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Was Liberace Actually Talented?

On a scale of one to ten, in regards to piano what would you rate him?

Or was his talent more show / hype than piano playing?

Could he have been a serious long hair?

by Anonymousreply 29December 15, 2018 1:57 PM

He was tremendously talented OP. Child prodigy. Skilled in both classical AND jazz piano. His antics, while delightfully camp and fun, worked against him for being thought of as a serious artist. My boss is a classically trained pianist, and he fucking worships Lee to this day. He says only those who really know the instrument can truly appreciate the level of intricacy and difficulty he mastered.

by Anonymousreply 1December 13, 2018 2:52 PM

Then why did he opt for the splash instead of the long haired classical scene?

I saw him on "What's My Line," and someone asked "Are you in a bad?" Liberace said yes, and jumped in and said, "the only one in a band who'd get screams like that is Liberace." (obviously the Beatles were years away.)

by Anonymousreply 2December 13, 2018 3:03 PM

R2 Because the cash was in the splash.

by Anonymousreply 3December 13, 2018 3:04 PM

Very talented musician. And brilliant marketerpromoter

by Anonymousreply 4December 13, 2018 3:22 PM

I can't speak to his piano skills, but back in the late 70s/early 80s Liberace and Cher were the 2 top paid performers in Las Vegas. Both we making $300-350k a week, which was big money then.

by Anonymousreply 5December 13, 2018 3:28 PM

Did he make any serious recordings?

by Anonymousreply 6December 13, 2018 4:56 PM

....

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by Anonymousreply 7December 13, 2018 7:29 PM

Maybe it was just dog tricks to him. He probably didn't understand the music.

by Anonymousreply 8December 13, 2018 10:31 PM

I always liked this -- maybe because of the final scene of Behind the Candelabra ...

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by Anonymousreply 9December 13, 2018 10:34 PM

Liberace was worth his weight in gold...all of it in the rings on his fingers.

by Anonymousreply 10December 13, 2018 10:40 PM

He was a vulgar man.

by Anonymousreply 11December 13, 2018 10:45 PM

^Why?

by Anonymousreply 12December 13, 2018 11:13 PM

How should I know? Ask him.

by Anonymousreply 13December 14, 2018 12:11 AM

Sorry, but he was not an outstanding pianist and he would have been the first to admit it. What he had was the showmanship gene. If his instrument of choice had been the tuba he would have been able to sell the hell out of a tuba performance.

My family was on Liberace’s Christmas card list for years. In the 1970s, they were these wonderful card stock-weight numbers that came flat and you’d assemble them yourself. It always ended up in the shape of a Christmas tree. There were faux rhinestones that were glued onto the card. When it was assembled they were both tree ornaments and also the rings on his fingers and his cape. I’ll have to look to see if any of those survived the moves.

by Anonymousreply 14December 14, 2018 12:22 AM

I wish I would have seen him in concert. He was a campy delight who laughed at himself and his image. He was a very kind, sensitive and generous man. He was one of a kind and there will never be another star like him. Everything about him was endearing. He was a genuinely good person and always upbeat and positive. It’s so sad that he passed away from AIDS related causes. He would have live a long life like his father and mother.

Middle aged and elderly women adored him. My grandmother loved him and watched his TV show in the 1950s. My aunt, a thoroughgoing homophobic and racist cunt, went to one of his concerts and loved him.

by Anonymousreply 15December 14, 2018 12:24 AM

I saw him perform in about 1970. He was a great performer and very talented pianist.

by Anonymousreply 16December 14, 2018 12:29 AM

I went to his shows in the 80s through a friend that worked for him. Lee was a sweet guy, and robbed blind by so many that worked for him. Not to mention loser relatives. Fortunately for him, he made enough money it didn't matter

by Anonymousreply 17December 14, 2018 7:15 AM

He could be a good actor in the right role too. Check out The Loved One. It's only one scene but he is hilarious - as is the entire film.

by Anonymousreply 18December 14, 2018 7:41 AM

[quote]Sorry, but he was not an outstanding pianist and he would have been the first to admit it. What he had was the showmanship gene.

That's what I though, but I wasn't sure. I don't think anyone is going to dispute he put on a great show. He wouldn't have lasted so long and made so much by putting on mediocre shows.

But was his musical ability very good, is a better way to ask it.

by Anonymousreply 19December 14, 2018 7:54 AM

I think he was a great user of people. Certainly deeply flawed and self-loathing.

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by Anonymousreply 20December 14, 2018 11:56 AM

I think he used to zip through a Rachmaninov piano concerto, by "cutting out all the boring parts".

by Anonymousreply 21December 14, 2018 12:35 PM

Scott Thorson was a junkie and a liar. He blew through the Behind The Candelabra money and is in jail. Cary, the last boyfriend was actually nice.

by Anonymousreply 22December 14, 2018 3:56 PM

r22 = the ghost of Liberace

by Anonymousreply 23December 14, 2018 3:58 PM

r21

Asshole

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by Anonymousreply 24December 14, 2018 4:20 PM

His fingering was the best.

by Anonymousreply 25December 14, 2018 4:39 PM

Scott, they give you internet access in jail?

by Anonymousreply 26December 14, 2018 4:41 PM

Scott Thorson was an idiot. Had he gone through detox and rehab, he could have had a very comfortable lifestyle. Liberace genuinely loved him and wanted to take care of him.

by Anonymousreply 27December 14, 2018 4:50 PM

I actually didn't know this picture wasn't real

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by Anonymousreply 28December 15, 2018 1:47 PM

"The Loved One," which r18 mentions, is on TCM today.

by Anonymousreply 29December 15, 2018 1:57 PM
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