Greg London
Encyclopedia
Greg London is an American singer, entertainer and impressionist
. After a solo hit show in London's West End
, he enjoyed a lengthy residency in Reno, Nevada
before announcing his move to the Las Vegas Strip
in mid 2010.
to an English mother and an American father. When he was a young boy he moved with his mother to England
where he went to school, but they continued to travel back and forth between England and California
. As a child he played the trumpet
with his grandfather in the Salvation Army’s local brass band, and later played first chair trumpet in the California Youth Symphony
. The godson of English trumpeter Ronnie Hunt, whose claims to fame include the Coronation Street
signature tune, London taught himself to play several musical instruments, and regularly performs the trumpet, guitar, piano, harmonica and percussion instruments in his shows. A student of Dramatic Arts from 1976 to 1979 at Cabrillo College, College of Marin, Deanza College and workshops at UCSC, he trained in acting at San Francisco Dramatic Arts under James Dunn and Harvey Susser.
near London
, UK, and in his early twenties south of San Francisco he starred as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes
with the Civic Light Opera, opposite stage legend Chita Rivera
as Reno Sweeney. He auditioned for film and television, gaining several small roles during this same time. His first recording release, Alive Again in Santa Cruz (1979), sold a few thousand copies through East Records, Tokyo
, Japan.
London formed a band in 1984, playing many hundreds of dates in clubs all over California, Nevada
, Arizona
and Colorado
. He began developing his singing voice, and was discovered in Pebble Beach, California by Jack Welch
of General Electric
, which led to many opportunities to play at varied events in the corporate world.
By the early 1990s he had become known on America’s corporate entertainment circuit, under the name Greg Franks. He developed The Greg Show, a musical impressions-based comedic performance to showcase his talents.
London then recorded Song of America at A&M Studios. This was a CD of old and new American patriotic music, arranged by Grammy Award
-winning pianist and arranger Randy Waldman and mixed by another Grammy Award winner, engineer Jeffrey (Woody) Woodruff. After this he went on a two-year tour singing for the American troops; his performances received positive reviews, including
In winter 2007 he returned to England with his own show at The Venue
in London's West End
. The ICONS in London opened to rave reviews by both media and audiences alike.
He appeared and sang in the 2008 movie The Dukes, directed by Robert Davi
. From July 2007 to the end of 2009 he performed at the Sammy Davis Jr Showroom at Harrah's Entertainment
in Reno, Nevada
. In January 2008 he was named the "Show of the Year" by the entertainment editor of the Sacramento Bee. By the end of 2008 he had become one of Reno's longest-running solo entertainers ever. In July 2009 he won Best Entertainer of Nevada in the Nevada Magazine readers poll, and Best Show of Northern Nevada for his comedy rock
stylized ICONS an episodic satire musical that utilizes mixing genres, both lampooning and parodies of iconic artists and original satire; created by London and written in the classic literary format, The Hero's Journey, with theater director David Taylor and London playwright Paul Miller. At the end of 2009 London garnered a "best impersonation" credit in The Huffington Post
. In July 2011 he won Best Show of Nevada in the Nevada Magazine readers poll.
On May 27, 2010 the Las Vegas Review Journal announced a move to the Riviera
. At the Red Carpet Media event September 2, 2010 Riviera President, Bob Vanucci, told the media the resort secured Greg London after searching for a performer who could fill the void left in the Las Vegas Strip entertainment landscape by the death of long time Strip performer, Danny Gans
. Greg London was presented with three congratulatory letters from Nevada Governor Gibbons, Congresswoman Dina Titus and Senator Ensign, September 2, 2010 was declared by proclamation Greg London's ICONS Day by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. He was then moved to the Las Vegas Hilton
in early 2011.
artist began during the 2008 holiday season, when his rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
” debuted as the #2 most added track on FMQB
’s AC40 Chart and Radio & Records
(Billboard) Adult Contemporary chart during the same week. It peaked at #40 on FMQB.
London followed up with a cover of the David Gates
song “Everything I Own
” (originally a hit for the soft rock group Bread
in 1972
). It stayed in the Top 30 on the Mediabase
and R&R airplay charts for eleven weeks, reaching #25 and #26 respectively; it hit number 5 on the FMQB AC40 Chart. London's next single released to radio, a cover of the Glenn Shorrock
song “Cool Change
” (originally a hit for the soft rock group Little River Band
in 1979
), hit the Top 30 on the Media Base and R&R airplay charts on August 18, 2009 and went to #5 on FMQB AC40.
Hollywood Music in Media Awards HMMA - On November 19, 2009 Greg London and "Everything I Own" won the award for Best Adult Contemporary Song for the highest charting new artist release and release on an independent label on all three AC Radio airplay charts.
Music Connection magazine awarded Greg London a position on their Hot 100 Unsigned Artists List 2009 in the Adult Contemporary category as reported in the December 2009 issue.
Impressionist (entertainment)
An impressionist or a mimic is a performer whose act consists of imitating the voice and mannerisms of others. The word usually refers to a professional comedian/entertainer who specializes in such performances and has developed a wide repertoire of impressions, including adding to them, often to...
. After a solo hit show in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
, he enjoyed a lengthy residency in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
before announcing his move to the Las Vegas Strip
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
in mid 2010.
Early life
London was born in Northern CaliforniaNorthern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
to an English mother and an American father. When he was a young boy he moved with his mother to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he went to school, but they continued to travel back and forth between England and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. As a child he played the trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
with his grandfather in the Salvation Army’s local brass band, and later played first chair trumpet in the California Youth Symphony
California Youth Symphony
California Youth Symphony is a San Francisco Bay Area symphony orchestra for young musicians of high school age and younger. It was founded in 1952 by Aaron Sten and in 1963 became the first United States youth orchestra to tour abroad, performing twelve concerts in Japan. Since then, the...
. The godson of English trumpeter Ronnie Hunt, whose claims to fame include the Coronation Street
Coronation Street
Coronation Street is a British soap opera set in Weatherfield, a fictional town in Greater Manchester based on Salford. Created by Tony Warren, Coronation Street was first broadcast on 9 December 1960...
signature tune, London taught himself to play several musical instruments, and regularly performs the trumpet, guitar, piano, harmonica and percussion instruments in his shows. A student of Dramatic Arts from 1976 to 1979 at Cabrillo College, College of Marin, Deanza College and workshops at UCSC, he trained in acting at San Francisco Dramatic Arts under James Dunn and Harvey Susser.
Life in Performance
He performed in theatre and musical comedy in England and America, beginning as a child in WindsorWindsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK, and in his early twenties south of San Francisco he starred as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
with the Civic Light Opera, opposite stage legend Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera
Chita Rivera is an American actress, dancer, and singer best known for her roles in musical theater. She is the first Hispanic woman to receive a Kennedy Center Honors award...
as Reno Sweeney. He auditioned for film and television, gaining several small roles during this same time. His first recording release, Alive Again in Santa Cruz (1979), sold a few thousand copies through East Records, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan.
London formed a band in 1984, playing many hundreds of dates in clubs all over California, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. He began developing his singing voice, and was discovered in Pebble Beach, California by Jack Welch
Jack Welch
John Francis "Jack" Welch, Jr. is an American chemical engineer, business executive, and author. He was Chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001...
of General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
, which led to many opportunities to play at varied events in the corporate world.
By the early 1990s he had become known on America’s corporate entertainment circuit, under the name Greg Franks. He developed The Greg Show, a musical impressions-based comedic performance to showcase his talents.
London then recorded Song of America at A&M Studios. This was a CD of old and new American patriotic music, arranged by Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-winning pianist and arranger Randy Waldman and mixed by another Grammy Award winner, engineer Jeffrey (Woody) Woodruff. After this he went on a two-year tour singing for the American troops; his performances received positive reviews, including
"Inspirational, truly great, emotionally charged performance." -
Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
In winter 2007 he returned to England with his own show at The Venue
The Venue Leicester Square
The Leicester Square Theatre , is a 420-seat studio theatre in Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London, which opened in 2002 with the premier of Boy George's Taboo. The building originated as the Notre Dame Hall in 1953, replacing an earlier building that had been destroyed by World...
in London's West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. The ICONS in London opened to rave reviews by both media and audiences alike.
"Greg London has a rare gift for impersonating the pop world's biggest artists. The Icons in London showcases his uncanny vocal talent... This human jukebox could perform an entire gig in any pop persona of his choosing... It's the music that moves and uplifts. London is the polished conduit for it, and the evening is best appreciated for a winter warm up, thank you to America for giving us the soundtracks to our lives."
- Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
He appeared and sang in the 2008 movie The Dukes, directed by Robert Davi
Robert Davi
Robert John Davi is an American actor and singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls...
. From July 2007 to the end of 2009 he performed at the Sammy Davis Jr Showroom at Harrah's Entertainment
Harrah's Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is a private gaming corporation that owns and operates over 50 casinos, hotels, and seven golf courses under several brands. The company, based in Paradise, Nevada, is the largest gaming company in the world, with yearly revenues $8.9 billion...
in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. In January 2008 he was named the "Show of the Year" by the entertainment editor of the Sacramento Bee. By the end of 2008 he had become one of Reno's longest-running solo entertainers ever. In July 2009 he won Best Entertainer of Nevada in the Nevada Magazine readers poll, and Best Show of Northern Nevada for his comedy rock
Comedy rock
Comedy rock is rock music mixed with comedy, often satire and parody.-History:Early USA examples include Stan Freberg, who lampooned artists such as Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte and The Platters, and Sheb Wooley whose "Purple People Eater" reached No...
stylized ICONS an episodic satire musical that utilizes mixing genres, both lampooning and parodies of iconic artists and original satire; created by London and written in the classic literary format, The Hero's Journey, with theater director David Taylor and London playwright Paul Miller. At the end of 2009 London garnered a "best impersonation" credit in The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post
The Huffington Post is an American news website and content-aggregating blog founded by Arianna Huffington, Kenneth Lerer, and Jonah Peretti, featuring liberal minded columnists and various news sources. The site offers coverage of politics, theology, media, business, entertainment, living, style,...
. In July 2011 he won Best Show of Nevada in the Nevada Magazine readers poll.
On May 27, 2010 the Las Vegas Review Journal announced a move to the Riviera
Riviera (hotel and casino)
The Riviera is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada. The hotel has over 2,100 rooms, many located in a 23-story tower. The casino has of gaming space.-History:...
. At the Red Carpet Media event September 2, 2010 Riviera President, Bob Vanucci, told the media the resort secured Greg London after searching for a performer who could fill the void left in the Las Vegas Strip entertainment landscape by the death of long time Strip performer, Danny Gans
Danny Gans
Daniel Davies Gans was an American singer and comedian who found regional success as a vocal impressionist.-Career:...
. Greg London was presented with three congratulatory letters from Nevada Governor Gibbons, Congresswoman Dina Titus and Senator Ensign, September 2, 2010 was declared by proclamation Greg London's ICONS Day by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman. He was then moved to the Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas Hilton
The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...
in early 2011.
Hit singles
Greg London's success as a pop musicPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
artist began during the 2008 holiday season, when his rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane...
” debuted as the #2 most added track on FMQB
FMQB
Friday Morning Quarterback is a trade magazine which covers the Radio and Music industries in the United States. Its coverage includes programming, management, promotion, marketing, and airplay for music formatted radio. The magazine was founded in 1968 by Kal Rudman and is read by over 10,000...
’s AC40 Chart and Radio & Records
Radio & Records
Radio & Records was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It originally started out as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006, up until its final issue in 2009.-History:The company was founded in 1973 and...
(Billboard) Adult Contemporary chart during the same week. It peaked at #40 on FMQB.
London followed up with a cover of the David Gates
David Gates
David Gates is an American singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the group Bread, which reached the tops of the musical charts in Europe and North America on several occasions in the 1970s. The band was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame...
song “Everything I Own
Everything I Own
"Everything I Own" is a song written by David Gates. Originally recorded by Gates's band Bread for their 1972 album Baby, I'm a Want You, the single was recorded by The Connells, Jack Jones, Ken Boothe, Olivia Newton-John, Georgie Fame, Boy George, *NSYNC, Jude, Rod Stewart, Crystal Gayle, Nicole...
” (originally a hit for the soft rock group Bread
Bread (band)
Bread was a rock band from Los Angeles, California. They placed 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1970 and 1977 and were a prime example of what later was labeled soft rock....
in 1972
1972 in music
-Events:*January 17 – Highway 51 South in Memphis, Tennessee is renamed "Elvis Presley Boulevard"*January 20 – The début of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon at The Dome, Brighton, is halted by technical difficulties,...
). It stayed in the Top 30 on the Mediabase
Mediabase
Mediabase is a music industry service that monitors radio station airplay in 180 US and Canadian markets. Mediabase publishes music charts and data based on the most played songs on terrestrial and satellite radio, and provides in-depth analytical tools for radio and record industry professionals...
and R&R airplay charts for eleven weeks, reaching #25 and #26 respectively; it hit number 5 on the FMQB AC40 Chart. London's next single released to radio, a cover of the Glenn Shorrock
Glenn Shorrock
Glenn Barrie Shorrock is an English-born Australian singer-songwriter. He was a founding member of pop groups The Twilights, Axiom and Little River Band as well as being a solo performer....
song “Cool Change
Cool Change (song)
"Cool Change" is a song by Australian rock group Little River Band, which was the second single from their sixth album, First Under the Wire. Released in August 1979, "Cool Change", did not reach the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart top 50...
” (originally a hit for the soft rock group Little River Band
Little River Band
Little River Band is an Australian rock band, formed in Melbourne in early 1975.The group chose the name after passing a road sign leading to the Victorian township of Little River, near Geelong, on the way to a performance. Little River Band enjoyed sustained commercial success in not only...
in 1979
1979 in music
See also:Record labels established in 1979* 1979 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1979.-January–February:*January 1...
), hit the Top 30 on the Media Base and R&R airplay charts on August 18, 2009 and went to #5 on FMQB AC40.
Awards
In 2001 London was presented with the Spotlight Award for “Entertainer of the Year” for his dynamic performances in the corporate world.Hollywood Music in Media Awards HMMA - On November 19, 2009 Greg London and "Everything I Own" won the award for Best Adult Contemporary Song for the highest charting new artist release and release on an independent label on all three AC Radio airplay charts.
Music Connection magazine awarded Greg London a position on their Hot 100 Unsigned Artists List 2009 in the Adult Contemporary category as reported in the December 2009 issue.
Singles discography
| Year | |US Charts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FMQB AC | R&R | Mediabase | ||
| 2008 | "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is a song introduced by Judy Garland in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. Frank Sinatra later recorded a version with modified lyrics, which has become more common than the original. The song was written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane... " |
40 | 74 | 92 |
| 2009 | "Everything I Own Everything I Own "Everything I Own" is a song written by David Gates. Originally recorded by Gates's band Bread for their 1972 album Baby, I'm a Want You, the single was recorded by The Connells, Jack Jones, Ken Boothe, Olivia Newton-John, Georgie Fame, Boy George, *NSYNC, Jude, Rod Stewart, Crystal Gayle, Nicole... " |
5 | 26 | 25 |
| "Cool Change Cool Change (song) "Cool Change" is a song by Australian rock group Little River Band, which was the second single from their sixth album, First Under the Wire. Released in August 1979, "Cool Change", did not reach the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart top 50... " |
5 | 31 | 29 |
Theatre credits and role
- Anything GoesAnything GoesAnything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
-Billy Crocker - Bye Bye Birdie -Conrad Birdie
- CarouselCarousel (musical)Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II . The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline...
-Billy Bigelow - Guys and Dolls -Nathan Detroit -Sky Masterson
- Marat/SadeMarat/SadeThe Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade , almost invariably shortened to Marat/Sade, is a 1963 play by Peter Weiss...
-Marquis de Sade - A Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's DreamA Midsummer Night's Dream is a play that was written by William Shakespeare. It is believed to have been written between 1590 and 1596. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta...
-Antonio - My Fair LadyMy Fair LadyMy Fair Lady is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion and with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe...
-Henry Higgins - Music ManThe Music ManThe Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...
-Harold Hill - No No Nanette -Billy Early
- Oklahoma -Curly
- SugarSugar (musical)Sugar is a musical with a book by Peter Stone, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. It is based on the film Some Like It Hot, which was adapted by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond from a story by Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan...
-Joe - Sweet CharitySweet CharitySweet Charity is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and book by Neil Simon. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse starring his wife and muse Gwen Verdon. It is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for Nights of Cabiria...
-Vitorio Vidal