Wednesday, April 29, 2009

John Tesh

My brief piece on John Tesh appears in this week's Charleston City Paper.

John Tesh

Who’s got three gold records, six Emmys, and a syndicated radio show with eight million listeners? The same man who’s got an Associated Press award for investigative journalism, spent time announcing the Tour de France and Olympics, and has appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation: John Tesh.

John freakin’ Tesh? The tall, blond grandfather of celebrity obsession who co-anchored Entertainment Tonight throughout the ’80s, penning its ubiquitous electronic orchestra-infused theme? The composer and keyboardist who got his start moonlighting in a handful of Yanni shows? Yep, that’s Tesh.

His brand of grandiose arrangements alternately burst with bombast and then retreat into hushed whispers — a style that may not find favour with critics, but keeps legions of fans clamoring for Tesh’s tour bus to roll through their town. With more than 20 album sales to his credit, spanning everything from New Age to gospel, and a regular perch atop the Christian and Billboard instrumental charts, Tesh might not be cool, but he’s got success on his side.

—Andrea Warner

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