I'm Pippo the gondolier," said Johnson.

The Las Vegas Strip hotel decided to honor him on June 5 for his unique contributions. They held a ceremony and presented him with a plaque for his role as the Golden Knights' preferred anthem singer.

"We have this incredible local kid who brings it every game and it's been an amazing experience for us to have him on our team," said Golden Knights arena host Mark Shunock.

The honor isn't lost on Johnson. He realizes the unique opportunity he's been given and appreciates every second of it.

"Oh man, it's been pretty insane for the last 3 months you know," Johnson said. "After about the third time it's almost like a second family. And now I'm walking in and I'm just singing to 18,000 of my friends."