Joyce, Jon (5th January 1947-Present)

Vocalist born in Los Angeles County, California, whose earliest recording was Frank Sinatra’s “High Hopes”, when he was all of twelve years old. Since then, he has fashioned a career for himself as a valuable session singer. It did not hurt that both of his parents were singers, as well, and that his dad did musical arrangements for the Smothers Brothers. Jon would follow in his father’s footsteps, to a point, as a member of The Jimmy Joyce Singers. This family-based vocal group was a regular staple on The Carol Burnett Show and The Red Skelton Show.

It was Bruce Johnston of Beach Boys fame who put Jon in touch with Elton John and helped to launch his lucrative career as a background vocalist. Recording and touring with Elton John was a big deal in the ‘70s, and dropping his name didn’t hurt when it came to getting more work. More work indeed followed in 1978 on Ted Gardestad’s Blue Virgin Isles, King of Hearts’ Close But No Guitar, and Cheryl Ladd’s eponymous solo effort.

Things exploded for Jon in 1979 with appearances on no less than six albums: Cerrone V: Angelina, Billy Cobham’s B.C., Yvonne Elliman’s Yvonne, Maxine Nightingale’s Lead Me On, Nigel Olsson’s Nigel, and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. In 1980, he went on tour with Pink Floyd to promote the album in London, Los Angeles, and New York: In the meantime, more albums were being released with his name in the credits: Ex-Raspberries front-man Eric Carmen’s Tonight You’re Mine and Barry Manilow’s Barry.

In 1981, as The Wall tour was winding down, Jon appeared on more self-titled fare: David London, John O’Banion, and Juice Newton’s vitamin-rich Juice. He re-united with John O’Banion on Danger in 1982, the same year that saw Pink Floyd: The Wall hit the screens. He also appeared on a pair of Laura Branigan albums, 1982’s Branigan and 1984’s Self Control. Same for Tom Jones, on whose Love on the Radio and Tender Loving Care he performed in 1984 and 1985, respectively. In 1984, he rejoined Juice Newton for her LP, Can’t Wait All Night. It was All Systems Go with Donna Summer in 1987.

In 1988, he acted as Choir Conductor on the motion picture, Lady in White. He collaborated with Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt on 1989’s Cry like a Rainstrom, Howl Like the Wind. In 1990, he joined Roger Waters for The Wall: Live in Berlin. Waters used his services again on his 1992 solo album, Amused to Death, as did Neil Diamond on The Christmas Album, released the same year, and Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building, in 1993.

In 1995, he put on his contractor hat and lined up voices for the John Raitt album, Broadway Legend. He did more soundtrack work in the mid-to-late ‘90s on children-friendly fare such as The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars, Dudley Do- Right, George of the Jungle, and The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue.

In 2000, he returned to The Great White Way on the Johnny Mathis album, Mathis on Broadway. He then joined The John Tesh Project for 2001’s Pure Gospel. On 9^th August 2003, he did a turn on the cello for the PostHouse Dance Group’s “Summer and Shadows” at the Electric Lodge in Venice, California.

Around the same time, he received a Bachelor’s degree in cello from California State University in Northridge. He would continue to perform background vocals, however, on the soundtracks of King Kong and Lilo and Stitch 2: Stitch Has A Glitch, and the video game God of War, all released in 2005. More film and TV work followed in 2006, with an “appearance” on The Family Guy as “Barbershop Quartet Singer #2” and the soundtrack of Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.

For the last several years, he has been a member of Beethoven’s Wig, a group that takes classical music and sets it to words, in an effort to familiarize children with it. He has appeared on Beethoven’s Wig 2: More Sing-Along Symphonies and Beethoven’s Wig 4: Dance-Along Symphonies.

In addition to his myriad credits, Jon is also an active member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, on whose local and national boards he has served since 1976.

Here is “Moonlight Sonata” from Beethoven’s Wig 4 which Jon performs on…

Sources:

Joyce, Jon (5th January 1947-Present)

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