the story of me
As a child it was evident that I had a flair for music. Whilst gathered around the piano during family sing-alongs I would often harmonise, making up the parts as I went along. This early love of singing led to me learning the clarinet but after a couple of years my teacher suggested I started piano lessons. From then on I never looked back!
I started playing professionally at local restaurants and events at 13 fitting in, where I could, school work and playing with many local bands in and around Manchester.
At 15 I was in the final of a national piano competition Best Young Pop Pianist competition (achieving 3rd place).
Gerry Marsden presenting me with my certificate
for Best Young pop Pianist Competition in 1981
On the cover of Oh Boy! magazine in December 1984 - It's final edition...
In 1984 at age 17 a vacancy opened up in my brother's band National Pastime and we toured the UK, the Far East and Europe extensively gaining a top 20 single in Japan and just breaking into the top 100 in the UK.
National Pastime supported 80s pop band Kajagoogoo on their Islands Tour. During this time the band also supported Bucks Fizz, Classix Nouveaux and Modern Romance.
We released 4 singles and an album in Japan and the UK, These and pop magazines we featured in and other merchandise are still available on eBay.
Playing the Keytar on stage with National Pastime
Our top 20 album "Built to Break". That's me on the right, under the word break!
After the band split in 1986 I returned to my first love, solo piano, and have since played at well over 6000 weddings and events.
In 1995 I commenced a seven year residency at The Ritz Hotel, London where I entertained royalty and many stars and celebrities of stage and screen.
Entertaining in the Long Gallery at London's Ritz Hotel
I have always been a keen songwriter and have several releases on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and other platforms. One of my releases "So Many Things" is a tribute to my father.
In 1998 I was awarded Top Tape in the illustrious 'Sound on Sound' magazine (with a circulation of over 2 million) for a four track EP of my original songs.
My Sound on Sound review and Top Tape award for four original songs
'My great love is taking a beautiful song and arranging it for piano to make it sound as though it was written for that instrument. Some songs are easier than others. "Sweet Child O' Mine" was a particular challenge but I like to think Slash & Axl would approve."