2021 highlights
JOHN RELEASED A BRAND NEW ALBUM IN NOVEMBER!
“THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM” IS AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW BY CLICKING THE PICTURE ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE
THE ALBUM WENT ON GENERAL RELEASE ON 19/11/2021
THE ALBUM FEATURES CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TRACKS ALONGSIDE LESS WELL KNOWN FESTIVE TUNES AND INCLUDES A SEASONAL DUET WITH WEST END AND BROADWAY STAR KERRY ELLIS.
IT ALSO INCLUDES TWO BRAND NEW EXCLUSIVE TRACKS CO-WRITTEN BY JOHN
“ON CHRISTMAS EVE” - A PREVIOUSLY UNHEARD SONG FROM THE VAULTS OF THE LEGENDARY LES REED (IT’S NOT UNUSUAL/DELILAH) AND BILL MARTIN (PUPPET ON A STRING/CONGRATULATIONS) FOR WHICH JOHN HAS WRITTEN NEW LYRICS
AND
“PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS DAY” - A SONG WRITTEN BY JOHN WITH BEN ROBBINS AND STEVE BALSAMO
Tracklisting:
1. it’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year
2. Happy Holiday/The Holiday Season
3. That Holiday Feeling -Feat. Kerry Ellis
4. Holly Jolly Christmas
5. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
6. Let It Snow, let it snow, let it snow/Winter Wonderland
7. Lullaby For Christmas Eve
8. A Child's Christmas in Wales
9. On Christmas Eve
10. PLEASE Come Home for Christmas Day
11. Now More Than Ever
Bonus Tracks
River
May Each Day
O Holy Night - feat. the west end gospel choir
John says …"I have wanted to record an album of Christmas songs for a very long time and finally found the opportunity to do it this year. I have put together an album full of classic Christmas songs that I love to listen to (and sing!) during the festive season, alongside a couple of not-so-well-known festive tunes that I adore. I can’t wait for people to hear this album and I hope that they love the songs, both old and new, as much as I do - and that after listening, they have a very merry Christmas!”
The album was recorded in Acapela Studios, Cardiff and Umbrella Sound Studios, London. It features arrangements by John Owen-Jones , Ben Robbins and John Quirk and is produced by John Owen-Jones for the JOJ Music label
YOU CAN READ A REVIEW OF “THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM” HERE
LISTEN TO A TRACK FROM THE ALBUM BELOW!
JOHN APPEARED ON RADIO SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON
JOHN WAS INTERVIEWED AND PERFORMED ON BBC RADIO 2 AND BBC RADIO WALES
JOHN APPEARED AS A SPECIAL GUEST ON “CHRISTMAS WITH THE QUINNELLS” ON BBC RADIO WALES ON CHRISTMAS EVE AND CHRISTMAS DAY.
THE SHOW FEATURED JOHN CHATTING TO PRESENTER SCOTT QUINNELL AND PERFORMING TWO SONGS FROM HIS CHRISTMAS ALBUM.
IT ALSO FEATURED A HOST OF OTHER FAMOUS GUESTS INCLUDING SINGER EMELI SANDE, DARTS WORLD CHAMPION GERWYN PRICE AND LEGENDARY WELSH STAR MAX BOYCE
LISTEN ON CATCH UP HERE
JOHN APPEARED ON “PHANTOM 35” A SPECIAL PROGRAMME CELEBRATING THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ON BBC RADIO 2 ON BOXING DAY
JOHN TALKED TO ACTOR LUKE EVANS ABOUT THE SHOW AS IT CELEBRATED ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY IN THE WEST END. ALSO APPEARING WERE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER, CAMERON MACKINTOSH AND ORIGINAL PHANTOM MICHAEL CRAWFORD, AMONG OTHERS
LISTEN ON CATCH UP HERE
JOHN ALSO APPEARED IN A REPEAT OF A FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT CONCERT RECORDED ESPECIALLY FOR BBC RADIO 2 IN HONOUR OF COMPOSER LESLIE BRICUSSE.
WHEN THE PROGRAMME WAS FIRST BROADCAST IN 2011, JOHN TALKED ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE TO THE RADIO TIMES
YOU CAN READ THE INTERVIEW HERE
YOU CAN FIND MORE INFO ON THE CONCERT HERE
INFORMATION AND CLIPS FROM OTHER “BBC RADIO 2 - FRIDAY NIGHT IS MUSIC NIGHT” BROADCASTS WHICH FEATURED JOHN CAN BE FOUND VIA THE BELOW LINKS
THE “BEST OF THE WEST END” RETURNS (2021)
BBC MUSIC DAY (2019)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2017)
OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL EVENIN’ - RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN (2015)
COMMONWEALTH GAMES SPECIAL - GLASGOW (2014)
CHRISTMAS (2013)
LIVE FROM SALFORD (2011)
LES MIZ 25TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (2010)
LIVE FROM WATFORD COLOSSEUM (2009)
JOHN MAde A SURPRISE APPEARANCE IN ‘LES MISERABLES’ IN THE WEST END ON DECEMBER 22ND
JOHN APPEARED AS JEAN VALJEAN AT THE SONDHEIM THEATRE IN A BID TO HELP THE SHOW GO ON!
Many West End shows (and their audiences) have suffered last minute cancellations recently due to the Covid-19 pandemic with many cast and crew testing positive or having to isolate.
To help avoid another cancellation and a disappointed audience John stepped in to play Valjean at the last minute to save a performance of Les Miz after having not played the role for more than a year…and with no rehearsal.
John said… “happy to help my Les Miz family out - but it was like being in an anxiety dream that had come to life!”
John spoke to BBC Radio Wales, Times Radio, The Telegraph and The Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 about his experience.
You can hear a clip of John talking to Aasmah Mir on Times Radio HERE
JOHN PERFORMED A SOLO SHOW IN LLANELLI ON DEC 12TH
JOHN PERFORMED SONGS FROM “THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM” ALONGSIDE SONGS FROM MUSICALS AT THEATR Y FFWRNES, LLANELLI, WALES ON SUNDAY 12TH DECEMBER
HE WAS JOINED BY JOHN QUIRK ON THE PIANO AND VERY SPECIAL GUEST BETHZIENNA
john performED with lucie jones in london and cardiff in december
JOHN WAS LUCIE’S VERY SPECIAL GUEST WHEN SHE PERFORMED IN CONCERT AT ST DAVID’S HALL, CARDIFF (DEC 13TH) AND HER MAJESTY’S THEATRE, LONDON (DEC 14TH)
iN DECEMBER JOHN APPEARED IN “WEST END DOES: CHRISTMAS 2021”
THE CONCERT SAW JOHN PERFORM ALONGSIDE MAUREEN LIPMAN, JULIAN OVENDEN, GINA BECK, LIAM TAMNE, GRACE MOUAT, AISHA JAWANDO, RAY SHELL AND ROB HOUCHEN, AND TOOK PLACE AT CADOGAN HALL, LONDON FOR TWO SHOWS AT 2:30PM AND 6:30PM ON DECEMBER 19TH
iN DECEMBER JOHN PERFORMED IN “WEST END MUSICAL CHRISTMAS”
THE SHOW TOOK PLACE AT THE LYRIC THEATRE IN LONDON AND FEATURED JOHN PERFORMING ALONGSIDE OLLIE ORMSON, JODIE STEEL, EMMA HATTON, OBI UGOLA, SHANAY HOLMES AND OTHERS FOR ONE PERFORMANCE AT 8pm ON DECEMBER 20th
AT THE END OF DECEMBER, JOHn PERFormed IN “THE GREATEST SHOW TUNES” CONCERTS IN VARIOUS VENUES AROUND THE UK
HE APPEARED ALONGSIDE BEN FORSTER, DANIELLE HOPE AND KAREN MAV WITH A CHOIR AND FULL ORCHESTRA IN:
BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY HALL ON DEC 27TH,
MANCHESTER BRIDGEWATER HALL ON DEC 28TH,
LONDON BARBICAN HALL DEC 29TH
GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL ON DEC 30TH UPDATE - THIS SHOW WAS SADLY CANCELLED DUE TO A CHANGE IN COVID REGULATIONS IN SCOTLAND
JOHN was SPECIAL GUEST OF KERRY ELLIS IN LONDON IN NOVEMBER
John and Kerry performed together in an intimate concert at Lola’s Underground Casino at London Hippodrome on Tuesday November 23rd
They performed “That Holiday Feeling” together in public for the first time ever!
JOHN PERFORMED IN LONDON FOR HIS 5OTH BIRTHDAY
HE performED two SOLO CONCERTS AT THE CADOGAN HALL, LONDON ON JUNE 19TH
BOTH THE EVENING SHOW AND THE MATINEE SHOW (ADDED DUE TO DEMAND) WERE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT
THE EVENING SHOW WAS LIVESTREAMED WORLDWIDE
John was joined onstage by a seven piece band led by John Quirk
The concert was produced by Lambert Jackson Productions
UPDATE:
due to popular demand, THE SHOW Was STREAMED AGAIN ON stream.theatre
there were five different screenings to choose from on 13th, 14th and 15th august.
JOHN PERFORMed IN CONCERT AT CARDIFF CASTLE IN AUGUST
He APPEARed AS A SPECIAL GUEST OF ONLY MEN ALOUD AT CARDIFF CASTLE ON MONDAY AUGUST 2nd
THE OUTDOOR CONCERT WAS STAGED IN THE GROUNDS OF CARDIFF CASTLE AS PART OF THE LIVE UNDER THE STARS SERIES OF CONCERTS THAT RAN DURING THE FIRST TEN DAYS OF AUGUST
John has peformed with Only Men Aloud many times and they were guests on his debut album John Owen-Jones in 2009
JOHN PERFORMED WITH KATHERINE JENKINS IN AUGUST
JohN Was Katherine’s special guest in outdoor concerts in Yorkshire and Hampshire
THE SOLD OUT SHOWS TOOK PLACE AT EMBLEY PARK NEAR ROMSEY IN HAMPSHIRE ON SUNDAY AUGUST 22ND AND AT THE YORKSHIRE WILDLIFE PARK ON SUNDAY AUGUST 29TH.
JOHN PERFORMED AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL IN JULY
HE JOINED AN INCREDIBLE LINE UP OF ARTISTES AND A FULL ORCHESTRA FOR ALPHA’S THE BEST OF THE WEST END CONCERT ON WEDNESDAY 21st JULY
THE SHOW, WITH A CAST OF OVER 100, A FULL ORCHESTRA UNDER THE DIRECTION OF STUART MORLEY AND CHOREOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN MEAR CBE, WAS HOSTED BY RUTHIE HENSHALL
John performed onstage alongside Kerry Ellis, Matt Henry MBE, Layton Williams, Ruthie Henshall, Mazz Murray, Friedrike Krum, Gina Murray, Lauren Samuels, Sophie Evans, Mica Paris, Matthew Croke, Anna-Jane Casey and Ben Forster. The MX Masterclass Choir and Mountview Choir also appeared
£5 FROM EVERY TICKET PURCHASED WAS DONATED TO THE ACTING FOR OTHERS CHARITY
The show was produced by Alpha Club
THE SHOW WAS RECORDED FOR TRANSMISSION ON BBC RADIO 2
JOHN PERFORMED IN “A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS” IN JULY
HE JOINED FELLOW THEATRE STARS BEN FORSTER, LUCIE JONES, mazz murray AND RACHEL TUCKER AT AN OUTDOOR CONCERT IN tONBRIDGE, KENT
The show was originally scheduled for 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic.
THE OUTDOOR CONCERT WAS PART OF TONBRIDGE MUSIC WEEKEND
JOHN RETURNED TO THE WEST END IN JUNE FOR “THE SHOW MUST GO ON” concerts
The sold out concerts were live streamed on youtube to an audience of over 45,ooo people
THE SHOWS TOOK PLACE OVER FOUR DAYS AT LONDON’S PALACE THEATRE AND RAISED OVER £75,000 FOR THE ACTING FOR OTHERS CHARITY, BRINGING THE TOTAL RAISED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE PANDEMIC TO OVER £1,000,000
The concert celebrated the return of live performance after theatres were closed during the pandemic and featured many celebrated performers from a wealth of West End shows.
John performed Bring Him Home in the theatre where he started his West End career and where he first played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables
The producers of The Show Must Go On are presented with a cheque by London Mayor Sadiq Khan
JOHN PERforMED AT WORLD FAMOUS JAZZ CLUB RONNIE SCOTT’S IN JUNE
He was the headline act for the All that jazz cabaret hosted by olivier award winner Cassidy Janson on june 26Th
Tickets sold out instantly for the intimate gig at the legendary venue where John performed with a four piece band
JOHN ADDed A RECIPE TO A THEATRICAL CHARITY COOKBOOK!
ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER WEST END STARS, JOHN HAS A RECIPE FEATURED IN COOKBOOK 5, 6, 7, EAT THAT WILL BE RELEASED IN APRIL 2020
CONCEIVED BY MAZZ MURRAY AND PRODUCED BY THE THEATRE CAFE, THE BOOK WILL FEATURE JOHN’S RECIPE FOR “CAWL MAMGU” - A TRADITIONAL WELSH BROTH OF LAMB, BEEF AND VEGETABLES
THE BOOK WILL RAISE FUNDS FOR THEATRICAL CHARITY ACTING FOR OTHERS
YOU CAN BUY THE COOKBOOK HERE
JOHN FEATURES IN NEW PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK
THEATRICAL COFFEE TABLE BOOK “DEAR AUDIENCE” out now
THE BOOK WAS CREATED BY DANNY KAAN AND SOPHIE ROSS AND FEATURES SPECIALLY COMMISSIONED PHOTOGRAPHS OF MANY WEST END STARS
PURCHASE THE BOOK HERE
JOHN’S 2020 LEAVE A LIGHT ON CONCERT REPEATED online
THE SHOW Was AVAILABLE TO WATCH ONLINE ON FRIDAY MARCH 26TH AT 8PM GMT
THE CONCERT WAS RECORDED IN SPRING 2020 DURING THE UK’S FIRST NATIONAL LOCKDOWN AS PART OF THE LEAVE A LIGHT ON SERIES. THE SERIES, PRODUCED BY LAMBERT JACKSON PRODUCTIONS AND THE THEATRE CAFE, FEATURES WEST END ARTISTES PERFORMING INTIMATE CONCERT PERFORMANCES FROM THEIR OWN LIVING ROOMS.
John’s Leave a Light concert features props, incredible lighting effects, a full orchestra and even PYROTECHNICS! (all on a very limited budget)
IT waS THE ONLINE STREAMING EVENT OF THE CENTURY! (ON A VERY LIMITED BUDGET)
In March, JOHN PERFORMED online WITH THE “WEST END OF WALES”
ON MARCH 1ST JOHN PERFORMED IN GWLAD! A STAR STUDDED STREAMED CONCERT IN HONOUR OF ST DAVID’S DAY.
WITH A VIDEO INTRODUCTION FROM HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES, THE LINEUP OF WELSH TALENT INCLUDED ROB BRYDON, KATHERINE JENKINS, SAM WARBURTON, THE BAND OF THE WELSH GUARDS, LUCIE JONES, RHOD GILBERT, ONLY MEN ALOUD, THE CORY BAND AND THE MORRISTON ORPHEUS CHOIR AMONG OTHERS.
John closed the concert with a rendition of the unofficial Welsh National Anthem “Delilah” before leading a 100 strong choir in the official Welsh National Anthem “Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau”
The concert helped raise funds for Welsh musicians and artists who have suffered financially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
You can find out more info about the event and the “West End of Wales” HERE
WATCH JOHN’S PERFORMANCE OF DELILAH BELOW
JOHN PERFORMED THE SONG “OUR TIME” ONLINE FOR VOICES OF THE WEST END
JOHN WAS JOINED IN THE VIDEO BY BEN FORSTER, LOUISE DEARMAN, JOHN QUIRK, EARL CARPENTER AND BRADLEY JADEN
AFTER BEING FORCED TO CANCEL VOICES OF THE WEST END CONCERTS IN JAPAN THREE TIMES DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, JOHN AND THE CAST OF THE CONCERT GOT TOGETHER REMOTELY AND RECORDED A ONE OFF VERSION OF “OUR TIME” FROM STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S “MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG” - ESPECIALLY FOR JAPANESE FANS TO HELP EASE THEIR DISAPPOINTMENT.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW
in february, JOHN PERFORMed ONLINE WITH THE WELSH MUSICAL THEATRE ORCHESTRA
JOHN LED A COMPANY THAT INCLUDES GARETH GATES, ROSIE ASHE AND CAROLINE SHEEN IN A RENDITION OF “ONE DAY MORE” RECENTLY VOTED “BEST SONG FROM A MUSICAL” BY LISTENERS OF BBC RADIO 2
JOHN Was INTERVIEWED live ON BBC Radio 2 ON SATURDAY 30 JANUARY
HE Was GUEST OF DERMOT O’LEARY ON THE RADIO 2 WEEKEND BREAKFAST SHOW
JOHN AND DERMOT CHATTED ABOUT MUSICALS AND HEAVY METAL (!) AS PART OF THE BBC RADIO 2 SPECIAL EVENT “MUSICALS: THE GREATEST SHOW”
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW HERE
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MUSICALS: THE GREATEST SHOW HERE
DERMOT O’ LEARY
JOHN HAS ALSO APPEARED ON SEVERAL OTHER RADIO SHOWS DURING 2021
HE WAS THE SPECIAL GUEST ON JACK PEPPER’S HOUR LONG SHOW “CULTURE BUNKER” ON SCALA RADIO WHERE HE DISCUSSED HIS CAREER PAST AND PRESENT AND WAS THE FEATURED GUEST ON GETTING TO KNOW YOU ON MAGIC AT THE MUSICALS RADIO WHERE HE CHOSE AND DISCUSSED SOME OF HIS FAVOURITE MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS. HE WAS ALSO SPECIAL GUEST ON PAUL SCOTT’S AFTERNOON SHOW ON BOX OFFICE RADIO
JOHN APPEARED ON BBC TV’s SONGS OF PRAISE on February 28th
He performED ar hyd y nos FOR A SPECIAL ST DAVID’S DAY EDITION OF THE SHOW FROM TINTERN ABBEY
More info on the show can be found HERE
HIS PERFORMANCE WAS FILMED IN BRECON CATHEDRAL LAST YEAR WHEN HE ALSO RECORDED BRING HIM HOME FOR A SPECIAL REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY EDITION OF THE SHOW ON NOVEMBER 8TH 2020
YOU CAN WATCH BRING HIM HOME BELOW
JOHN APPEARed on NEW WEB SERIES “THE THEATRE CHANNEL” IN 2020
THE SHOW IS STILL AVAILABLE TO WATCH ONLINE
JOHN HEADLINED THE THIRD EPISODE OF THE SERIES - “THE ROCK EPISODE” - SINGING “PITY THE CHILD” FROM THE MUSICAL CHESS
ALSO APPEARING IN THE ROCK EPISODE ARE SHAN AKO, ROB HOUCHEN , ALEX GAUMOND, AISHA JAWANDO AND FRANCESCA JACKSON
THE THEATRE CHANNEL IS A BRAND NEW WEB SERIES DEVELOPED BY ADAM BLANSHAY PRODUCTIONS AND THE THEATRE CAFE THAT LETS AUDIENCES ENJOY MUSICAL THEATRE IN A NEW WAY - WITH SPECIALLY CREATED ONE-OFF PERFORMANCES FROM MUSICAL THEATRE STARS THAT ARE AVAILABLE NOWHERE ELSE FOR PEOPLE TO STREAM AND ENJOY AT HOME.
