The Liberace thread... talk about anything you like about his music, videos, etc.

I had a relative who was obsessed with Liberace and had seen him a bunch of times (a liberacaniac?) and would plays old vhs tapes of his tv appearances and tell us how he was the fastest pianist in the world (which ofcourse wasn't true but I didn't want to burst her bubble) he could definitely tinkle those ivories though!

 

I'm familiar with Liberace from his TV appearances when I was a kid, but I've never listened to any of his recordings.

Is there a consensus on his best, or most representative, album or collection?

 

Man, this guy, Liberace, what an ace dude!

This queer guy comes out, and everybody knows he's gay, but he makes everybody - including the anti-gay crowd - forget all about it and just listen to his music.

People were crowded around their B&W TVs to watch him play. Then later their color TVs to watch him play. Then later they'd tape him on VCR. In other words, whole generations dug this dude's charisma. It's pure camp and talent!

Now, after he finished playing, people might make snide remarks about his sugar pants, but that didn't stop their assess from watching, did it?

He was a true pioneer because of his talent and a true pioneer because he didn't give a damn. He would win people over his own way. This is the true definition of "punk." That's right, it wasn't rock, but Liberace carried the punk ethos under his wig, man.

Put on a record, close your eyes, and you know its him without anybody telling you.

Nobody will ever be like this guy again.

 

See, who can look away from such a performance? That's flair, man!

 

I had a big garage sale with over 1000 albums, and some kid comes in asking for all my Guy Lombardo. He was serious, not ironic or camp, he really liked it. I should have just given him all of it for free. (I had just made a couple of large buys at estate sales and had a ton of stuff like that.)

 

This photo should go in the unexpected together thread, if it isn't already. Unexpected photos of your favorite musicians together?

 

Got free tickets to see him at The Nugget in Sparks Nev. In the 60s. Did not think iwould like it but it was amazing. He even had Chopins piano !

 

I agree Mr. Hoffman. His videos were great, his records were great as well, but you couldn’t see the talent, you could only hear it. So very nice you met him. I know he was a great guy. He sounded like he was very humble and kind to you. Great post to this thread!
Thank you,
Ryan

 

I grew up in the 70s and spent more than a few moments laughing at Liberace. Even after Elvis, Little Richard, Hendrix, Glam Rock, and Disco, he was the poster boy of decadence.

Sometime in the 80s, he was on Letterman and was dressed a bit more conservatively, well, relatively speaking. For once I actually watched him play and finally realized the man was a very talented musician. He did an incredible medley of Christmas songs and while the Joker had nothing on his rictus grin, his sincerity came through.

A shame he is not around today. He'd fit right in with a lot of what is going on.

 

I went to his museum in Vegas several years ago. Sadly, I don't think it is there anymore. It, like him, was fun. I picked up several CDS after that but he is better when you can watch him. One of a kind.

 

Apologies for crashing the thread. I’ve just introduced my son to Misery, the film adaption of the Stephen King book. Liberace’s music is used through out the film on the soundtrack, and played by Kathy Bates’ character to ‘inspire’ James Caan’s author character. The soundtrack album isn’t readily available and isn’t too easy to track down (all based on a quick eBay search, admittedly).

Could anyone recommend any of Liberace’s albums or compilations? Ideally weighted towards the classical side of his recordings, but I’ll happily listen to anything. I’ve tried a couple of compilations on streamings that came up top of a search; they’re clearly live show recordings with all of the aides to the audience throughout. I’ve no idea how many recording studio albums he made, as most histories and guides focus on his live and TV shows.

 

Thanks Mr. Hoffman.

 

My husband's late mother was born and raised in Wisconsin, in a town not far from where Liberace was from. She was very close in age to Liberace, and she used to tell a story about seeing him at a "supper club" back before he had become an internationally known celebrity. She really followed his career, buying his records and going to see him perform live whenever he performed near where she lived. My husband got to see Liberace in concert several times during his childhood because of this. He gives Liberace credit for inspiring him to want to play the piano, which he's been playing professionally since he was 11 and was hired by a local church to play the organ and accompany the choir.

Sadly, my mother-in-law moved several times in her later years and threw out much of what she had collected over the years, including her collection of Liberace (and other) records. I would love to have all those records!

 

You as well!

 

I remember in the 1980’s he was booked for some shows at Radio City Music Hall. I was surprised that he completely sold out the venue. I was working in the area at that time and I remember seeing the bus loads of blue haired ladies being unloaded when I was leaving my office. I thought that was clever he had devoted fans and some promoter was savvy enough to make sure they had transportation.

I bet he put on a great show with lots of glitz and bling, and the Radio City art deco palace was the perfect place to see him. He could compete with the architecture.

 

HBO movie Behind the Candelabra is "fun". Quite the performance by Michael Douglas.

 

Watching Liberace's early TV shows on youtube, I can see why he was so immensely popular. Sweet, talented, and playful in his mixing of genres. He was having fun. And playing to the camera makes quite a connection. It's great to go back, because I think I'd only really seen the high-camp stuff during the 70s probably, and this early black-tux era is really charming.

 

So cool. Great idea



I’ve heard Liberace took some direction from this guy






Korla Pandit

 

Liberace often had one or two "hot" numbers in each early episode that featured a small combo. Does anyone recognize who the musicians are in this clip? I don't see them credited on IMDB and would love to know what other shows they might have appeared in.

 

Some clues! Some of the guys seem to be the same and are called by first name:

 

Found the bass payer, Bob Manners, which helped find some other band listings. This lineup below is for a live show at the Hollywood Bowl in 1955 and likely has the same team from the TV show:

Banjo: Allen Rouse
Drums: Bob Sande
Trumpet: Knobby Lee
French Horn: John Graas
Violin: George Liberace
Bass: Bob Manners.

Bob Manners obituary:
Bob Manners Obituary (2011) San Diego Union-Tribune

 

That made me pull out The Ed Wood Story cd.