Tenerife Entertainers - the island's longest surviving acts
Though a relatively small island, Tenerife is positively packed with entertainers and, subsequently, they have to struggle to maintain regular work. (As a Tenerife entertainer myself for 11 years, I know this only too well.) I'll include as complete a list here as I can manage of all the Tenerife entertainers who have stood the test of time, are still working regularly and have a loyal following.
A formidable comedienne, this very nice lady in real life can come out with some very adult humour - be warned! Cy Benson He has the looks of a black American blues singer, but, when he talks, a Welsh accent comes out! Consistently voted best male vocalist on the island. Dee Daniels Bubbly Irish singer with a gutsy voice. Rick Porter Arriving on the island during my stint there, he's never looked back. Initially performing one of the most uncannily accurate Barry Manilow tributes I've ever heard, he now performs his "Solid Gold 60s Show". John Ashford This talented guitarist/vocalist performs an excellent Buddy Holly tribute, but has an alter-ego, known as "Shy Ted", specialising in 50s rock 'n' roll. Dion Real name Ian Sladen, he took his stage name from the group Dion and the Belmonts, because he liked their music. He presents a fun rock 'n' roll show, with comedy thrown in. Not The Real Elvis You might hear one or two Elvis songs in this extremely funny and silly show by my mate Paul Goldney, but that's where any resemblance to "The King" ends. Been on the island for years and still going strong. Linda Day This nice Welsh lady is a keyboard/vocalist who has been on the island for many years and is still making a success of it - so much so, she now has her own bar in Los Cristianos. Shiela Tyson A black American Motown-style singer who specialises in Diana Ross/Supremes tributes, Shiela has been making a success of her career on Tenerife for some 20 years. Andy Maughan Well known on the Tenerife cabaret circuit for his Roy "Chubby" Brown tribute, Andy has been on the island for years. If you see his act, you'd think it was the real Chubby stood there. He looks the part, sounds the part and is every bit as funny.
A few legendary Tenerife entertainers have, sadly, died before their time: David Alexander A singer born in Wales, he has left a lasting legacy in Tenerife. When I lived there and was entertaining in bars, I was constantly asked if I could sing anything by him. I'd not had the pleasure of seeing David perform, but, in the wake of his death, it appeared that he still had a loyal following. With a career including a stint at the Pontins holiday camp, plus touring and the release of numerous albums, he and his wife eventually settled in Tenerife in 1991. He carried on singing in the bars and clubs there, to fantastic audience reaction. Perhaps his best loved song was "The Answer To Everything". He died of a heart attack early in 1995, just 56 years old.
Karen was a formidable singer, hailing from my neck of the woods in the UK, the Manchester area. I had the privilege of being her friend and saw her many times, both in cabaret and compering at different venues. To give you an idea of her singing style, she did an excellent "Tina Turner". So, a gutsy voice and a down-to-earth personality to match. She also possessed that unique ability, displayed sometimes by Mariah Carey, of being able to sing so high that it almost sounds like whistling. Karen died at a tragically young age and is sorely missed.
Tom modelled himself on the movie character "Crocodile Dundee" and, indeed, in his posters, dressed in his stage outfit, with the hat with its band of crocodile teeth, his knife at his belt, he looked remarkably like Paul Hogan. He was a prolific country and western singer, living and performing on the island seven nights a week for over 25 years. He seemed to be able to sing any country song request anyone could throw at him. Priding himself on never having a night off, he was finally forced to quit work when he was diagnosed with lung cancer in October, 2007, struggling on till Christmas of that year. He died at the end of January, 2008.
Ian was well known on the island for being a red-hot rock guitar player. His repertoire featured songs with great guitar solos, such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd, but he was also not averse to the odd excursion into such things as instrumentals by the Shadows. Ian was another Tenerife legend who died at a tragically early age. He passed away suddenly in July, 2009.
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