The phenomenal Phil Kelsall MBE at the world-famous Mighty Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ of the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool. This VHS from 1985 has been converted from its original VHS format to digital made possible thanks to a very kind donation by none other than ‪@FraserGartshore‬ and is uploaded with the kind permission of Phil Kelsall. So sit back, relax and enjoy a little trip down memory lane with the World's only platinum-selling theatre organist.
01:34 - I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside
02:13 - Chinatown, My Chinatown.
06:50 - Blackpool Opera House - Thank You For the Music
07:55 - Blackpool Opera House - Medley of Foxtrots - Once in a While / Sundown / The Touch of Your Lips.
12:10 - We'll Gather Lilacs in Spring
15:46 - Sabre Dance.
18:01 - Toot Toot Tootsie / Lullaby of Broadway / The Charleston
21:02 - The Holy City
23:47 - The Old Pianna Rag
Phil Kelsall has been playing at Blackpool Tower since 1975, specifically in the Ballroom since 1977. Throughout his career, he has achieved remarkable milestones in the theatre organ scene. Notably, he was the first theatre organist to release a concert on VHS and has since produced an impressive discography of over 70 albums, approximately 20 VHS tapes, and several DVDs.
In recognition of his invaluable contributions to the music industry, he was honoured with the prestigious Gold Badge Award by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors in 1993. It is worth mentioning that this award has also been bestowed upon esteemed individuals such as Dame Shirley Bassey, Bonnie Tyler, and Jools Holland. Furthermore, Phil Kelsall holds the distinction of being the sole theatre organist in to have received a platinum award for recording sales.
To this day, he remains the only theatre organist to have secured a place in the albums chart. In July 2001, he was positioned at No.4 on the classical albums charts, surpassing renowned artists like John Williams and Andrea Bocelli. His album, “The Organist Entertains” remained in the top 20 for an impressive 12 weeks and in the top 100 for 14 weeks.
In recognition of his contributions, Phil Kelsall was honoured with an MBE in the Queens Honours list in 2010. His music has also appeared on various television shows, including "Strictly Come Dancing," "Songs of Praise," and "Coronation Street". Additionally, he has been featured in television adverts and radio shows such as "The Organist Entertains", "Friday Night is Music Night", and the long-standing BBC radio series "The Archers".
Beside all his achievements at the Tower Ballroom, its worth noting that Phil Kelsall has also been an integral part of the famous Thursford Collections annual Christmas Show for over four decades.
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