Although I started piano lessons when I was five years old and won many awards for classical piano during the next 12 years, my first paid booking was as a keyboard player in a pub band in 1978. Very different and very exciting music which I enjoyed immensely and I realised that this was what I wanted to do. I worked on my piano technique and my singing and the following year was asked to join a four-piece band which successfully auditioned for the summer season at the Riverside Caravan Park in Bognor Regis.

 

In 1980 I formed my own band which included drummer Martin Black who is still a close friend and fellow musician, and continued to run bands of various size from a six-piece cabaret show band to several duos, until 1989 when I decided to pursue a solo career.

                                                                      

Regular pub, club and function work followed until the summer season of 1991 and the decision to become a full-time professional musician, when I worked for Haven-Warner at Duporth Holiday Park in Cornwall, as the sole entertainer in the adults-only bar (that just means there were no kids allowed in). In addition to arranging the entertainments programme and performing musically I was responsible for hosting competitions and games, and I presented my own comedy cabaret routine. It was also here that I put together my Singalong music routines which have been very useful ever since.

 

From January 1993 to 2000, in between many other contracts, I compered, appeared musically and helped to co-ordinate several seasons of promotional cabaret shows for Courage Brewery. In 1994 this involved over fifty promotions, in 1995 seventy-five more and in 1996 over one hundred promotions throughout London, the Home Counties, Dorset, Bristol, the Midlands, Essex and South Wales.

 

It was for this work that I first used a girl singer and went on to form the popular duo Topaz, now known as Megamix.

 

THE BOATS

 

I was keen to try out different things and gain more experience, so in June 1994 I worked for North Sea Ferries on the "Norsun" as a cocktail pianist.

The "Norsun" taken by me in Rotterdam

And a year later I found myself singing and playing piano in a bierkeller in Denmark. I was there for the whole of August 1995.

 

In addition I have worked aboard several of Stena Line’s ships including the MV Empereur, the MV Fantasia (for their inaugural “Dance to France” trips) and for the naming ceremony on board Stena’s HSS ship MV Explorer.

 

MV Explorer

 

 

My “second home” - the Chatsworth Hotel

Since 1997 I have provided one-man shows through the summer months in the Chatsworth Hotel in Worthing, where I have a lot of fun with the coach group visitors. This includes singalong, party songs, requests, Stars In My Eyes (my vocal impressions), plus ballroom and sequence dances, Barn Dance, Square Tango, Gay Gordons, Slosh and the like for the dancers.

 

Since 2006 I have also included a selection of songs from my tribute to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin entitled “A Pair of Kings”. (click here for more)

 

I also appear at the hotel with the band for Masonic functions and Christmas and New Year parties.

 

There has been considerable investment in the hotel over recent years and it is now one of the most attractive and leading hotel and conference centres in the area. For more info go to:

http://www.chatsworthworthing.co.uk/

 

Other work in the last few years has included performances at Lakeview Country Club near Bodmin in Cornwall, duo and trio line-ups at many holiday centres including Wick Ferry in Christchurch and several New Forest holiday parks, along with the usual range of weekend club work and cabaret nights.

 

MASONIC LADIES’ FESTIVALS

 

Since 1999 I have been in increasing demand playing both dinner music and with my three-piece dance band Headlines at Masonic Ladies’ Weekend Festivals across the South Coast, from Bournemouth to Eastbourne (at least sixteen different hotels in Bournemouth alone, with many bookings in each) plus the occasional one up-country. For more information click here.

 

A regular venue until a change of ownership was The Watermark bar at Port Solent near Portsmouth, where I enjoyed playing their digital grand piano.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2003 I was asked to join some friends, Steve Warner and Elke Heywood, who run the tribute band Abba Inferno, and I was often seen (but not recognised!) as Benny Andersson on piano.

 

This led to me filming with them in early March 2003 as a contestant on BBC’s Bargain Hunt show which was aired during a live primetime show at the end of May 2003.

 

Steve & Elke - the profit-making Red Team

Picture courtesy of BBC

My teammate Mandy, antiques expert Michael Hogben and myself

Picture courtesy of Jackie P

Mandy and me - the winning Blue Team

Picture courtesy of BBC

   

 

Currently I have 30 years experience of live performance and the music business, which is put to good use arranging the musical content of the shows including preparing all the backing tracks, taking bookings, filing paperwork (sometimes) and making sure everyone knows where they need to be, and when. I often drive them there as well!