A Christmas Message for Readers

SHIRLEY BROUN and ON WITH THE SHOW

WISH EVERYONE A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS

AND A WONDERFUL 2020 NEW YEAR

Thank you for all your valuable support … it means so much! May ALL your DREAMS come TRUE in 2020. TO PERFORMERS and ALL who work in the Entertainment Industry I would like to say a BIG `THANK YOU' for giving us the gift of music, laughter and love.

By SHIRLEY BROUN

CHRISTMAS is a time to not only rejoice, show love and compassion, and to celebrate with family and friends but also to remember.

This is the first year that my beautiful father won’t be here to join me at Christmas having passed on to join my mother and so many other wonderful souls who look down on us from the heavens above.

Rock'n'roll Heaven

One can only imagine the amazing line-up of talent for the annual celestial Carols By Candlelight or could that be `Carols by the Stars’.

It brings true meaning to the popular Righteous Brothers hit song of 1974 `Rock And Roll Heaven’.

Everyone from Bing Crosby and Dean Martin to Michael Jackson, Prince and the king himself ELVIS are among the heavenly bodies on the personal play list.

Through the On with the Show website and previously through the pages of Variety Today, my goal has always been to showcase our wonderful performers, particularly those in Australia to ensure people the world-over recognise not only their immense talents but also the valuable contribution they make to our lives every day.

Special place in our hearts

After all … what would we do without entertainment, music and laughter? I know for me that just hearing a song can take me back many, many years to an event or a moment in time that meant so much … and it is so vivid, it is just like reliving it over again. Such is the power of music.

Entertainers are unique in that they have the ability to turn a person’s darkest day into a colourful kaleidoscope of hope and meaning for the future.

Many of them don’t even realise the positive, inspirational power that lies within each and everyone one of them.

Music, it can be said, is the most powerful language on Earth because it is the most understood and its ability to capture someone’s special moment and turn it into a lifetime memory that is relived every time that music is heard, is simply amazing.

I would love to hear from readers who have a song or music that brings back special memories for them … and the reason why they are so special.

Musical memory that lasts forever

One such moment for me was when I was just a young child and television Tonight Show host Don Lane was promoting a new single release in Perth, Western Australia.

We had been writing to each other for quite some time but had never officially met so Don rang my parents and asked them to take me to the Channel 7 studios in Tuart Hill.

Boy … was I excited at finally getting a chance to meet my high profile pen pal whom I adored.

So excited in fact that when the moment came and Don took my hands in his, looked at me with those big, beautiful compassionate eyes and said … with a smile that engulfed me and in a soft dulcet tone … “Hello Shirley ... how wonderful it is to finally meet you in person” … I just cried rivers of tears.

Don just wrapped me in his arms and held me for the longest time.

He left only to fulfil his TV obligations which were to perform his new release `You’re Everything’ which saw him stroll through the studio’s beautiful gardens. I still recall vividly every part of the performance as he gently picked a leaf off the tree and looked over and gave me a little wink.

This is the vision, thanks to music, that I have relived over and over whenever I hear his song.

Performers showcased

During the past eight years I have featured many wonderful performers on my website and all have left an indelible impression on me for their many diverse talents, interests, compassion for others and love for the industry of which they are all so much a part.

If I could mention them one by one … I would … but I would be so afraid of leaving someone out so I am going to re-run some of the past stories and showcase as many as I can once more. At the same time I will welcome catching up with many more performers of all ages in the months and years ahead.

Please remember too, I always love to hear from you.

To kick the series off, I’d like to revisit one story in particular of a performer I have known since my early 20s.

His talents have been admired by the cream of showbiz royalty and he has won many awards yet he remains humble. He is a much loved performer on the club and live entertainment circuit in Australia and always has a smile for everyone he meets.

His voice wins hearts as he covers everything from Mario Lanza to his all-time favourite ELVIS.

Recently, his grandson was featured on Australia’s Got Talent and also won the hearts of viewers across the country.

The performer of whom I refer is TONY PANTANO – a true inspiration - and it gives me much pleasure to present the story I wrote in 2013, following his then latest win in the Australian Entertainment MO Awards.

PANTANO LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSION

Bennett and Lewis among his fans

By SHIRLEY BROUN

JERRY Lewis led the standing ovation and Tony Bennett picked him out of the crowd at a London night club for his performance on Australia’s legendary television show `Bandstand’ – such was the talent of Melbourne-based vocalist and entertainer Tony Pantano.

Tony Pantano - 2013 MO Award Male Vocalist of the Year - making it a record 12 wins

Last week named Australia’s Top Male Vocalist (for the 12th time) at the prestigious Australian Entertainment MO Awards in Sydney, Tony has a long record of achievement to his credit. He has also won the supreme Peter Allen Performer of the Year award twice.

Speaking from his Melbourne home on a rare day off yesterday, Tony said he was thrilled with his latest award. “To be nominated among the cream of Australia’s variety performers is a huge honour, but to actually win it is just fantastic,” he said.

Tony won his first MO Award back in 1975. “Of course I was pretty young then,” Tony, 65, said. “I may have a few birthdays under my belt now but I don’t feel any older and I’m singing better than ever. Hard to believe I’m the proud father of six sons and grandfather to five.”

The ever-smiling performer was in Perth when he won his first-ever MO Award and history repeated itself this year. “I was able to accept my award via video and will be presented with the MO in Sydney next week,” he said.

With 14 MO Awards, Tony is fast running out of `display’ area at home. “They are all lined up and it’s interesting to see how they have changed over the years. They do have one thing in common and that is they are very heavy. I wish they were made of gold … it would be great for my retirement,” he laughed.

When it comes to performing, Tony has done it all … ranging from the iconic `Bandstand’, Don Lane Show, and Bert Newton shows to special performances with The Everly Brothers, guest vocalist in Las Vegas and just last year the opening at a major $1000 per head event in Melbourne at which movie and comededy legend Jerry Lewis was special guest.

“Jerry has a great respect for his fellow entertainers. I had just come on stage as he arrived so he stood, along with the 1200 other guests, for the entire performance and led the applause. It was amazing,” said Tony.

Perhaps one of his other most memorable showbiz meetings was with the legendary and much-loved and respected performer Tony Bennett.

On a night off from working at a London venue called Eve’s Club, Tony and popular entertainer Ricky May went to Talk of the Town to see Buddy Greco, and afterwards ended up at Ronny Scott’s Jazz place, renowned as a great big band jazz venue where entertainers used to hang out.

“We saw Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and then Tony Bennett walked in,” recalls Tony. “Ricky urged me to go and say hello and as I walked over he headed to the loo … so I followed him. Hesitantly I said `Mr Bennett’ and to my surprise he looked at me and said `Tony Pantano’. Knew who I was straight away – I was amazed,” said Tony.

“Apparently Tony Bennett had been in Sydney three months before and had seen me singing an Elvis song Rags to Riches which he had recorded many years before Elvis … and he remembered it. As we walked out into the niteclub he put his arm around me. Ricky wanted to know what I had said to him! That was the highlight of my London trip.”

It is not surprising that Tony had been remembered for his `Elvis’ song for he has long had a love affair with his music. Not only is it featured in his popular stage performances at venues throughout the country but Tony has also released many `Elvis-inspired’ albums.

In fact, he has just released his 17th CD called `Tony’s Web of Life’ which is a compilation of Elvis songs, many he refers to as Elvis’s `lost’ songs. “I have been a huge fan of his my whole life and have always included Elvis songs in my shows and I did a lot of research to put together an album of what I call `lost’ Elvis numbers plus, of course, a few everyone knows,” he said.

Among the selection are `It’s Your Baby, you Rock It’, `How the Web was Woven’, a spiritual song called `Life’, `Momma Liked the Roses’ and golden oldies like `Follow That Dream’ and `Moody Blues’. “I also have `Pledging My Love’ on the new album. The song was originally released in 1954 and then by Elvis in the 70s.”

Together with his lovely wife of five years Carmel, Tony has also established his own themed show and dinner nights in Melbourne. “We organise everything, I entertain and the families come ... they are such great nights for everyone - fun, food and entertainment. I just love performing at these nights and seeing people really enjoy themselves,” said Tony, who is building up quite a following for the themed nights on Facebook.

Tony’s repertoire of Tom Jones, Englebert Humperdinck, Elvis, Sinatra and Dean Martin plus more ensures his audiences continue to enjoy his superb talent at every performance.

And, Tony assures us … there is still much more to come!

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