ABOUT IAN GRIFFIN

Britain's award winning keyboard player

In the late 1990's Ian appeared on HTV's 'Friday Night Live' with his band Casual Affair.   Ian was the musical director and was involved in all the auditions with the producer, playing keyboards for the contestants for what was the first X Factor type of show ever to appear on television.   The only difference to the latest version was that just the studio celebrity judges decided the results.   One of the judges was Hughie Green (right) who earlier had his own show called Opportunity Knocks.

During the live show Ian played his keyboards while wearing headphones to receive cues from the programme's director - rather like Harry Stoneham in the Terry Wogan show.

The series ran for several weeks to reveal the talent of Welsh vocalists.

Ian is regarded as one of the best musical accompanists in show business with the natural gift of perfect pitch - something that many musicians' would crave for.

In the world of organs and keyboards, Ian presents his own one-man shows with the second half based on requests from the audience.  He has made several CD's for middle of the road music lovers.

Going back to his younger days, Ian appeared live on BBC 1 TV Crackerjack Young Entertainers at the age of 12 and was voted back a second time by the studio audience.

Six years later the readers of Keyboards & Music Player magazine voted Ian as the best player under the age of 18.

The magazine produced a 'Spring in Spain Keyboard Festival' and Ian appeared on Spanish television.

In the years that followed Ian produced Keyboard Music Festivals for Pontin's and Martyn Leisure Holidays.

Now Ian's aim is to produce a series of auditions for up and coming vocalists and make an unique channel of future stars on Youtube with world wide coverage.

View Ian as an accompanist: