JOHN PERELLA - SINGER

An article on singer John Perella, written by Sue Parish,
and reproduced by kind permission of the Lancaster Guardian

I first came across singer John Perella doing a guest spot in the Wagon and Horses on St Georges Quay. I've also seen him weave his vocal magic many times in the John O' Gaunt on a Sunday lunchtime. But the first time I really got to talk to him was in France...when I bumped into him at the Samois jazz festival. 

Which was fitting, in a way, because John's talents have a distinct Mediterranean influence. His father Luigi was half Italian, a gifted musician and craftsman who made and played piano accordians. And John was in Samois because he is a devotee of gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt whose life is celebrated every year at the festival. The time I spent chatting to him then, and, more recently for this article, revealed a man who is passionate about music, about singing, and about living life to the full.

As a teenager John listened to heartthrob singers like Bing Crosby and Dean Martin - effortless, elegant crooners with perfect phrasing. Something of their genius must have rubbed off, because before long he was in front of a microphone - and in front of his own adoring fans. 

"I started singing professionally and people seemed to like it, so I stuck to it for quite a while." he observes. He became a hit at Morecambe's premier venue The Winter Gardens, and the Tivoli Bar, working with a variety of musicians, including Ronnie French, the piano player featured in another article in this series. 

John then joined the forces and went to Germany where he was in-demand to sing at camp concerts - and passing the hat round brought useful beer money! On one occasion, he turned up on parade somewhat the worse for wear after a memorable night out, but escaped a charge by doing a gig for his commanding officer as a penalty! He also cheered up patients at the forces hospital at Werverg - along with his trusty accompanist who wheeled the piano through the wards!

On his return to England he continued to sing at clubs across the northwest for many years, mesmerising audiences with his rich, smooth voice and soulful gaze. Many people have never forgotten him - he recently walked into a pub in Whitby and was immediately invited to sit in with the resident band. He knows hundreds of songs, and can tackle a swinging beat with the best of them. But his favourites are classic romantic ballads like "That Old Feeling" and "The Nearness of You".

The music never stops for him: "20 hours a day I'm singing songs in my head." He is a popular guest with local bands, and a stalwart of the John O' Gaunt's famous Sunday lunchtime "Jazz, Dogs and Sausages" session. Until recently he was accompanied on his Sunday jaunts by his own "jazz dog" Benji - an animal with nearly as much character as his owner. Benji, (who passed away at the age of 18, and is sadly missed) made friends with everyone in the pub, could locate the sausages at several hundred yards, and would sit contentedly at John's feet while he sang. 

John's demeanour on stage is compelling. He has an intriguing wry smile, and a way of delivering the most familiar song that makes you listen to it as if you're hearing it fresh for the first time. It looks like the most natural thing in the world when he sings, but it's the result of years of perfecting his technique. 

"All my life I've maintained that if you sing a song you've got to create a mood." he says. "Even when I was a young lad walking along the promenade going to a venue, in my mind would be a kind of a mood I wanted to create and I built that up before I went onto the stage so I could project it."

And he has a useful tip for nervous singers facing the microphone for the first time: "if you get frightened, just fix your eyes on something at the back of the room". 

Valuable advice from a man who manages to look - and sound - more relaxed onstage than anyone I've ever heard.

Sue Parish   

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