The Story Behind the Musician/Entertainer
Born in Sheffield, in the north of England; just a few years after and even fewer miles from the great Joe Cocker, John began his singing career in the late 1960’s, when Northern England was the center of the music world. The Mersey-side sound (The Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, etc.) was fewer than 100 miles away.
John is of Irish extract on his father’s side of the family and Scottish descent on his mother’s side.
In the early days, John was the lead vocalist and harmonica player with several bands that toured England. By the mid-70’s, he was also playing guitar and he joined up with three local musicians who had previously been the backing band for the recording artist Dave Berry (the original artist to record The Crying Game in 1964). Together they formed a very successful group called Alibi.
By the later part of the 1970’s, John’s talent and personality had broadened his horizons and he began to tour with his own show. Backed by a great six-piece band called Galaxy, he worked in 1978-79 for Southern Suns Hotels (one of the largest resort operators in the southern hemisphere), where he toured South Africa, working in the best hotels in Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth.
In 1980, John began his solo career. His fun-loving style of entertaining soon took him to the beautiful Mediterranean island of Mallorca. There, he played to packed houses of European tourists and jet setters in the local night clubs and restaurants.
By the mid-80’s, he was so popular on the island that he opened his own club, The Crazy Horse Saloon; where he played a wide variety of music from country to the golden oldies, every night on his 250-seat terrace that soon became standing room only.
His business being seasonal, John began to spend the winter months in the United States. He worked in a few different restaurant/lounges in Los Angeles, California and also in Daytona Beach, Florida, where he was welcomed back every winter. It was only a matter of time before John’s love of the American way of life had him wanting to spend more time in the States!
The rest, as they say, is history. John sold his club in Mallorca and by Christmas 1992, he moved permanently to Las Vegas, Nevada.
In the time that he has been here, John has played in many lounges in Las Vegas, including the Flamingo Hilton, The Sahara Country Club, The Hacienda, Vacation Village, Romeos, and a guest appearance at the Aladdin.
More recently John has been influenced by his Irish roots (after all it was “some” of his father’s beautiful voice that he inherited) and after being given a start by J.C. Wooloughans Irish Pub (formerly inside the Rampart Casino).
The new century has seen him go from strength to strength as an Irish entertainer. In the last few years, John has played all the major Irish venues in Las Vegas including Jack’s Irish Pub (Palace Station), Fado (formerly inside the Green Valley Ranch Station), Brendan’s (formerly inside the The Orleans Casino), Nine Fine Irishmen (New York New York Casino), and Ri Ra Irish Pub (inside Mandalay Place next door to the Mandalay Bay Casino).
John worked for Brian McMullan at Nine Fine, as well as at Brian’s own pub (McMullan’s Irish Pub) every weekend.
