John Tesh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Tesh
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Frank Tesh Jr. |
| Born | July 9, 1952 Garden City, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop, contemporary worship, 20th-century classical music |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, musician, radio host, news anchor, sportscaster |
| Instruments | Piano, keyboards |
John Frank Tesh Jr. (born July 9, 1952) is a famous American musician, composer, and TV and radio host. He is well-known for creating the exciting basketball theme song "Roundball Rock" for the NBA on NBC show. John Tesh also hosts a popular radio program called Intelligence for Your Life. Since 2014, he has also hosted Intelligence for Your Life TV with his wife, Connie Sellecca.
John Tesh has achieved many great things in his career. He has won six Emmys (awards for TV shows) and has four gold albums, which means his music sold a lot! He was also nominated for two Grammy awards and won an Associated Press award for his journalism. Tesh has sold over eight million music records. His live concerts have even helped raise more than $7 million for PBS (a public TV network). He used to co-host the TV show Entertainment Tonight. He has also worked as a sports commentator and host for big events like the Olympic Games, Wimbledon (tennis), the US Open (tennis), the Tour de France (cycling), and the Ironman Triathlon. In 2018, John Tesh was honored by being added to the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Tesh was born in Garden City, New York, which is on Long Island. His mother, Mildred, was a nurse, and his father, John Frank Tesh Sr., was a textile chemist. Both of his parents were from North Carolina. John graduated from Garden City High School in 1970.
He started playing the piano and trumpet when he was only six years old. In high school, he was chosen for the New York State Symphonic Orchestra. At the same time, he also played the organ in a rock band! Tesh went on to study communications and music at North Carolina State University. He also played on the university's lacrosse and soccer teams.
While at North Carolina State, John Tesh took a TV and radio course. He worked part-time reading the news for Rick Dees at a radio station in Raleigh in 1974. His roommate, Bill Leslie, who was a news anchor, helped him get started in radio and TV. Tesh worked as a news anchor in several cities like Raleigh, Orlando, Nashville, and New York for 12 years.
John Tesh's Career Journey
Television and Hosting Roles
John Tesh's TV career began as a news anchor and reporter in Nashville, Tennessee, in the 1970s. He often covered the same news stories as Oprah Winfrey, who worked at a different station there. From Nashville, Tesh moved to other TV stations in Durham, North Carolina, and Orlando, Florida. Finally, he went to New York's WCBS-TV, where he was the youngest reporter at just 22 years old. In 1978, Tesh was a reporter for CBS during the 1978 New York City Marathon, which he also ran and finished!
He became much more famous when he started co-hosting the popular TV show Entertainment Tonight. He worked on this show from 1986 to 1996.
Tesh also worked as a sportscaster for CBS and later NBC. He hosted events like the Tour de France bicycle race from 1983 to 1986. He was the first person to anchor the American broadcast of this big event! He also covered the US Open and gymnastics at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics.
In 2014, Tesh returned to TV with Intelligence for Your Life TV. This show is based on his successful radio program. His wife, Connie Sellecca, also hosts health segments on the show. John Tesh even appeared as a Klingon warrior in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation!
Musical Achievements
In 1987, the musician Yanni was putting together his first touring band. John Tesh, who was good friends with Yanni, asked if he could join as a keyboard player. Tesh had never performed live before and wanted the experience. Even though he had a full-time job with Entertainment Tonight, he performed very well. He played in about twelve shows with Yanni before focusing on his own music. Later, Yanni even helped Tesh get his first music recording contract.
In the 1990s, John Tesh became famous for composing the theme music for Bobby's World and the iconic NBA on NBC theme, known as "Roundball Rock". Tesh got the idea for "Roundball Rock" while traveling. To remember his idea, he called his home phone and recorded the initial beat on his answering machine! This theme was used for NBA games on NBC until 2002. NBC even brought the theme back for its basketball coverage during the 2008 Summer Olympics. Tesh later allowed Fox Sports to use the song for their college basketball coverage.
In August 1994, John Tesh performed his first Live at Red Rocks concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. He played with a 70-piece orchestra. The concert also featured Olympic gold medal gymnasts Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner performing routines to Tesh's music.
After leaving Entertainment Tonight in 1996, John Tesh focused on his music career. This led him to start The John Tesh Radio Show in 2003.
Radio Shows and Books
John Tesh currently hosts a nationally syndicated radio show called the John Tesh Radio Show. It plays on radio stations that feature adult contemporary, classic hits, Christian, and soft rock music. The show mixes music with interesting facts and useful information that Tesh believes can help listeners. These facts are called "Intelligence for Your Life."
These "Intelligence for Your Life" segments are played on radio stations across the United States, Canada, and the Armed Forces Network. There is also a three-hour weekend show called "Intelligence for Your Health," which started in 2010 and is hosted by his wife, Connie Sellecca.
Tesh's radio programs reach many listeners across different countries. His main competitor is the Delilah show. Tesh's show started as a weekend program in 2000 and became a daily show in 2003. It is produced by Tesh and his team of 35 people.
In late 2014, a TV version of these "Intelligence for Your Life" facts, called Intelligence for Your Life TV, began airing. The show also features health segments hosted by Connie Sellecca.
John Tesh also wrote a book called Intelligence for Your Life: Powerful Lessons for Personal Growth in 2008.
Personal Life and Beliefs
John Tesh has been married to actress Connie Sellecca since 1992. They have one daughter together named Prima. His wife also has a son named Gib, who now appears on some of Tesh's radio and TV programs. John Tesh and Connie Sellecca live in Los Angeles.
Tesh is a Christian. He was raised a Baptist and was involved in his church when he was young. He played the organ, sang in the choir, and went to church camp. He became more involved in the church again after his wife introduced him to a pastor. Since then, he has written and performed Christian music.
Awards and Recognitions
During his early career as a TV journalist in the 1970s, John Tesh received an Associated Press award for his investigative journalism. In 2018, he was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was also inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
In 2007, Tesh won the Syndicated Personality/Show of the Year award from Radio & Records magazine for his radio show. He was nominated for a Grammy award in 2003 for "Best Pop Instrumental Album" for his album Power of Love. John Tesh has also earned three gold albums, six Emmys for his sports themes, and a Keyboard Magazine Award.
See also
In Spanish: John Tesh para niños
