Artist description Wayne's new release in September 2002, of his smooth jazz song's features 9 tracks...all produced with love and affection and with some world class artist's helping him out. The story behind the tongue in cheek album title, 'Dizzy's Not My Dad' came about because his mother Velma Validon, an award winning singer, signed up to perform at the Apollo Theater for 'amateur hour'. It just so happened that Dizzy Gillespie was the headline act. Jerry, his Dad a part time photographer brought his camera to the sound check earlier that day and got this priceless picture just outside the Theater. This picture is being used with the permission of the Velma Validon Estate, as both Wayne's mother and father are now playing music with Dizzy. The look on Dizzy's face!!...it's priceless. Velma was 14 years old when she won a medal for her first singing competition, an 'Outstanding Songster' the paper said... Wayne boasts, "I remember from a little kid how she would take out her 6 medals and show them to me,... is there any wonder why I'm doin' what I'm doin"? Both of Wayne's parents were singer/actors in their twenties and while living in Bermuda, when Wayne was four years old, Velma and Jerry starred in one of the most memorable plays in Bermuda called, 'Boat In The Bottle'

Music Style Smooth Jazz

Musical Influences Curtis Mayfield - James Brown - Leon Thomas - Larry Young - Marvin Gaye - Ray Charles

Similar Artists Curtis Mayfield - Leon Thomas - Marvin Gaye

Artist History Wayne St. John has been a singer, songwriter and musician for over 30 years. He had a top ten hit in 1976 on RCA Records with the THP Orchestra in Canada. The THP Orchestra had a hit with 'Theme From SWAT in 1975' and then Wayne with 'Fighting On the Side of Love.' He received a Juno nomination for 'Fighting on The Side Of Love'. Wayne's musical career has not been without controversy. Two years after the success of 'Fighting On the Side Of Love' A world wide release of 'Something's Up' in 1978, resulted and then CHUM, the national Canadian radio station without warning withdrew the song from national air time, two weeks after heavy rotation with out a word of explanation,leaving THP producers Willie Morrison and Ian Guenther in quandary as 'What to do'? So Willie invented Thor and dropped Wayne. Thor, a 6'4' cartoonish muscleman put an act together and had little singing skills but he would let an audience member break a cinder block on his chest. His first album cost RCA records three hundred thousand dollars and the release of 'Gotta Keep The Dog's Away' was an immediate flop and THP guys soon left RCA. The conclusion why CHUM snubbed Wayne St. John the artist, was pure and simple racism, designed to put a halt to a vibrant career, it didn't work! An example of CHUM's pervasive racism was that fact that they "officially" in their books recognized one song as a 'hit' by James Brown who at that time had about 35 plus gold records. In 1982 Wayne sang a lead on 'We All Need Love' a Dominic Troiano song on Quality Records. When he was a teenager in NYC, Wayne cut his teeth doing the Band circuit from Westchester, NYC, Bronx, N.J. etc. and his band performed at the Apollo Theater twice, once as an amateur and once with a single on the Harlem charts in 1964. 'Have Faith' was released on the Laurie label. He has duel citizen with Canada and the USA and in 1969 he auditioned for HAIR and ended up co-starring in the Toronto production of HAIR 1969 - 1971. In 1974 he appeared as a regular on a Music show and did two seasons on CBC's Music Machine. In the 1975 Wayne opened for Carlos Santana with the Dominic Troiano Band during his Canadian tour. He has also worked with Motherlode, Survival, Ocean, Dr. Music (Doug Riley), Ravin', Blackstock, the Anne Murray Band among others. Wayne is a two-time Juno nominee receiving a second Juno nomination for his song 'Two Can Play' with Dr. Music and his voice has been heard thousands of times on radio and television jingles and voice overs. He received a Canadian Black Hall Of Fame award in 1982. He has one AMPAC award for a radio jingle in 1984. In 1985, Wayne worked on the Northern Lights project which produced a video and movie. He performed the final high notes on 'Tears Are Not Enough' the Brian Adams/David foster song which was added to the 'We Are The World' Album raising millions for desperate famine in Africa. Wayne shared a Clio award (U.S.A.) For his Inner City Kids Pepsi commercial (TV). Wayne has devoted his career to helping young people develop their musicality by teaching music and leading his World Peace Choir. Wayne and his choir have performed at the Sky Dome, Massey Hall and the United Nations. In 1986 Wayne performed his song 'Body Mind and Spirit' for the Dalai Lama at a private function. They've backed up Buffy Ste. Marie, Rita MacNeil, Anne Murray, Raffi, Dan Seals and Michael Bolton. They also performed for Nelson Mandela on 'Much Music Big Ticket' TV Tribute. Wayne's pan flute is heard regularly on CBC's 'This Morning' radio show theme song. Wayne plays: Drums, keyboards, Guitar, Pan Flute and Percussion. Wayne's voice is heard north of the forty-ninth (Toronto) on the station ID's for Easy Rock 99.7 and the current Milk Jingle and the just released a DQ Chicken jingle doing a James Brown takoff.

Group Members Wendy Lands sings a duet with Wayne on 'All That I Know'

Instruments Pan Flute, Percussion, Drums, Guitar, Keyboards

Albums Fighting On The Side Of Love - Something's UP - Breathin' The Action - Under A Spiritual Sky - St. David's Bermuda

Press Reviews "Wayne St. John is a great singer, He is a fine vocalist with a good presence. For us though, his greatest strength is his playing of the Pan flute. We've long admired the work of Zamfir and we make so bold as to suggest that Mr. St. John is every bit as proficient on this simplest, yet most difficult to play, of instruments." Bill Watts/Jazz critic.-------------------------- "If there is a problem with the film, it's the lack of identification of the stars, some of whom are not widely known; two of the film's exceptional performers - Wayne St. John and Sharon Lee Williams could have used sub titles". Liam Lacey/Globe and Mail re: The making of 'Tears Are Not Enough' an 83 minute film/song on 'We Are The World' album.---------------------------------------------- Ravin' is professional all the way, as slick as singer Wayne St. John's slide whistle. Jeff Craig/Toronto Star re: Band/song winners of Q107's the first Home Grown contest.--------------------------------------------- Wayne St. John has a voice with what must be at least a three-octave range. He had many of the young exclaiming, "Oh wow," as he delivered his powerful vocals and high-pitched screams. Toronto Star/July 1975 Dominic Troiano Band @ Ontario Place.----------------------------------------------- What Hair also gave St. John is an impressive stage presence. Hairafter is a fine entertaining, musical little band, but St. John is undoubtedly it's greatest asset. He has an attractive voice, serviceable on any sort of material (though perhaps most effective on James Brown-flavored numbers) and, most of all, he has a bearing on stage, made up of energy, good looks and plain old charisma, that draws you to him immediately. And then, of course, all that hair (Hair) doesn't hurt his image one bit. Jack Batten/Globe and Mail newspaper

Additional Info September 2002 film release: Wayne has two songs in the film, 'Perfect Pie' starring Wendy Crewson. Betty Richardson sings Askin' Too Much' and Wayne & Betty sing ' Take It Back'. Now showing at the Odeon Carlton on College Street, Toronto.

Location Toronto, Ontario - Canada

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