John Tesh

Infobox musical artist


Name = John Tesh
| Img_capt =
Img_size = 200
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth name = John Frank Tesh
Born = birth date and age|1952|7|9
Origin = Garden City, New York, USA
Instrument = Piano
Keyboards
Genre = New Age
Contemporary Christian
Occupation = Composer
Recording artist
Radio host
News anchor
Sportscaster
Years_active = 1988-present
Label =
Associated_acts = Yanni
URL = [http://www.tesh.com/ Tesh.com]

John Frank Tesh (born July 9, 1952) is an American pianist and composer of new age and contemporary Christian music. He is also a nationally syndicated radio host, and has previously served as a sportscaster, news anchor and reporter. Besides the piano, he also plays the keyboard, guitar, saxophone and sings. He is also known by many as the long time host of the television program "Entertainment Tonight".

Early years

He was born in Garden City, New York on Long Island, and graduated from Garden City High School in 1970. Playing piano and trumpet from the age of 6, he studied with teachers from The Juilliard School and was named to the New York State Symphonic Orchestra in high school, while also playing the organ in a rock band. [http://lyrics.crossmap.com/artist/tesh-john.htm Bio at Crossmap.com] ] Tesh studied communications and music at North Carolina State University graduating in 1975. While at NC State, he was initiated into Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. While in the area, Tesh worked as a news anchor at WTVD in Durham, North Carolina. After graduation, Tesh went to Orlando, Florida to take a television position at WFTV.

"Entertainment Tonight" and television career

His television career included a stint as a news anchor and reporter at WSM-TV in Nashville, Tennessee in the 1970s, where he often covered the same stories as Oprah Winfrey who worked at a competing Nashville station. He shuffled from Nashville to Raleigh to Orlando and finally to New York's WCBS where, at age 23, he was their youngest reporter. [http://lyrics.crossmap.com/artist/tesh-john.htm Bio at Crossmap.com] ] He later hosted the television show "Entertainment Tonight" from 1986 to 1996.

Tesh also served as a sportscaster for events such as the Tour de France bicycle race from 1983 through 1986 (Tesh has the distinction of being the anchor for the first American broadcast of this event), and gymnastics at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics. He also wrote and composed "Roundball Rock", the theme song for the "NBA on NBC" during the 1990s.

Tesh also co-hosted the show "John & Leeza" with Leeza Gibbons in the 1990s.

Tesh is also a devoted "Star Trek" fan. He appeared in "The Icarus Factor", an episode of "", playing a Klingon warrior.

Musical career

In 1987, Yanni was putting together his first touring band to promote his album "Out of Silence", as well as selections from "Keys to Imagination". Being good friends, Tesh asked Yanni if he could join the band as keyboardist along with Joyce Imbesi and drummer Charlie Adams, as he'd never been onstage for a live performance and needed the experience. Despite already having a full time job with "Entertainment Tonight", and the long hours of rehearsal for the band, he did very well, although he did only one tour with Yanni, about 12 shows including the "1988 Concert Series", before being replaced by Bradley Joseph. Later, Yanni helped Tesh get his first recording contract with Private Music. cite book | last = Yanni | coauthors = Rensin, David| title = Yanni in Words| publisher = Miramax Books | date = 2002| pages = 123, 202| id = ISBN 1-4013-5194-8
accessdate =2007-04-03] In the 1990s, John Tesh has been credited with the theme music to Bobby's World, hosted by Howie Mandel, and the NBA on NBC theme, known as Roundball Rock.

After Tesh left his 10-year job as co-host for "Entertainment Tonight" in 1996, he turned his career as a New Age keyboardist. This led to him starting "The John Tesh Radio Show" in 2003.

In May 2007, Tesh put out "A Passionate Life," a CD that contains songs that he has been writing for over the past 20 years.

In 2008, he will put out a piano gospel dance DVD. It combines Tesh's music, big gospel choirs and hip-hop dance. [ [http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/3/14/154536.shtml John Tesh Finds His Groove] . NewsMax.com, March 15, 2007.]

"John Tesh Radio Show"

Tesh currently has a nationally-syndicated radio show called the "John Tesh Radio Show", which plays "1980s, 1990s, and today's soft rock" music (or music selected by an affiliate station themselves), interspersed with various factoids and other information Tesh considers useful to listeners, often with topics such as health and well-being. These factoids are called "Intelligence for Your Life." It is played on radio stations across the United States and Canada. "This show was created for my wife, (actress Connie Sellecca)," he says. "She's one of those people where, you look at her side of the bed (and see) six issues of Prevention magazine and five months of Oprah magazine . . . (she) never has time to read any of that stuff . . . I feel there's enough entertainment there - nobody needs to know the latest in the trial of Anna Nicole Smith from us, or who the celebrity birthdays are. So I said, ‘Let's just do something that moves people forward in their life, and we'll do the work for them.'" According to Tesh the show now airs on about 250 stations nationwide, primarily on adult contemporary music stations; select pieces of "Intelligence for Your Life" are broken up and distributed in short form to other radio stations (including talk radio formats) as well, for use on morning shows.

Personal life

Tesh, who is a born-again Christian, first married Julie Wright in 1982; they divorced in 1991. He is currently married to Connie Sellecca, and they have a daughter, Prima, together. Tesh is a regular church attender at the Crystal Cathedral in Orange County, California.Fact|date=April 2008

Awards

In 2007, Tesh was nominated for the Syndicated Personality/Show of the Year award by Radio & Records magazine for his radio show. Other finalists included Delilah, Blair Garner, Steve Harvey, Kidd Kraddick, and The Lia Show. cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=2007 Industry Achievement Awards | date=September 28, 2008 | publisher= | url =http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/con2007/awards/indexFinal.asp | work =Radio and Records] Tesh was nominated in 2003 for the Grammy for "Best Pop Instrumental Album" for "Power of Love". John has also earned three gold albums, six Emmys for his sports themes, and a Keyboard Magazine Award. [ cite web|url=http://www.tesh.com/ittrium/visit?path=A1x97x1y1xa5x1x76y1x3e70x1x65y1x40fx1x65 |title=About John |accessdate=2008-04-27 |work=Offical John Tesh Website ]

Discography

*(1988) "Tour de France" - Private Music
*(1989) "Garden City"- Cypress
*(1989) "You Break It" - Atlantic Records
*(1990) "Tour de France - The Early Years" - Private Music
*(1992) "A Romantic Christmas" - Decca Records
*(1992) "Ironman Triathlon" - GTSP
*(1992) "The Games" - GTSP
*(1993) "Monterey Nights" - Decca Records
*(1994) "A Family Christmas" - Decca Records
*(1994) "Sax by the Fire" - Decca Records
*(1994) "Winter Song" - Decca Records
*(1995) "Music in the Key of Love" - GTSP
*(1995) "Backstage with John Tesh" - Digital Entertainment
*(1995) "Live at Red Rocks" - Decca Records
*(1995) "Sax on the Beach" - Decca Records
*(1995) "Anthology"
*(1996) "Discovery" - Decca Records
*(1996) "Choirs of Christmas", featuring Rock Theatre, Paulist Boy Choristers of California, Encore Children's Chorus - GTSP
*(1997) "Avalon" - Decca Records
*(1997) "Sax All Night" - Decca Records
*(1998) "Grand Passion" - Decca Records
*(1998) "Guitar by the Fire" - Decca Records
*(1998) "Songs from the Road" - BMG Special Products
*(1998) "Pure Movies" - GTSP
*(1999) "One World" - Decca Records
*(1999) "John Tesh & Friends" - Columbia River
*(1999) "One Day" - Unison
*(2000) "Pure Movies, Vol. 2" - Garden City
*(2000) "Pure Hymns" - Faith M.D.
*(2001) "Classical Music for an Intimate Mood" - Garden City
*(2001) "Pure Orchestra" - Garden City
*(2001) "Classical Music for a Stress-Free World" - Garden City
*(2001) "Pure Gospel" - Faith M.D.
*(2001) "Classical Music for Babies (And Their Moms), Vol. 1" - Garden City
*(2001) "Classical Music for Babies (And Their Moms), Vol. 2" - Garden City
*(2001) "Classical Music for a Prayerful Mood" - Faith M.D.
*(2002) "The Power of Love" - Garden City Music
*(2002) "Christmas Worship" - Word Entertainment
*(2002) "A Deeper Faith" - Garden City
*(2003) "Worship Collection: Awesome God" - Garden City Music
*(2003) "A Deeper Faith, Vol. 2" - Garden City Music
*(2004) "Worship at Red Rocks" (live) - Garden City Music
*"God of Wonders - Word Entertainment
*"Drive Time Intelligence CD"
*"Grand Piano Christmas"
*"Heart of the Sunrise"
*"John Tesh - Romantic Christmas Collection"
*"John Tesh - Ultimate Christmas Collection"
*"The Power of Prayer and Worship"
*"Ultimate Love Song Collection"
*"Victory"

*See also: "A Thousand Summers" (1988)

Videography

*"John Tesh - The Avalon Concert"
*"John Tesh - Live at Red Rocks"
*"One World"

References

External links

* [http://www.tesh.com/ Official site]
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* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=2:113889~T2 John Tesh] at Allmovie
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