John Tesh

John Tesh

John Tesh is one of those figures who has long been recognized for having a strong footing in both, the television and the music industry. He has enjoyed years of success and recognition as a co-host and RJ, however, his relentless attempts in the face of harsh criticism were eventually rewarded with a phenomenal reputation as a musician as well. Tesh’s multi-faceted career has evolved over the years and his contributions to the new age of music have been increasingly extolled.

Tesh was born in Long Island, New York on July 9, 1952. He leaped towards music at the age of six when he began playing the piano and trumpet and during his teens he polished his skills by playing the trombone and organ in several local jazz and rock bands. His  passion for music had firmly established itself by the time he graduated The North Carolina State University with a degree in communications and music. After graduation, Tesh continued to perform and write music, however, his main focus was on his career on television. He is said to have hit the jackpot when he landed a spot on the famous TV show Entertainment Tonight, as a co-host in 1986. Even after having this as a full-time job, Tesh committed himself as a keyboardist to his friend’s band. The subsequent year, Tesh released his first album, ‘Tour de France’, even though the album did not receive the response he had hoped for he stood strong and released ‘Garden City’ in 1989. This album helped prove that there was an audience willing to buy the brand of music that Tesh was offering.

During the late 90s, Tesh was further recognized for his theme music, especially that which he composed for the TV series, Bobby’s World and also Roundball Rock, the theme song for NBA on NBC. Roundball Rock became even more known when NBC used it when they covered the basketball games in the 2008 Summer Olympics. In 1991, Tesh formed GTSP, the label that went on to release his biggest hit ever, called ‘Romantic Christmas’. Over the next few years, he kept on turning out albums that became unparalleled hits and raised him to the likes of a superstar, such as ‘Monterey Nights’, ‘Sax by the Fire’ and especially ‘Live at Red Rocks’. The response to his music may have been the impetus to quitting his ten year old job at Entertainment Tonight to further his musical dreams. He went on to produce consecutive hits, such as ‘Sax on the Beach’, ‘Grand Passion’, ‘Pure Orchestra’ and ‘Classical Music for Babies (And Their Moms)’. ‘Alive: Music & Dance’, is another piece by Tesh that combines his music, a big gospel choir and hip-hop dance and is representative of his unique style whereby he combines classical and contemporary elements to create a smashing effect.

His leave from Entertainment Tonight also led him to create the ‘John Tesh Radio Show’, which is known as the one of the most listened to radio shows and has led him to peak of his fame. A rather recent project initiated by Tesh is a public TV special called ‘John Tesh Big Band Live’, it is a recreation of classics from the early 20th century that are very dear to American culture. This has proved to be another successful endeavor that he  has embarked on and has been victorious in creating an emotional connection with the audience, that he aimed for.  John Tesh has won awards for not only his work but also his charismatic personality that has gained him 14 million listeners a week and countless successful records.