Matt Monro Forum

Here's a new topic featuring your personal past memories that happened long ago or recently whether it was a live concert or a personal
happening or a special event in your life (Your Wedding, Birth of a Child, Your First Date, etc).

I'll start with attending two of my favorite vocal artists' stage shows....
April 1967 - Matt Monro Dinner Show at the Fairmont Venetian Room, San Francisco (90 minutes of pure talent!). I remember he started the show with his back to the audience when the opening strains of "Walk Away" were heard and he slowly turned to face us to sing my favorite song.
March 1997 - Don Cornell Stage Show on the Costa Romantica Cruise where I viewed two shows during this 7-Day Caribbean on Costa Romantica
and we had cocktails with Don & his wife, Iris in their suite and had other conversations with Don & many of his radio personality guests.
The stage presence of Matt and Don were much the same and how they conveyed each song & its meaning to the audience....More to Come!

Looking forward to reading more Henry

Robert - You must have some fond memories of your "youth" and when you were 30 to 40.....I'm waiting
Marian and Mariana are bringing some past recollections to this forum soon.

Henry, it is sometimes difficult to recall special memories without sounding boastful but my favourite memory about a singer was really special. I expect some of you have heard this before and if so, I apologise.
I have been a follower of Jack Jones's career since the early sixties since I first saw him on his own BBC series. Anyway, over the years we have come to know the family well and have watched his daughter Nicole grow up from 4 weeks old.
A few years ago we went to see Jack's show at the Barbican and following the show his wife Kim invited several of us over to see Jack the following year at his local theatre, The McCallum in Palm Desert. Of course we had to go!
What an occasion that was. We saw Jack after the show and met several stars later in the green room. Stars like Keely Smith and Lew Hoad and several others. Jack went round chatting to everyone and then spent a long time with his English contingent!
A couple of days later he and Kim took us all out for a meal at his favourite pasta restaurant, after we had been to his house and spent several hours sitting around his pool and just chilling out. It was a wonderful experience and one I will never forget. We even got tp see his Grammys!
A few years later we went again when he was awarded a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame. This time we also went to his show at the McCallum and sat in the same row as Barry Manilow, while behind me sat Barbara Sinatra. We met them again in the green room and Johnny Mann of the Johnny Mann singers also came along to chat.
Great, really unbelievable times! We also were invited to Jack's after star party in Palm Springs, with guests like Howard Keel. It was fabulous, and a time we will never forget!

Marian wrote:Henry, it is sometimes difficult to recall special memories without sounding boastful but my favourite memory about a singer was really special. I expect some of you have heard this before and if so, I apologise.
I have been a follower of Jack Jones's career since the early sixties since I first saw him on his own BBC series. Anyway, over the years we have come to know the family well and have watched his daughter Nicole grow up from 4 weeks old.
A few years ago we went to see Jack's show at the Barbican and following the show his wife Kim invited several of us over to see Jack the following year at his local theatre, The McCallum in Palm Desert. Of course we had to go!
What an occasion that was. We saw Jack after the show and met several stars later in the green room. Stars like Keely Smith and Lew Hoad and several others. Jack went round chatting to everyone and then spent a long time with his English contingent!
A couple of days later he and Kim took us all out for a meal at his favourite pasta restaurant, after we had been to his house and spent several hours sitting around his pool and just chilling out. It was a wonderful experience and one I will never forget.
We even saw his Grammys!
A few years later we went again when he was awarded a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame. This time we also went to his show at the McCallum and sat in the same row as Barry Manilow, while behind me sat Barbara Sinatra. We met them again in the green room and Johnny Mann of the Johnny Mann singers also came along to chat.
Great, really unbelievable times! We also were invited to Jack's after star party in Palm Springs, with guests like Howard Keel. It was fabulous, and a time we will never forget!

Great memories indeed, I too have been a JJ fan since my teens in the 60's and have seen Jack in concert several times - however I always got the impression he would not take kindly to meeting the fans after a show but it seems I was wrong. Marion you have the same relationship with Jack that I have with Jackie Trent & Madeline Bell.

Marian, You really had a special friendship with Jack Jones and his family. I wish I had such with the entertainers I had seen or knew, but
never like what you described. When was the last time you went to see Jack Jones and how many times have you seen his shows?
The only time we visited Palm Springs we saw the "The Follies" Show which featured all female dancers & singers over 65 years old!
Did you ever see them perform when you were there? They were very talented with the oldest lady being 90 years old!

Yes, but we were never really able to get that close to him until he married his last wife Kim who comes from London.
Jack is basically a shy person, and Karl's impression of him is true, he doesn't find it easy to mix with the fans too much. Kim was the one who got us in backstage after the concerts and as we became friends Jack got to know us and became friendly too. Unfortunately he is no longer with Kim, but we are still great friends with her, and his present wife is also very friendly towards us all.
I'm not too sure how many times we have seen Jack in concert, but twice in the U.S. A friend of ours saw him also at the Fairmont Hotel there Henry. I suppose it must be at least fifty times altogether, probably more. We have also been to recordings of tv shows like Bruce Forsyth's that Jack appeared on, Pebble Mill and Des O' Connor.
We have booked for three shows when he comes here later this year. We last saw him when he was here two years ago.
We love Palm Springs although it can be very hot! We thought we wouldn't fit in there at all, but we were very wrong. The people are very friendly and welcoming, and there are lots of shops and little cafes to while away the hours just relaxing. Or sit by the hotel pool and watch the humming birds.
We did see the theatre where The Follies is held Henry, but we didn't get to see them. Maybe another time!!

We saw The Follies show in Palm Springs about seven years ago, it really was a very good show.

I think that Jack Jones is very different to most stars, in the way he treats his fans--it is wonderful to hear what a lovely person he is.

Marian it's great reading your stories about Jack Jones, I have seen him seveal times in concert but it must be over ten years now since he last played here, he only comes as far as Glasgow now so if you see him again telll him off!

Once when he was at the Usher Hall he did rather a silly thing and nowadays it would not be allowed for health & safety reasons, he decided he was coming off the stage and into the audience - now in this hall there are steps at each side of the stage but some had put anold wooden chair for him to step on to, now Jack is rather a big man and when he stood on the chair it tipped over and if it ihadn't been for people in the front row grabbing hold of him he would have landed on his face.
Jack then picked up the chair and threw it on to the stage, whether it wa sin tempdr or not I don't know.

Another time he was at the Playhouse and for some reason I was not at this show, this was the time when he was wearng his beautiful white suit, someone told me he asked for a stool and when it was brought on he drew his finger over the seat and held it out to the audience - now that's no way to treat a star especially when they are wearing a white suit, I wouldn't have sat on it either!

Marion do you have Jack's lastest cd? I heard clips from Amazon US, I know he is singing with a trio on this and I usually prefer a band or orchestra - can you recommend it? I believe his voice is not what it was which is sad as he had a fantastic voice, I envied him that!

Another concert

Hi Karl-I know you were not actually askng me, but I guess you are referring to the latest cd, with the Alan & Marilyn Bergman songs on--the other one out abouit the same time was a compilation of 2 erlier cds--"Harbour" and "the good Life" I think the other one was..

Wonderful memories Marian- we so enjoyed reading your stories of Jack Jones

Thank you Sandra and John.
Yes, I can recommend Jack's latest album. As Marian says all the songs are written by
Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The packaging looks cheaply produced, but the content is pure quality.
Personally I think Jack is singing as well as ever, obviously his voice has changed over the years but he can still hold on to those long notes for ever!

Marian wrote:Thank you Sandra and John.
Yes, I can recommend Jack's latest album. As Marian says all the songs are written by
Alan and Marilyn Bergman. The packaging looks cheaply produced, but the content is pure quality.
Personally I think Jack is singing as well as ever, obviously his voice has changed over the years but he can still hold on to those long notes for ever!

That's what I wanted to hear that he can still hold his notes, I knew it was all Bergman songs.

I always think it's sad when a great star loses his voice, I saw Ray Charles on American tv some years ago and it was painful to listen to him.

I read in his Biography that Jack Jones turned 73 in January, and from I can count he's been married 5 times. My favorite album by Jack was
"Sing Me A Love Song, Charlie"(1974) featuring songs written by Charles Aznavour (my favorites are "She" & "Yesterday When I Was Young").
My favorite singles are "Lady" & "What I Did for Love".
Did anyone see him at his London Palladium Concert?