My Dad was a natural-born musician. If he heard a tune, he may play it. My brother Joe inherited that expertise. I didn’t.
On our American Symphony cruise, I knew that Joe would get pleasure from assembly and listening to gifted performer Jon England. With a reputation like American Symphony, the brand new riverboat is an applicable leisure house for Jon. With its musical artwork decor, the Symphony and Jon are a preferred workforce with passengers.
Hard to consider however the musically versatile Jon has by no means had a music lesson in his life. Yet the self-taught musician has been entertaining cruise ship passengers around the globe since he was a teen.
Jon’s wonderful phonographic reminiscence permits him to play every kind of music – from classical to indicate tunes to Big Band and pop, even the Beatles. He can also play a large repertoire of musical devices.
“I can play whatever has to be played and I can play any instrument that has to be played,” Jon says with a smile. Check out Jon’s web site for extra at www.jonengland.com.
Jon England presents his Beatles present.
Becoming a cruise ship entertainer
So how did the person from the English seaside grow to be a cruise ship entertainer with the audience-bestowed nickname ‘The Velvet Piano Player?’ “My father,” Jon solutions merely.
Growing up close to Dorchester in England, Jon was the grandson of a vaudeville pianist. “I guess I got it from my grandmother,” he says. “There were three pianos in our home and I can’t remember when I didn’t play.”
When he was 19 years previous, Jon was given a profession enhance by his father. “My dad submitted a tape of me playing to Cunard and told them, ‘If you are ever looking for a piano player, my son is a great one.’”
Two weeks later, Jon obtained a name from Cunard. That was again within the early Nineteen Eighties. “And I’ve been doing it ever since.”
In reality, Jon has sailed around the globe 5 occasions and entertained on most cruise traces.
Beatles, classical music and extra
For leisure aboard the American Symphony, Jon tickled the ivories throughout the night cocktail hour within the River Lounge. On our cruise, Jon will likely be presenting two particular productions – Beatlemania and Classically Inspired which options hits from Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Mozart, Debussy and extra.
For Beatlemania, Jon strapped on a Brit-pop guitar, mop-top wig and Nehru-style jacket to rock out the Fab Four’s biggest hits. Passengers sang alongside to the complete display lyrics.
Jon England and my brother Joe
Jon moved to America in 2000 however nonetheless has an open door to go to his childhood house. “I have one sister who still lives in the old home place in England so I can go back and visit there,” he says.
As for a way his life and profession have advanced, Jon says it’s the better of all worlds.
“I grew up by the sea and I grew up with music so I have the sea and music in my soul,” he says. “This is the perfect job for me. I love what I’m doing.”
An enormous bass fiddle is a part of the musical artwork decor on the brand new American Symphony.
Photos by Jackie Sheckler Finch
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