Liberace performance from the 60's

[IoEstasCedonta]

Mack the Knife - Poker Face of the Kennedy years.

[knight75xx]

back when music was real, good times, nothing like this auto tuned, la de da stuff these days haha

[ftjax]

Damn that was great .........!

[kansasisaband]

never misses a note. An amazing performer w/class and style never again matched by anyone at any time on this instrument. I think when he died, we started calling musicians "legendary".

[GodsFavoriteBassPlyr]

There is no comparison to 'famous people' of today (I can't even bring myself to call them entertainers)

Liberace was a truly one-of-a-kind, off-the-charts entertainer who genuinely cared for and Connected with his audience.

I don't think we'll see the likes of this style of class again any time soon.

RIP Lee

[InfiniteMushroom]

@GodsFavoriteBassPlyr Great stars were the products of their time. Liberace, Lawrence Welk, Dean Martin, and the like will never be seen again because the times that begat them are long gone. May the Old Republic rest in peace.

It is no mystery, therefore, to see the products of a society in terminal decay and entropic collapse. Ephemeral celebrities fabricated by marketing focus groups and packaged for fast profit. Our foundations have crumbled to sand and rubble. What good can come from that?

[jazzbuff630]

We need a Liberace today. Another Dean Martin, as well.

[bushey26]

@jazzbuff630 ....I agree with you. 

[jazzbuff630]

We need a Liberace today.

[crusher1944]

not to gay____but nobody cared back then, not like today any reason to hate people is the thing today

[SuperGamer87]

People why hate on what you don't like? Don't like modern pop music, then leave it out of conversation and enjoy what you DO like, like this Liberace performance. Be more positive and less wasteful with opportunities to just be positive. You'll live longer and sweeter.

[pillroller88]

Never be another Liberace

[steinwaygrande1]

@pillroller88 Oh so very true !! All the great entertsainers are now long gone and sadly there is nothi8ng coming up to repaoce them. Just load of rubbish now days and I wouldnt go to see 90% of the modern day so called entertainers - even if you paid me to go.

[neonwind]

Brilliant!

[johnnyzing]

Such a showman and good guy. My only story with Liberace was when his conductor Bo Ayers called me in 1975 to audition for the Drum Chair. I was living in Las Vegas at the time. I was thrilled...then a few days later he called back & cancelled the audition. Years later I found out their drummer didn't quit. He decided to stay on. Actually I'm glad because I really wasn't up to his standard yet. But it is a fond memory anyway! And thank's Jim Clark for recommending me. John-Hans Melcher

[phuckizlam]

Let's see Britney Spears do this. Or that new whore, Miley Cyrus, or any of the OTHER useless shit that total fools idolize these days.

[steinwaygrande1]

@phuckizlam Britney spear !!! You got to be kidding. That tart and the rest of them are not entertainers at all . Never have been and never will be.

[Othellobcuz]

OMG, I so so so so love liberace. I scream like a little girl when i hear his music

[steinwaygrande1]

one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century. And they have the audacoty to call these five minutes pop wankers entertainers - pigs might fly before they could ever entertain me. Libreace was genius , brilliant pianist and he knew how to wrok the audience. Sad that his museum is now closing down

[robertsafner]

I HAVE BEEN TO THE LIBERACE MUSEUM IN LAS VEGAS, TRULY A NICE PLACE TO VISIT.

[mindspring57]

@robertsafner I have been there as well. Whatever else can be said about Liberace, he knew the piano and was a great showman.

[dearmalika]

He was amazing! Thanks for sharing this!

[GymFloozie]

Well, I've just been taken to school.

[rapperdoom]

Pure magic on the piano.. Dean martin was being a hater, lol!!!

[wannawatchu66]

Hey "dillmon1,"

If he spewed any "gayness" at all, then YOU spew immaturity and an inherent lack of class, tact, and decorum.

[weiner7000]

I don't think I ever appreciated Liberace enough. This is great stuff.

[cjm608]

what a showman! wow.

[bogdanmapadu]

Er war der Beste Klavierpole in USA !

[smokingman40]

Wonderful !!!

It's a shame he died.

[cfortunato58]

Did Liberace actually arrange the music himself? Because this is brilliant.

I sometimes hear negative comments about his musicianship, and I can't figure out why. Unless it was for the crime of actually being entertaining. I'm an accomplished pianist, and Liberace was an incredibly versatile, incredibly skilled musician.

[balto4]

@cfortunato58 Yea seems like a lot of people hate him :( I don't know how anyone can hate him he seemed really sweet

[Vincemendoza86]

this is truly amazing

[jamdawg]

There's a term made famous by Kid Rock called "Liberace Flash".

[aeflint]

everything that is good about kitsch! fabulous!

[dillmon1]

he spews gayness

[idoanknow]

WHO MAKES THE JACKETS!?

[balto4]

I love how he does Mack the Knife

[bsam20uk]

This is my favourite Liberace performance, the man is at the height of his powers here.

[pianoamerica]

UnFreakin believeable! Liberace...the One and ONLY! Lee lives forever!! Thanks man for bestowing the treasures upon us! Wish you were still with us! TOPS!!

[biggus8888]

Incredibley talented showman !

[yephendasou]

hes dead mark

[Jefidicus]

Dammit Yep, he's a marshal, not a historian!

[markmarshall39]

i would love to see him perform at the red carpet!!

[Isra1587]

viva liberace

[brenonion]

insanely talented!

[copacabana1971]

"It looks like the sequins hit the fan..." Great stuff. This video is a gem in itself!

[Gillyyorkie]

Liberace must be the Ultimate showman! As a pianist. not only his flamboyant on stage persona but his playing was awesome too . Thanks for posting

[nickladey]

simply the best what ells can one say thanks for posting

[novakati]

AMAZINGGGGG!! he is soooooooo clever!!!

[mrroachclip420]

sick ass skills!! and so natural on stage performance.Props to Liberace!!

[BlackCougar17]

mad skills..

anyone got the originl version of mack the knife music sheet? like the one he played on the very begining/?

[nitekatt2007]

Liberace is a talent that comes to us around within a 100 years. A real prodigy. Could play any style and his boogie woogie playing is the best ever. There has never been anyone like him. He had an excellent piano technique, a photographic memory, a huge reportoire of the classics and pop standards. Thanks to you tube, he can be admired, never forgotten. We all miss ya Lee, but your music is eternal guy!!

[nickladey]

nice comment youve put it all in a nut shell there will never be another lee

[1oo8jm]

How wonderful! Thank you for posting!

[krammit69]

Magnificent there will never be another Liberace

[77nexco7878]

that is a lie my frenid with take care of that

[krammit69]

uh huh sure

[busterkeys25]

yeah ive heard him too, hes super. and was a prodigy at 10 years old. lol. liberace was at 21. oh snap

[georgiahuff]

He's great... I'm a 47 year old southerner, and I think he's one of the greatest showman ever!

[jdurr4]

in the introduction lee gives what does he mean by "the way the kids like it best"?

I keep thinking it was the boogie woogie left hand he put in with it at the end.

Anyone know?

[dancetjoen]

jdurr4

It is puzzling me too. Bossa Nova means it was about 1963, before the Beatles.

If he was referring to Jerry Lee Lewis..that was soooo 1958.

Have you noticed 4:09 ? That sounds like Mambo. But that was sooo 1954

[brenonion]

I love this arrangement! Especially that he sneaked in that part from Mozart's sonata in C

[astrocelestial]

Thank our lucky stars that we have youtube to help us preserve and access these great footages! As for Mr. Showmanship, what a star turn! As always talented gracious accessible original. Thank you for this video and, as always on youtube, thank you SO much to each one who shares their precious experiences and observations on these subjects. This is the oral history of the 20th and 21st centuries. Thanks Lee, God bless.

[efraingarcia16]

muito bom

[markmarshall39]

deans drunk aint he!

[sheikofaraby2]

most likely

[jfktwo]

I miss you Lee!

[Ulysses61]

I met Lee several times because he had a part-time house in Lake Arrowhead, where I live. He used to shop in the Jensens market just like anyone else. He was a wonderfully sweet, nice man. No ego, no conceit, just a very nice man.

[wannawatchu66]

@Ulysses61 Yeah, he does seem like a very warm, friendly, approachable guy, unlike some of these mush heads today who are so full of themselves, yet don't have a tenth of Lee's talent. I would've loved to have known him (what I could've learned about the piano!).

[amazmace]

OH! Wow! What a performer! Brilliante!!!!

[keyboardmagic]

I was Archivist/Historian for the Liberace Museum before retiring 2 years ago.

[godwhyisthistaken]

Really now cool,i heard of that museum it must be cool, great job, happy retirement!

%D

[oldladyplayspiano]

The museum is surprisingly 'small' - stuck on the corner of Tropicanna Avenue - lots of traffic; hard to 'spot', and it's so sad.

I wish it were larger; more could be done to either expand it, or move it since it currently is integrated with a shopping center; too near the airport - hardly a place for such a fine performer.

I can imagine being the historian must have been spectacular - keyboardmagic is very fortunate indeed!

[godwhyisthistaken]

yes liberace is a great showman, i love this clip! he plays it many different ways.

[keyboardmagic]

The Liberace Museum is located in two buildings. One houses the pianos & cars and the 2nd building has the costumes, a gift shop, cafe & showroom. They had two major expansions. One in 1989 and another in 2002..

[jdurr4]

Is it true that the museum let you play his mirrored baldwin?

[kurdtvongut]

I didn't get to play it when I went.

[godwhyisthistaken]

who made liberaces jackets?!!

[keyboardmagic]

Liberace had 4 different gentlemen who made his jackets: Sy Devore - (early 1950s); Frank Ortiz - (late 50s); Frank Acuna - (1960s to early 1970's); and finally, Michael Travis (1974-1986). The jacket he is wearing in this video is by Frank Acuna.

[arvinwynn]

words canot even begin to tell what a class act this man was or will forever be...just great..thank you for the video...just what YOU TUBE needs and what the old tube could use again...just look at the veiws

[Culehandlukey]

Lee was mr showmanship

[oldladyplayspiano]

I felt pretty lucky when I got to play a few songs with him. He was brought on board by Baldwin to do some promotions - we had a life-sized card-board image of him by all of the grand pianos.

I was working with Baldwin about 2 months before they brought Liberace into some type of an agreement where he'd endorse, and start using the Baldwin in his performances.

It was a treat indeed; he was gracious and even a bit shy. I finally met 'my idol' - and played 3 songs with him. Fun!

[markmarshall39]

i'd day you were lucky!

[staticchild]

talented

[YngBttmBoi]

GO LEE!!!

[frankie1138]

That background music is a little annoying.

It's not convinient. Liberace was innovative.

[gutiep]

I agree. The music kind of drowns out some of the beautiful notes he was hitting.

[abc123luvi]

dam he was gud!!!!

[boilerplate]

What a talented man. My grandmother loved Liberace, I used to hear her listening to his music and grew fond of the piano. I never become very good at it, but I loved to play.

Great man, great talent.

[myfare65]

I dearly miss Liberace (Lee) I watched him faithfully on TV as a young child. Both he and Korla Pandit were my favorites. CP

[jonahansen]

He was such a good entertainer. Too bad so many people dissed him because he was gay - it really affected him and he tried to stay in the closet even in death.

[ian2wood]

WOW!

[ratpackman1]

THE MASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TheGreatRichter]

I owe a great indebtedness to Liberace for if it wasn't for me listening to an old 8 track tape(those older youtube listeners will probably remember them!!) of my uncles of his concert by candlelight album I would have not taken up the piano and appreciate classical piano music as I do today.He was unique in the sense he could play every conceivable style of music on the piano.We will never see his kind again, what a pity.

[hobbang55]

beautiful playing

[GouldenBach]

The Man is Brilliant!  If only I could play like him he is absolutely amazing

[klactv]

I had no idea he could play like this!

[bundyselmer]

he is a pianist.

[zinutile]

Really? Thought he was an guitar player... WOW.. er...

[LuckyBlueEyez]

A real showman...Mr. Showman himself...LIBERACE! hE SURE KNEW HOW TO PUT ON A SHOW.

[hoochis]

i would give anything to play like him

[hitidesin]

WOW... what A M A Z I N G talent! I am privileged to have access to a Baldwin SD-10 - 9' concert grand connected to the Kirk Pipe Organ, which is signed by Liberace!

TC

[Sortilegio1000]

!!!!!Magnifique!!!! Liberace iremplasable c'est clair, tous sa musique

[hotsunshine2]

Liberace - true showman and highly skilled - joy to watch

[daniel000047]

If it looks, smells, talks, and acts like greatness, it's greatness.

[slobone]

I miss variety shows on TV, but not enough to sit through this dreck... And what was that remark Dean made about the pearls? What is he implying?

[Spotsnoop]

What amazing talent. God-given. None can compare with LIBERACE!!

[BEACHYHEAD]

Why does it only last 5 and a half minutes. I could drink this guy's piano playing like delicious nectar .....

[ratpackman1]

liberace never got the recognition of being the genious thathe was. R.I.P.lee.

[steinwaygrande1]

The wife and I were very fortunate to see Liberace perform in Melbourne Australia in 1984 a few years before his untimely death. A brilliant showman and pianist - there will never be another Liberace in my life time

[ddupshaw]

Thanks so much for posting these! He was truly amazing always brings a smile to my face.

[fel7000]

i just watched a bunch of his performances, very skilled

[krigel75]

Liberace was truly a wonderful musical genius! I love all of his pieces.

[bluewingtip]

Great, great, great!!!!! Liberace makes my heart smile!!

[bobwww]

I've been enjoying all your clips, showmanlee. I remember as a kid watching Liberace's weekly show from that parlour with lit by numerous candelabra. And one of the first records I owned was a 33rpm of Liberace playing the then classics. My first musical education!

[norsoulnet]

Liberace is god. Period.

[ScotchyMcDewars1979]

Amen