Sign up to Greg's Fan Club for a chance to win an autographed Greg London ICONS poster!
Latest News
| Tahoe.com Previews Greg London at South Shore Room |
| Monday, 03 August 2009 23:54 |
|
The stars over Stateline will shine brighter next week. Among the stellar entertainment scheduled to appear August 5-9 at Harrah's South Shore Showroom include Ray Charles, Macy Gray, Tom Jones, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Julio Iglesias, Randy Travis, Dean Martin and Barry Manilow. All these and more come through the amazing multiple talents of one man — Greg London. The impressionist-singer will be bringing his highly praised “Iconman” show, complete with dancers and full orchestra, from their normal venue at Harrah's in Reno, for a four-night engagement. More than just an impressionist, the showman flawlessly engages the audience with the story of a talented man as he traverses the pitfalls and triumphs of a show business career. The performance often mirrors the actual life of the entertainer who discovered his love of entertaining as a youngster growing up in Palo Alto and Monterey. Leaving California for Maidenhead, England, he fell under the influence of the musicianship of a British grandfather and his Salvation Army band. He laughingly recalls marching along as an exuberant 8 year old, holding a trumpet before he actually learned how to play. Once he viewed a live show, from the depths of the orchestra pit that featured MGM studio's song and dance man Bobby Van. From the audience's appreciative reactions London's future as an entertainer was sealed. His preteen return to the states was followed with years of being on the musical stage with such theater legends as Chita Rivera. Eventually he began a band that manifested itself into a popular fixture at area weddings. It was at such an event his world changed when a guest, an executive with General Electric, offered to fly the band to Bermuda for a corporate event. Soon London was deep in the development of music and skits required in corporate entertainment and traveling around the globe. Over the years he tried to increase his visibility by being a contestant on Ed McMahon's “Star Search”. Years later he laughs when recalling the incident. Without a mentor for showman tips and wearing a bad suit while singing the Sinatra standard “My Way” he confesses, “I looked and sounded like a lounge lizard.” Unperturbed at a show's judge's assessment of sounding like singer Neil Diamond, London continued his quest for stardom. Armed with a more dapper appearance a few years later, he auditioned for a James Bond movie. Ultimately, Timothy Dalton was chosen. London took the disappointments in stride and kept striving for the stars. It was the stars, earthbound ones that ultimately proved his entry into show business's higher stratosphere. Aside from his musical talents a gift for mimicry arose. So did the desire to emulate his idol, the Danny Gans the renowned Las Vegas impressionist who died in May. With some heavy-hitting backers and his own contribution a new show was born. London returned to London, the city on the Thames for a West End production of “Icons.” The Brits loved him as his spot on interpretations of Johnny Cash and Tina Turner continually brought down the house. The secret was successful imitations, according to London, is the ability to push out the actual star's own characteristics. “When doing Joe Crocker my voice gets more gravelly,” he said as an example in his transformation. Soon Reno was calling. Almost three years now and into his third version of the Icon show the showman adds new characters into his show. One popular portion that always remains is the improbable duet between Kermit the Frog and Ozzie Osborne. The year 2009 has been good for the man whose show is one of the longest running in Harrah's history. His rendition of “Everything I Own,” in his own voice, recently hit the No. 5 spot in the FMQB AC40 chart with his release of “Cool Changes” continuing to climb the rankings. Other honors include being chosen “Best Entertainer in Nevada” by a reader's poll in Nevada Magazine. The ability to combine a coterie of celebrities with his immense musical gifts of piano, percussion and harmonica playing makes a night with Greg London “Iconman” a highlight in anyone's summer show list. As originally see on: http://www.tahoe.com/article/20090730/ENTERTAINMENT03/907309995 |
Comments