Alex Govier - his musical career

fter leaving college I spent two years teaching at secondary schools in Kent, Paddock Wood near Tonbridge and Huntley's in Tunbridge Wells, but initially left to take a job on Hammond Organ at Cleopatra's Club near Bristol, playing for dancing and several cabaret acts including Nat Gonella voaclist and trumpet player whose most famous hits were "Georgia" and "Tiger Rag"

Moving to South Yorkshire I played at innumerable working men's clubs where the ability to give instance performances without a band call surfaced because of an ability to sight read music. Also there would be regular dance nights where I would often also compere. At that time there was a wide acceptance of all kinds of music in the clubs and it would include pop, ballads, classical tenors, sopranos and more as swell as comedy or speciality acts.

rtistes I played for there included many top names I have forgotten, but played a lot of times for singer Jane Macdonald who later became famous with The Cruise, the late Bernard Manning (a very likeable character oddly enough seeing what a media hate figure he became but it always seemed to me that his extreme un-pc jokes were sending himself up as much as anything), and Coronation Street and Emmerdale Farm stars of the time such as Lynn Perrie, Elizabeth Dawn, Stan Richards. Stan became famous as Seth from Emmerdale Farm, but he was a pianist and comedian that I backed on Hammond. His humorous remarks about the piano taking root with the management enabled us to get some better instruments installed between us in a couple of the clubs where I worked with him.

The Elvis Connection!

There was of course also Ross McManus, vocalist and trumpet player, famous in earlier years for his regular lunchtime broadcasts with the Ted Heath Band, who I worked with often at the club. He was a great character and when he died recently the newspapers suddenly remembered him and devoted obituary space to him. Why? Because he was Elvis Costello's dad, that is why, and he was very proud of him.

I later diversified by becoming demonstrator with Wersi organs (as played by Klaus wunderlich, and my facebook and actual former friends from those days, Franz Lambert, Curt Prina, Claudia Hirschfeld, Mark Whale etc.). At the same time I became a popular events and wedding pianist covering events for Carlton Park Hotel and other big Sheffield Hotels. I also took other bookings for weddings which found me in some really amazing country houses all over Yorkshire and Derbyshire. I also worked regularly on accordion for Chatsworth House and the Peak Railway in Derbyshire.

Low Key TV Appearances!

ery much later were my only TV appearances, as the organist of the club where opera singer Lesley Garratt was featured giving a performance returning to her native area. This was aired to celebrate the opening of the Sky Arts TV Channel and my actual playing was featured in the background there as I played the organist of the club (as I actually was at the time) at a dance night with cabaret.

The other appearance was as an accordionist in the band in Lost in Austen, a wonderful comedy/sci-fi TV series with the action taking place during Pride and Prejudice. I had to not make a sound which as it happens was easy for me (less so for the violinist) as the ancient looking instrument had the reeds removed. Never-the-less we played along accurately with music to the sound using in-ear phones while the dancers did the same, in order that the main characters could say their lines in front of us. You will need very sharp eyes to spot me in this and it shows the unappreciated detail which goes into this kind of drama.

ou will also see me in this link in a You Tube video for their song entitled Tilt The Moon from a Sheffield Band called Dead Like Harry which I did as a result of fame from my earlier exploits. This I stress was amazing acting on my part. I was not and will never be as old as I am shown on this video, but my hands were used in the closeups though the sound did not come from that piano (fortunately as it was excruciatingly out of tune)

Well. What Is Next? That could be up to you! Don't be afraid to contact me - my details are below.


y charges are always very reasonable, with discounts for day-time, mid-week, very local or very short work and repeat bookings, or supplements for greater distances and travelling costs, inclusion and setting up of my own instruments and major holiday or special dates.

Letting me know details of location, timing, type of event and date of the event will enable me to give you a quick and accurate decision on your costs and I will not be offended if they do not suit you for any reason.


To discuss possible uses of my music please contact me soon by phone Falmouth 01326 315301 or on Mobile 07769 732287 or E-mail me on Misterpianoman@aol.com. I am interested in all your ideas for public events or private parties, such as weddings, anniversaries, garden parties etc., in fact all special occasions.

VERY SPECIAL OFFER TO HELP YOU BUDGET FOR ALL YOUR WEDDING ENTERTAINMENT: Should you choose The Cornish Wurzells for your other wedding entertainment, should you choose I can play for you there also for HALF my already fairly modest fee


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