I remember that later on in his life somebody asked him how he played with all those rings on his fingers, he responded by saying "marvelously". He was quite the showman.
In 1953 when I was ten years old, my mother took me to see Liberace at the war memorial. He was quite an entertainer, very friendly and after the show he met anyone that wanted to get an autograph. He shook hands with us and signed the program for me. I still have the program 65 years later. He cared about his fans.
I was born in '51. Never got to see the man live but I remember coming home from grade school in the late fifties and watching his TV show....he was on right after the Three Stooges.
I actually met Liberace once as a kid back in the '50's. I was walking by myself in front of the old Riviera Theater on Grand River in Detroit , when a Checker cab pulled up and Liberace got out. He was playing there that night. I knew who he was right away as we always watched his tv show. Not being shy , I walked up to him and said hello .He was very gracious and somewhat surprised I knew who he was without the flamboyant outfit he wore on tv . We engaged in conversation for a few minutes and I told him how much my mother enjoyed him and his show. He seemed quite pleased and smiled that great big smile of his and thanked me for the compliments. My mother was quite surprised , and envyous ,that I had actually met Liberace and that he took the time to talk to me -a kid. Never seen his show in person but have this memory of him . Pretty cool.
The coolest version of serendipity I ever heard. Wonderful! You had good luck. My Mother loved Liberace didn’t everyone. I was fortunate to be born in 1948.
liberace a great man. my parents took me kicking and screaming to see him at a theater "in the round", circle star theatre in san carlos, ca. i wore my rock tee shirt and jeans, rebel that i was. well, he had a part of his show where the audience could call out a song. he's looking right at me, 2nd row seats. i stood up and yelled "inna gadda da vida". a psyc rock song. he said "ok" and then played it! i was shocked! we went to get autographs after the show. he saw me and pointed to me saying "i listen to ALL music. and you should too!" well i took his advice. he was a great human. i have always remembered his advice. rip liberace:(
I think a lot of people don't realize what a musician Liberace really was. Yea...he was a showman....but he could back it up every time with his piano chops. I'm glad I watched this clip.
You are right! I was just looking for boogie woogie when I saw this, I remembered that he was a wonderful pianist, but hadn't connected him with boogie - glad I stopped here!
@Andrew Solymos That's my view also I have only good memories to go by and to me he was very talente and kind as men from that era were often seen as gentleman of the highest order! Salutes to ya
A memory from about 60 years ago. Someone said he was a "prodigy," and it got back to him. He said, "I practice 12 hours a day and they call me a prodigy."
@@ad8keez Apparently Jimi Hendrix even kept a guitar in the toilet. "Hey Jimi, how did you get so good?" "Eat, sleep, work for as little as you have to, and the rest of the time, PLAY"
Nah. We did a study and It's basic brain function unless your brain isn't "normal" Most if not all skills such as music is achieved through practice, discipline and determination. Source: MD resident.
Oh - he's entertaining I'm sure - with or w/o his Human form! 😉💫 ...and Debbie Reynolds is right along side. She adored him and spoke 9f him often. Debbie was a friend of ours - full of spunk!
Indeed he was. Its really sad that he had to hide his private life as extremely as he did but in those days there was no other choice. My, how times have changed.
I sure wish we had showmen like him today. I feel SO blessed to be old enough that he was still alive and performing when I was a boy and young man. I never saw him in person, but often on television. My aunt saw him in person though and said there was no comparison to television. In person he was amazing.
People today have no idea of the greatness that Liberace had he was the number one performer in the world behind only Elvis Presley and before Elvis he was the biggest thing. Liberace actually coined the phrase “laughing all the way to the bank”. People tend to not remember Liberace or only remember him because he was gay and died of aids back in a time when everyone was ostracized for being gay but he was an amazing performer that guy was just amazing
@Agent Fungus ...What did Liberace say to Princess Diana when she arrived in heaven?... ...he says to her: "Oh, honey, you won't be Queen here either"...
@@miklosernoehazy8678 Don't any of you asses have anything better to do than make derogatory comments about thjs man?.I doubt you have EVER been around such a talent as Liberace,You only show the world your IGNORANCE!.
@@miklosernoehazy8678 I do not know if Liberace or Princess Diana are in Heaven. Depends on their prior arrangements. But I am pretty sure there will not be sexual orientation in Heaven. And no one will care. Yeah, it was a joke, and not bad in a tacky sort of way. But his orientation seems to be a lightning rod of commentary.
@@OldManMontgomery ...there is a lucky generation that grew up with Jack Benny... ...and Danny Kaye, Victor Borge, Mel Tormè, Sammy Davis Jr. and of course a few others... ... well trained and exceptional talents who really understood how to entertain an audience, unlike many of the current crop of people inhabiting the entertainment industry today... ... merely people who act up and throw a tantrum on some reality TV show or the type of hack celebrities who are famous for being famous (*cough-KARDASSIANS-cough*)... ... I do truly miss those times when people and celebrities had a much better understanding of how to conduct themselves and manage thier public image...
I'm 46 and I have been a huge Liberace fan my whole life! My grandma had, probably,all his albums! I don't care what anyone says,him and Floyd Cramer are probably the best all around,"play it all" pianists of all time. This man was an amazing showman! Still miss him. Just a great performer!
@@gearjammer4779 apparently that's a feature of Mr. Liberace for most at this point in 2020, but thanks for stating the most self evident comment that comes to mind.
I was 20 in 1971 long hair, into the music at the time, especially Black Sabbath & Deep Purple, mum asked me to take her to see Liberace, I was not keen at all, but it meant the world to her. So we went, I can’t remember the show, but I remember being impressed, he was funny too. I’m 72 now, I still have a photo of us at that concert, I miss her so much.
My introduction to him was through the tv show he had in the 50’s. We lived in Columbus OH, and my Mom would have him on during the day while she did her cleaning. I would sit there spellbound, and soak up his piano playing, vocals, and showmanship. I can hear him singing “I’ll Be Seeing You” even today, and I’m almost 71. I’m certain this early introduction to music and the piano had everything to do with me being a singer, pianist, and composer during my life. Thank you Liberace (Lee) where ever you are.👏🏾
A wonderful entry. Methinks he's playing for the 👼 s. If music be the fruit of love, play on, said Shakespeare 500 or so years ago. It is. Be pleased to continue sir.
When I was 10, about 1957, my grandmother took me to see Liberace. When he finished his planned program, he ask if there were any requests. Little me, 10 years old, stood up & Said , "Make it play Boogie". He grinned, and did for 10 minutes.
I went to see Liberace in person in 1975 and I wasn't looking forward to it. I had seen him on television and didn't think much of him. Much to my shock I loved the show - what a fabulous entertaining showman - outrageous glittery costumes that would give Elton John a run for his money. He combined skillful piano playing with self-deprecating humor. He did classical music and popular songs. The audience just ate it up and I was mesmerized from the moment he walked on that stage from his stretch limo - I never saw anything like it. I was about 21 at the time and did not even have gaydar yet.
@@littlemom2070 : i know what you mean! my friend and i were given tickets to see Carol Channing in Hello Dolly many years ago (the 1980's). we went, rather reluctantly. she was wonderful, and she presented as genuinely appreciative and loving toward her fans. she came out after the show, stood on the edge of the stage, up close and personal to the audience, and graciously answered questions from the audience for probably a half an hour or more. she was absolutely charming! those folks were real entertainers back in the day. :-)
Doubling that at the end to 16 beats is a quite the feat. Whatever this man was and no matter what you think or thought of him, you must admit, he was a VERY TALENTED piano player…
Yea that was before he got all wierded out. And I never knew it until quite recently that he wore a rug. I always thought that was his natural hair that was done up by some Las Vegas hair stylist! LOL
@@bignickenergy723 I've never seen him do something impressive with the left hand. I've seen him neglect it for 8 minutes but never out it to much use.
Why couldn't Liberace have been my piano teacher? Man I bet I'd have practiced everyday without crying for an hour first. One of my biggest regrets was not taking my lessons more serious but practicing in a tiny room by myself was horrible. Still wish I'd have tried harder though.. 😢
I came from a family of musical prodigies. I wanted to take piano lessons so badly-my 12yr older sister got lessons, but we didn't have money for this. I truly believe I would have done better in life had I been able to express myself through playing piano. My parents didn't think I would stick w/it. 60yrs later I still wonder about that path sometimes. Lliberace was THE SHOW!!! Nothing but him & piano.
Wow, what a difference in his appearance in the 50's! Lee was quite a handsome man. He had beautiful wavy hair! Also , I liked the conservative attire as opposed to the gaudy glitz and glam!! All of that aside, he was one awesome pianist, with a charming personality!
When it comes to that rare attribute of technique combined with heart, Wladziu Liberace was one of the absolute masters. One of the five best overall, bar none.
I grew up in the dark ages of the 50's and wish we had those days back again ! The last days of innocence and great talented entertainers. Liberace, Jackie Gleason, Perry Como, the Ed Sullivan show , I love Lucy, GunSmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel. And many other tv shows that entertained with talent and humor. All that is gone and it's terribly sad that the young people of today are exposed to violence, foul language and sexuality in all its forms. They know nothing of the humor and real enjoyment of the tv shows of the 50's. Manner's and morals were paramount and respect for our parents, elderly people, people in authority, which included police officers. It's not surprising that the generation of young people from their mid - fifties down, have such messed up minds. They have no morals, no values, no self-respect for themselves or anyone else. Yes, the 50's were the last years of innocence and simple, but great times. Whoever was fortunate enough to experience those days, is truly blessed. I love Lucy,
As soon as I saw the UA-cam offering I knew I had forgotten how good this man was ... my father forced me to sit and watch every time he was on TV ... love you dad ...
People go on about Art Tatum being God, and all the master jazz and classical performers etc. - and I'm a huge fan of Oscar Petersen. But Liberace could play anything and everything. He chose to entertain - but was a seriously hard-working and perfectionist musician. I loved his music when I was a teenager back in the 1970s - and have seven of his albums. R.I.P. Mr Showmanship - you were one of a kind.
That man was absolutely an amazingly talented pianist. How he could coordinate all 10 digits of each hand to hit the proper note in the exact sequence at such a fast tempo is mind boggling. Truly one of the great performers of his day and I should like to say of all time.
@@lkctom2546 Im a pro too, all the pros I know think he was the TOPS. I dont know anyone who mastered as many different styles as he did- classical jazz, boogie, everything he plays is amazing
I"m a big fan of Virgil Fox, the organist. There's a video of him and Liberace playing a duet of "Tea for 2" on Mike Douglas, with a short interview afterwards. Virgil was pretty flamboyant in his interpretations of Bach, which was criticized by "purists", but he could pack them into a concert.
JoJo Mama As a 66 year old man, I can tell you that it wasn’t common knowledge. The case of Rock Hudson especially came as a shock. I think you are not remembering what it was like back in the early 60s before gay liberation. BTW, who cares today? The only people who think anyone has a problem with LGBT people are Leftists. (It’s true that a lot of people have an issue with Leftists though.)
My Mum idolised this guy in the '50s and whenever his programme was on TV we'd all sit round that little 12" Sobell screen. What a superb player. I managed the walking bass - just!
@@yesucansell2 : according to this article, Liberace did saying it about his critics: "Crying all the way to the bank” (or “laughing all the way to the bank") means that, regardless of the situation, that person has made money to take to the bank. A critic once savagely reviewed the flamboyant pianist Liberace (1919-1987) in 1953, but the Liberace concert had been sold out. Liberace remarked that the review made him “laugh all the way to the bank.” www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/crying_all_the_way_to_the_bank_laughing_all_the_way_to_the_bank
dont want to be a troll, but , no one voted for Liberace. Im not sure if you are saying he had more class than his fans or may be his contemporaries. "shrugs"
I remember watching his television show in the very early 70's. I was maybe three or four and had a crying fit because no one could show me how to play like he did. I did, eventually learn to play, after a fashion...
I prefer these earlier clips of Liberace playing solo piano. You can actually see/hear him playing piano. In the later clips (e.g. in Las Vegas,) you could barely hear or see him play, because it was all drowned out by an orchestra, lights, glitter, etc).
Liberace was a unique talent. Used to watch him on tv back in the '50's when I was about 11 or 12 years old . Loved watching him play the piano . No one, then or now can match his talent and gift for entertainment .
Not really. Maybe these people just have a greater understanding of what they are actually watching and, more importantly, hearing. The reason why Liberace is less revered amongst pianists than he is amongst people who post on UA-cam has nothing to do with hate, and everything to do with knowledge and having an ear that has been trained. They can hear the things that are not obvious to an untrained ear and they also understand the practical challenges that the pieces that he plays pose. They aren't wowed into a state of shock and awe because they actually understand what they are hearing. Labelling people who know an awful lot more than you as haters because they don't share your opinion is extremely foolish
@@garethharrison5797 He’s an amazing piano player. I am not saying that he is best, on a technical level, compared to other world class platers. All that would mean is that those other players as impressive, or more so, are amazing too. Don’t be pretentious. I know enough about music to be able to complement someone of great skill.
@@LetsGoMetsGo33 If you consider what I said to be pretentious then you are very much mistaken. Liberace had great flair and was a tremendous showman. He is widely considered to be an amazing piano player. Your original post suggested that people who do not consider Liberace to be amazing are 'haters'. The only people who do not largely consider him to be an amazing piano player tend to be people who can actually play the piano well and have a very different notion of amazing piano playing: the 'haters' as you put it. Obviously, amazing is not a standard. It is an opinion and people judge according to their own experience and perspective. There is no question that Liberace had very good ability on the piano and he played it with real pizazz. However, Liberace was a world famous musician. He wowed audience's but he is judged, as all are at that level, by the cold eye of scrutiny by people who aren't simply interested in being entertained. I'm sure most, if not all professional pianists would have countless positive things to say about Liberace's playing. However, I'm fairly certain that the overwhelming majority would strongly disagree that he was an amazing player overall, because they can see the holes in his game very clearly, and what amazes them is very different than what amazes an audience who desire entertainment. Does that make these people haters? Of course not.
Simply put, I loved Liberace. 8th grade for a semester I'd intentionally skipped school once a week to watch his TV show @ 2. My parents found out the absences on report card & grounded me to my room after school for next semester. I never regretted doing that. He brought so much pleasure to my life. I later saw him live in Vegas, an incredible thrill.
A bit cheesy in parts, as was his style, but educational. The last section of 16 beats a bar shows what a master he was. At his charismatic height here before devolving into a caricature. He leaves a magnificent legacy with videos like this still around.
I forgot to thank you for this great collection, I am very happy to watch him again. He certainly loved what he did, and never disappointed his audience. Over the top is fun and makes you smile.
One of my favorite Liberace clips. Love that suit... So I had one made just like it last year. Right down to the snow white pocket square. This guy was the perfect fusion of class, style and talent.
![[UA] NAVI проти G2 Esports | Blast Premier Fall Final](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QWlIm4FGESQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Liberace and I used to play this as a duet. My part was “Hey!”
And my part was the silent one in the middle.
LOL.. THAT was my part too
🤣😂🤣😂
I'm still learning those lyrics.
GOOD one dude! 😂🤣
I remember that later on in his life somebody asked him how he played with all those rings on his fingers, he responded by saying "marvelously". He was quite the showman.
*" BUTT NOT "THAT FAST"*
I'd hear that before, but the answer I heard he gave was, "very well." Either way, he was a hell of a pianist.
Yessss.. HE was a showman... can't think if one left today
He was a pianist long before he was a showman. He was a child prodigy who studied music beginning at age 7 at the University of Wisconsin.
lol
In 1953 when I was ten years old, my mother took me to see Liberace at the war memorial. He was quite an entertainer, very friendly and after the show he met anyone that wanted to get an autograph. He shook hands with us and signed the program for me. I still have the program 65 years later. He cared about his fans.
Jimmy4643 Oh, lucky you!... My dad was only born in 1953, I wish I could meet Liberace too...
Jimmy4643 ....He loved them and they loved him...
@@Nella2606 I was also born in 1953, and often wished that I had seen his shows.
I was born in '51. Never got to see the man live but I remember coming home from grade school in the late fifties and watching his TV show....he was on right after the Three Stooges.
King of All Buttocks What a stupid thing to say
I actually met Liberace once as a kid back in the '50's. I was walking by myself in front of the old Riviera Theater on Grand River in Detroit , when a Checker cab pulled up and Liberace got out. He was playing there that night. I knew who he was right away as we always watched his tv show. Not being shy , I walked up to him and said hello .He was very gracious and somewhat surprised I knew who he was without the flamboyant outfit he wore on tv . We engaged in conversation for a few minutes and I told him how much my mother enjoyed him and his show. He seemed quite pleased and smiled that great big smile of his and thanked me for the compliments. My mother was quite surprised , and envyous ,that I had actually met Liberace and that he took the time to talk to me -a kid. Never seen his show in person but have this memory of him . Pretty cool.
The poor Riv is gone now, finally taken out of its misery; but Wow the memories.
Moms and Grandmas loved Liberace.
The coolest version of serendipity I ever heard. Wonderful! You had good luck. My Mother loved Liberace didn’t everyone. I was fortunate to be born in 1948.
liberace a great man. my parents took me kicking and screaming to see him at a theater "in the round", circle star theatre in san carlos, ca. i wore my rock tee shirt and jeans, rebel that i was. well, he had a part of his show where the audience could call out a song. he's looking right at me, 2nd row seats. i stood up and yelled "inna gadda da vida". a psyc rock song. he said "ok" and then played it! i was shocked! we went to get autographs after the show. he saw me and pointed to me saying "i listen to ALL music. and you should too!" well i took his advice. he was a great human. i have always remembered his advice. rip liberace:(
i'd love to here him play that
Kudos to great parents!
That's an awesome story!
I almost didn't click on this clip...That would have been a big mistake.
I was thinking the same thing: )
I think a lot of people don't realize what a musician Liberace really was. Yea...he was a showman....but he could back it up every time with his piano chops. I'm glad I watched this clip.
@@tomjones2348 - His piano playing is what made him as famous as he was. Don't people realize that??
You are right! I was just looking for boogie woogie when I saw this, I remembered that he was a wonderful pianist, but hadn't connected him with boogie - glad I stopped here!
A lot of people think Liberace was just a comedian and lightweight entertainer. The guy was a goddam slayer on the piano.
Yes, he could really play - I'd love to have seen one of his shows.
He shredded.
What ???? He was known as a pianist, not a comedian !
@Andrew Solymos You are so right about how he did ànything was nobodies business but his and who ever he was with
@Andrew Solymos That's my view also I have only good memories to go by and to me he was very talente and kind as men from that era were often seen as gentleman of the highest order! Salutes to ya
A memory from about 60 years ago. Someone said he was a "prodigy," and it got back to him. He said, "I practice 12 hours a day and they call me a prodigy."
indeed
Now they'd call it OCD :(
My grandma told me once how she would walk past his place in Milwaukee and he was CONSTANTLY playing
@@ad8keez Apparently Jimi Hendrix even kept a guitar in the toilet.
"Hey Jimi, how did you get so good?"
"Eat, sleep, work for as little as you have to, and the rest of the time, PLAY"
@@geoffburton822 They still make exceptions for kids who are incredibly good at something, though.
The blonde admiring him was Dorothy Malone - still alive at 93! I had a crush on her when I was young! I could still be her toyboy: I'm only 81!
Chris Hebbron her looking at him that way was the biggest piece of fiction on this recording...everyone and their grandma knew he swung the other way
@@contact1araya It was very obvious: I'm sure that he did it deliberately. It did him no harm, anyway!
Chris Hebbron Dorothy Malone passed away January of 2018
@@Dandymancan The website I looked at was obviously showing out of date information. I'm too late to be her toyboy then!
Chris Hebbron I’m very sorry
In addition to his virtuosity, it amazes me how he could talk to the audience and simultaneously keep his left hand riff going without losing a beat.
He did drop some notes when he was talking.
@@farshimelt Maybe....but he is the ONLY one I've seen to date who can actually play 16 to the bar and it be that perfect.
Practice anything enough and you can put it on autopilot. This dude had supreme discipline 👏👏👏
You can practice all you want, if you don’t have the talent you’re wasting your time.
Nah. We did a study and It's basic brain function unless your brain isn't "normal"
Most if not all skills such as music is achieved through practice, discipline and determination.
Source: MD resident.
Liberace was an incredible entertainer and master pianist.. May he rest in Peace
Oh - he's entertaining I'm sure - with or w/o his Human form! 😉💫
...and Debbie Reynolds is right along side. She adored him and spoke 9f him often. Debbie was a friend of ours - full of spunk!
He's resting in Forest Lawn, LA.
Happy new year but noe of us Will he qlive by the end of the year because ofglobal warming
Indeed he was. Its really sad that he had to hide his private life as extremely as he did but in those days there was no other choice. My, how times have changed.
RIP? He's still crying all the way to the bank!
What a gifted man! He really knew how to interact with his audience! Mr. Showmanship is indeed who he was. Rest in Peace LEE!
I sure wish we had showmen like him today. I feel SO blessed to be old enough that he was still alive and performing when I was a boy and young man. I never saw him in person, but often on television. My aunt saw him in person though and said there was no comparison to television. In person he was amazing.
If he was alive today he would have monkeypox
@@retroguy9494 j
@@dougwilliams1625 m
This guy was an absolute MANIAC at the keyboard! And he always looked like he was having so much FUN! So glad we have these videos to remember him by.
I use to watch his show on tv ....back when I was a kid ,he was fabulous!!
Yes his technique is amazing.
People today have no idea of the greatness that Liberace had he was the number one performer in the world behind only Elvis Presley and before Elvis he was the biggest thing. Liberace actually coined the phrase “laughing all the way to the bank”. People tend to not remember Liberace or only remember him because he was gay and died of aids back in a time when everyone was ostracized for being gay but he was an amazing performer that guy was just amazing
Pure magic, the world is a much sadder place without him.
@Agent Fungus ...What did Liberace say to Princess Diana when she arrived in heaven?...
...he says to her: "Oh, honey, you won't be Queen here either"...
@@miklosernoehazy8678 Don't any of you asses have anything better to do than make derogatory comments about thjs man?.I doubt you have EVER been around such a talent as Liberace,You only show the world your IGNORANCE!.
I agree, the world is a bit more dreary without him. Or Victor Borge, Jack Benny, Danny Kaye and a number of others. It is the nature of the world.
@@miklosernoehazy8678 I do not know if Liberace or Princess Diana are in Heaven. Depends on their prior arrangements. But I am pretty sure there will not be sexual orientation in Heaven. And no one will care. Yeah, it was a joke, and not bad in a tacky sort of way. But his orientation seems to be a lightning rod of commentary.
@@OldManMontgomery ...there is a lucky generation that grew up with Jack Benny...
...and Danny Kaye, Victor Borge, Mel Tormè, Sammy Davis Jr. and of course a few others...
... well trained and exceptional talents who really understood how to entertain an audience, unlike many of the current crop of people inhabiting the entertainment industry today...
... merely people who act up and throw a tantrum on some reality TV show or the type of hack celebrities who are famous for being famous
(*cough-KARDASSIANS-cough*)...
... I do truly miss those times when people and celebrities had a much better understanding of how to conduct themselves and manage thier public image...
Trying to explain something while playing piano with your left hand, that's amazing
I'm 46 and I have been a huge Liberace fan my whole life! My grandma had, probably,all his albums! I don't care what anyone says,him and Floyd Cramer are probably the best all around,"play it all" pianists of all time. This man was an amazing showman! Still miss him. Just a great performer!
No matter how many times I watch this, I am mesmerized
I can't even THINK as fast as he plays
Diane Oxford I can’t think just watching his hands.
Exactt
The magic of Lee is he makes the impossible seem effortless
That's what a Pro does..
He was also a fine human being who was respectful and generous of the people who worked for him.
When i was young i was too cool to appreciate Liberace. Now i see that ge was an awesome showman and better pianist.
Andy A same here
Oh, he was “penist” alright! 🤣
@@gearjammer4779 apparently that's a feature of Mr. Liberace for most at this point in 2020, but thanks for stating the most self evident comment that comes to mind.
Me, too.
He was an incredibly gifted pianist. What a superb talent.
I didn't give him enough credit when I was younger! I now apologize wholeheartatly (! )
same here, even until recently
John- It’s because with the wisdom gained by the passage of time we now realize that they only ever made one Liberace.
Forgiven.
...same.
JohnPanto me too,....me too.
The dude was a master-showman, to say the least! Flamboyant beyond belief - but talented beyond belief as well.
I was 20 in 1971 long hair, into the music at the time, especially Black Sabbath & Deep Purple, mum asked me to take her to see Liberace, I was not keen at all, but it meant the world to her. So we went, I can’t remember the show, but I remember being impressed, he was funny too. I’m 72 now, I still have a photo of us at that concert, I miss her so much.
My introduction to him was through the tv show he had in the 50’s. We lived in Columbus OH, and my Mom would have him on during the day while she did her cleaning. I would sit there spellbound, and soak up his piano playing, vocals, and showmanship. I can hear him singing “I’ll Be Seeing You” even today, and I’m almost 71. I’m certain this early introduction to music and the piano had everything to do with me being a singer, pianist, and composer during my life.
Thank you Liberace (Lee) where ever you are.👏🏾
A wonderful entry. Methinks he's playing for the 👼 s. If music be the fruit of love, play on, said Shakespeare 500 or so years ago. It is. Be pleased to continue sir.
Amazes me how he can keep the beat with left hand while talking and not lose the beat. Genius
When I was 10, about 1957, my grandmother took me to see Liberace. When he finished his planned program, he ask if there were any requests. Little me, 10 years old, stood up & Said , "Make it play Boogie". He grinned, and did for 10 minutes.
There's no substitute for pure, unadulterated talent and Liberace had it in spades.
An abundance of talent, yes, but he also cultivated it in spades.
He had talent up the ass!
Oh hell Yeah
He was a legend and he will be a legend forever.
R.I.P. Liberace
The last of the great showmen, a true entertainer
Freddie Mercury.. Google it... moron
I went to see Liberace in person in 1975 and I wasn't looking forward to it. I had seen him on television and didn't think much of him. Much to my shock I loved the show - what a fabulous entertaining showman - outrageous glittery costumes that would give Elton John a run for his money. He combined skillful piano playing with self-deprecating humor. He did classical music and popular songs. The audience just ate it up and I was mesmerized from the moment he walked on that stage from his stretch limo - I never saw anything like it.
I was about 21 at the time and did not even have gaydar yet.
A couple of you need to go back to school and take reading classes
@@littlemom2070 : i know what you mean! my friend and i were given tickets to see Carol Channing in Hello Dolly many years ago (the 1980's). we went, rather reluctantly. she was wonderful, and she presented as genuinely appreciative and loving toward her fans. she came out after the show, stood on the edge of the stage, up close and personal to the audience, and graciously answered questions from the audience for probably a half an hour or more. she was absolutely charming! those folks were real entertainers back in the day. :-)
Not quite - Victor Borge outlived him.
This is what talent looks like.
Dorothy Malone Home Alone. There ain't nothing like a Dame. Shuck That Corn Charlie Brown. Holy Moses I have been deceibellied
Nobody could play the piano like Liberace! Such a gifted and talented man he was! Thank you for the upload!
Doubling that at the end to 16 beats is a quite the feat. Whatever this man was and no matter what you think or thought of him, you must admit, he was a VERY TALENTED piano player…
that gave me chills.........such a talent
If anyone’s wondering this is from a movie called Sincerely Yours starring Liberace.
Liberace was something else. I used to watch him on TV in the late fifties and early sixties, he was always amazing.
Nice to see him in normal, though elegant, clothes.
Yea that was before he got all wierded out. And I never knew it until quite recently that he wore a rug. I always thought that was his natural hair that was done up by some Las Vegas hair stylist! LOL
His left hand was strong as hell. Jesus he was fast and had great technique
Sucked TOO !
You should see Oscar Peterson.
@@bignickenergy723 I've never seen him do something impressive with the left hand. I've seen him neglect it for 8 minutes but never out it to much use.
World has a lot of great musicians. He was at the top of the game. Not A number 1.....THE number 1.
The one and only Liberace. The legendary Mr. Showmanship.
Why couldn't Liberace have been my piano teacher? Man I bet I'd have practiced everyday without crying for an hour first. One of my biggest regrets was not taking my lessons more serious but practicing in a tiny room by myself was horrible. Still wish I'd have tried harder though.. 😢
You sound like you're writing from the grave. That's still time. Just play!
You still can, but if you don't take your lessons seriously it doesn't matter who your teacher is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Actually, if you read up on Liberace, he practiced in much the same way as you did when he was a boy. His mother made him.
I came from a family of musical prodigies. I wanted to take piano lessons so badly-my 12yr older sister got lessons, but we didn't have money for this. I truly believe I would have done better in life had I been able to express myself through playing piano. My parents didn't think I would stick w/it. 60yrs later I still wonder about that path sometimes. Lliberace was THE SHOW!!! Nothing but him & piano.
Mister Showmanship. And you get a little music lesson for free.
A grey suit never had so much life in it!
Wow, what a difference in his appearance in the 50's! Lee was quite a handsome man. He had beautiful wavy hair! Also , I liked the conservative attire as opposed to the gaudy glitz and glam!! All of that aside, he was one awesome pianist, with a charming personality!
When it comes to that rare attribute of technique combined with heart, Wladziu Liberace was one of the absolute masters. One of the five best overall, bar none.
I sure do miss him. I was a senior in college when he died. We just don't get this kind of showmanship AND entertainment today!
Pure genius - no one of his immense talent and personality since!
OMG that is amazing. I have the sheet music for the tune he's playing, but I can play it at like 1/100th the speed....
I can't imagine he still can talk and shake his legs while playing
sadly he can't play at all, he passed in 87'
He was a natural showman as well as an accomplished pianist. My family used to watch him on TV back in the dark ages.
I grew up in the dark ages of the 50's and wish we had those days back again ! The last days of innocence and great talented entertainers. Liberace, Jackie Gleason, Perry Como, the Ed Sullivan show , I love Lucy, GunSmoke, Have Gun, Will Travel. And many other tv shows that entertained with talent and humor. All that is gone and it's terribly sad that the young people of today are exposed to violence, foul language and sexuality in all its forms. They know nothing of the humor and real enjoyment of the tv shows of the 50's. Manner's and morals were paramount and respect for our parents, elderly people, people in authority, which included police officers.
It's not surprising that the generation of young people from their mid - fifties down, have such messed up minds. They have no morals, no values, no self-respect for themselves or anyone else.
Yes, the 50's were the last years of innocence and simple, but great times.
Whoever was fortunate enough to experience those days, is truly blessed.
I love Lucy,
Calling him an accomplished pianist is like calling the sun hot...😮
Besides a great performer he was a man with many admirable qualities. We love him
Any piano Liberace played said thank you.
As soon as I saw the UA-cam offering I knew I had forgotten how good this man was ... my father forced me to sit and watch every time he was on TV ... love you dad ...
I don't think I ever saw Li in a plain suit like in this video. I loved the sparkly clothes.
Russ Crawford my brother in laws uncle was married to his aunt.
He killed it on the piano wow
Wow! I only knew the "Vegas" Liberace. This was amazing.
same here
People go on about Art Tatum being God, and all the master jazz and classical performers etc. - and I'm a huge fan of Oscar Petersen. But Liberace could play anything and everything. He chose to entertain - but was a seriously hard-working and perfectionist musician. I loved his music when I was a teenager back in the 1970s - and have seven of his albums.
R.I.P. Mr Showmanship - you were one of a kind.
So thats why the Chordettes mention his wavy hair in the Mr. Sandman song! He was a master of the keys too!
And Nina Simone name-checked him in 'My Baby Just Cares For Me'
Also because it's really, really hard to rhyme Pagliacci.
@@jamespfitz Perhaps that role could be played at the Met some day- by Dr.Fauci.
Damn! You ain’t kidding when you call yourself the Biggest Liberace Fan! Tons of videos! I just had to tap subscribe! I love archives!
Some others might be very very good, but Liberace is the best ever
One word............genius. RIP Liberace you were one of a kind ❤️
That man was absolutely an amazingly talented pianist. How he could coordinate all 10 digits of each hand to hit the proper note in the exact sequence at such a fast tempo is mind boggling. Truly one of the great performers of his day and I should like to say of all time.
Man...that guy could play!
Whether you liked him or not he knew how to endear himself to his fans
His precision and hand's independence are awesome !!
I’m a professional pianist myself he was amazing
Do you agree with people who said he was just a good pianist not a great one? I want to know what a professional pianist thinks
@@lkctom2546 Im a pro too, all the pros I know think he was the TOPS. I dont know anyone who mastered as many different styles as he did- classical jazz, boogie, everything he plays is amazing
In my whole 24 years of existence, I am saddened that this is my first time seeing this masterpiece.
From the movie "Sincerely Yours" 1955
Thanks.
Thank you for that info !
A good film. Remake of "The Man Who Played God". A good part for Lee. Too bad the film didn't get good box office.
Thanks. This was way before my time and I was curious :D
Geez UA-cam is the greatest thing ever invented for just this reason.
Agreed👍👍
This pretty much was how I learned boogy woogy in piano lessons, particularly the left hand.
I"m a big fan of Virgil Fox, the organist. There's a video of him and Liberace playing a duet of "Tea for 2" on Mike Douglas, with a short interview afterwards. Virgil was pretty flamboyant in his interpretations of Bach, which was criticized by "purists", but he could pack them into a concert.
That girl that kept looking at him was barking up the wrong tree 😂
No body suspected back in those days.
The Voice of Reason definitely got the wrong idea but not up a tree, Liberace could never achieve wood with her👍👍😂😂
JoJo Mama
Not really. It wasn’t obvious until the late 60s. People just didn’t talk about such things back then.
JoJo Mama
As a 66 year old man, I can tell you that it wasn’t common knowledge. The case of Rock Hudson especially came as a shock.
I think you are not remembering what it was like back in the early 60s before gay liberation.
BTW, who cares today? The only people who think anyone has a problem with LGBT people are Leftists. (It’s true that a lot of people have an issue with Leftists though.)
Television script.
I watched his TV show whenever it was on back in the 1950s. He was, is, always will be AWESOME.
I'll never forget seeing Liberace in person. It's so sad that he's gone. But his memory & music will live on forever.
he was the first super star. what a show man, growing up we always watched his t.v. shows
and way too funny. never a musical snob. god bless him
2 minutes in I wanted to cry. He inspires me to keep playing and practising to get better with my speed and precision. What an icon he was
My Mum idolised this guy in the '50s and whenever his programme was on TV we'd all sit round that little 12" Sobell screen. What a superb player. I managed the walking bass - just!
That man had more class than any of his constituents, I remember him saying " people laugh at me and I laugh all the way to the bank"!!!
He never ever said that!
@@yesucansell2 : according to this article, Liberace did saying it about his critics:
"Crying all the way to the bank” (or “laughing all the way to the bank") means that, regardless of the situation, that person has made money to take to the bank. A critic once savagely reviewed the flamboyant pianist Liberace (1919-1987) in 1953, but the Liberace concert had been sold out. Liberace remarked that the review made him “laugh all the way to the bank.”
www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/crying_all_the_way_to_the_bank_laughing_all_the_way_to_the_bank
At some point he add a new line to the joke. He said, “Now I own the bank!”
dont want to be a troll, but , no one voted for Liberace. Im not sure if you are saying he had more class than his fans or may be his contemporaries. "shrugs"
There is NO way he can play that fast while speaking. I can play that fast, but you can't give me $1,000,000 to speak while doing that.
the man was a genius rip.
He was a true legend, a one of a kind performer! Anyone have any idea of the name of this movie? I'm sure I had seen this once on TCM!🤔
Finally the piano met its Master.
0:00 boogie woogie
0:26 boogie woogie + right hand
0:49 walking bass boogie woogie
1:16 boogie woogie break
3:28 16 beat boogie woogie
You can't help but love this man a true legend in his time
Liberace was one hell of a showman. He had dancing fingers.
I remember watching his television show in the very early 70's. I was maybe three or four and had a crying fit because no one could show me how to play like he did. I did, eventually learn to play, after a fashion...
I prefer these earlier clips of Liberace playing solo piano. You can actually see/hear him playing piano. In the later clips (e.g. in Las Vegas,) you could barely hear or see him play, because it was all drowned out by an orchestra, lights, glitter, etc).
Amazing !!!! This god of music mastered all musical genres. It´s unlikely we´ll ever see his like again.
YoYo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Bela Fleck, Vic Wooten, Weird Al Yankovich. I can continue.. there are plenty of masters, you just have to look for them.
Liberace was a unique talent. Used to watch him on tv back in the '50's when I was about 11 or 12 years old .
Loved watching him play the piano . No one, then or now can match his talent and gift for entertainment .
dude had skills...talent.. mojo.. what ever you call it.. - even now decades later.. his talent can still move folks
when i hear someone better on the piano, i'll let you know.
listen to Art Tatum.
Silvan Zingg can do boogie woogie.
Listen to Oscar Peterson
@@TheeMilesMonk Oscar always listened to Art Tatum
ua-cam.com/video/MkRC_J2sHf8/v-deo.html
Watch that whole video watch the solo part where its just Elton playing. Absolutly unreal ralent.
Lee gettin' down on the keys, Dorothy lookin' all hot.
Greatest piano player that ever lived, he makes it look so easy.
Everybody in that room is smiling. What a great performer!
He was an amazing pianist, even more than an amazing entertainer. I’m aware that some disagree… must just be haters!
Not really. Maybe these people just have a greater understanding of what they are actually watching and, more importantly, hearing. The reason why Liberace is less revered amongst pianists than he is amongst people who post on UA-cam has nothing to do with hate, and everything to do with knowledge and having an ear that has been trained. They can hear the things that are not obvious to an untrained ear and they also understand the practical challenges that the pieces that he plays pose. They aren't wowed into a state of shock and awe because they actually understand what they are hearing. Labelling people who know an awful lot more than you as haters because they don't share your opinion is extremely foolish
@@garethharrison5797 He’s an amazing piano player. I am not saying that he is best, on a technical level, compared to other world class platers. All that would mean is that those other players as impressive, or more so, are amazing too. Don’t be pretentious. I know enough about music to be able to complement someone of great skill.
@@LetsGoMetsGo33 If you consider what I said to be pretentious then you are very much mistaken. Liberace had great flair and was a tremendous showman. He is widely considered to be an amazing piano player. Your original post suggested that people who do not consider Liberace to be amazing are 'haters'. The only people who do not largely consider him to be an amazing piano player tend to be people who can actually play the piano well and have a very different notion of amazing piano playing: the 'haters' as you put it. Obviously, amazing is not a standard. It is an opinion and people judge according to their own experience and perspective. There is no question that Liberace had very good ability on the piano and he played it with real pizazz. However, Liberace was a world famous musician. He wowed audience's but he is judged, as all are at that level, by the cold eye of scrutiny by people who aren't simply interested in being entertained. I'm sure most, if not all professional pianists would have countless positive things to say about Liberace's playing. However, I'm fairly certain that the overwhelming majority would strongly disagree that he was an amazing player overall, because they can see the holes in his game very clearly, and what amazes them is very different than what amazes an audience who desire entertainment. Does that make these people haters? Of course not.
Simply put, I loved Liberace. 8th grade for a semester I'd intentionally skipped school once a week to watch his TV show @ 2. My parents found out the absences on report card & grounded me to my room after school for next semester. I never regretted doing that. He brought so much pleasure to my life. I later saw him live in Vegas, an incredible thrill.
A bit cheesy in parts, as was his style, but educational. The last section of 16 beats a bar shows what a master he was. At his charismatic height here before devolving into a caricature. He leaves a magnificent legacy with videos like this still around.
I've always loved Liberace. I have noticed that this was really the same act he did all through his career. It just became more and more opulant.
I forgot to thank you for this great collection, I am very happy to watch him again. He certainly loved what he did, and never disappointed his audience. Over the top is fun and makes you smile.
NO COMMENTS!....LIBERACE STYLE!
One of my favorite Liberace clips. Love that suit... So I had one made just like it last year. Right down to the snow white pocket square. This guy was the perfect fusion of class, style and talent.
Man could he play the piano