Living the Legend - King of the Keyboard 2007-2008

Always an afficionado of Liberace's performing style and remarkably varied pianistic skill, Jon was this year invited to participate in the International Piano Competition bearing his name in Las Vegas. On Sunday September 16th, Jon took the coveted "Showmanship Professional" prize title in a packed field of contestants from all corners of the globe.

Lavishly filling his alloted five-minute showcase, Jon played "Blue Danube Waltz" (a Liberace creation, care-of Johann Strauss!), a Chopin interlude, "New York, New York", "Nola", "Lara's Theme" from the movie 'Dr. Zhivago', "As Time Goes By" from the movie 'Casablanca', George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue" and "Tea For Two".

Receiving his Liberace-inspired piano-shaped crystaline inscribed trophy from the Liberace Foundation President in front of a packed and rapturous audience, Jon was congratulated on his dazzling, flawless and unique tribute to the finest pop-pianist to have ruled the keyboard in Las Vegas and around the world. You'll see from the photograph here, that the hand-made, rhinestone-encrusted stage-costume might have had something of a hand in the judges decision too!

ABC-TV (among others) covered the story with an in-home biography - watch the video here.

From January 2003 to November 2007 (around 1500 shows !)

From the moment the immaculately and flamboyantly tailored "Velvet Piano" player Jon England authoritatively and welcomingly takes to the stage at the Grand Strand’s premiere Entertainment Palace in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, it's no surprise the audience spontaneously breaks into applause without any introductory music or emcee announcement. Folks are simply responding naturally to the most charming, gifted and truly attractive entertainer to have crossed the Atlantic for a long time. Proudly flying his home-nation British flag (courtesy of his un-missable double-Windsor knotted neck-tie), Jon unselfconsciously picks up the cue and begins a most comfortable rapport, at once engaging and easy - made all the more exotic by his cut-glass English accent.

As if at an intimate cocktail party with new-found friends, Jon briefly explains his stage presence (to have a little "musical fun") while other cast members assemble behind the curtain - then effortlessly splashes pristine interpretations of "New York, New York" and - with a 'nod' to the Carolina Opry's country roots - Floyd Cramer's "Last Date" liberally sprinkling on more dazzling notes than either composers or previous performers have ever done. The confounding thing about him though, is that he doesn't seem to need to look at the glistening black Grand Piano as he spends most of his time smiling at the audience and apparently bursting with the sheer fun of performing!

Having prepped his audience to be ready with their own personal requests and dedications; Jon quickly whips off his glittering show-jacket (in preparation for the 'serious' task ahead) to reveal his true colors ... a full Stars-and-Stripes rhinestone vest ... to uproarious applause and laughs. "If only Tony Blair and George Bush's relationship were this much fun!" quips Jon flashing his rather handsome, Hugh Grantish smile.

By this time unstoppable - the audience calls out for their favorites and, in a hard-to-believe display of phonographic recall, Jon delivers powerfully rhapsodic versions of each tune, usually in several different keys, showcasing his tasteful and comprehensive command of an outstandingly varied repertoire derived from an international resume packed with audience-pleasing. His latest albums “At Your Request” and "The Entertainer" have 55 of these top favorites.

Interrupted briefly by the sound engineer to request an auditorium microphone-check, Jon invites his friends (for by now, they certainly are - most post-show comments reveal folk would be happy to listen to him all night long!) to oblige with a quick sing-a-long which concludes with the audience congratulating themselves on what a great job they've done!

Taking this success up a notch; Jon wraps things up (or so it seems at the time) by preparing the audience to make his "Volaré" finale a joint-effort by adding their own vocal refrain. Despite maintaining a break-neck beguine-rock-funk-fusion pace during the song interspersing double-octave melodic mastery and articulated arpeggiation sufficient to render a traditional biological study of hand-and-finger bones defunct - the audience concludes by almost drowning out Jon with their own Dean Martin impression on each chorus.

Having just achieved the ultimate goal for an entertainer (the positively memorable transformation of an audience's mental state) - amid applause Jon is prompted to finally accept previously declined multiple requests for Jerry Lee Lewis' "Great Balls Of Fire" - a challenge which he accepts and executes with formidable panache, leaving the stage with a gratefully acknowledging wave and an audience on their feet.

Briefly catching his breath while fellow cast-mates flesh out their own roles in the unfolding spectacular; Jon is re-introduced throughout this amazing show for two featured production numbers appropriately enough - currently highlighting the ever-popular English composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber's musicals "Phantom of The Opera" (Music of the Night) and "Cats" (Memory) often yielding spontaneous applause during most performances and standing ovations at their conclusion.