The Beginning
Began piano at 3. Took lessons at 7.
Sang in concerts with The Philadelphia Boys Choir & The Philadelphia Orchestra; Eugene Ormandy conducting.
At 14, began playing bars in his Irish neighborhood of Fishtown.
At 16, became a studio pianist for Rock & Roll singers and Doo-Wop groups.
At 17, won 1st Prize in a talent contest on Steel Pier in Atlantic City.
1960 - 1961
Joined "Roscoe & his Green Men" from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Played Rock-a-Billy.
Appeared at "The Wagon Wheel” on W 45th St. in Manhattan, "The Palace" in Boston, "Rigger’s" in Chicago, "The Edison Hotel" in Toronto and "The Chatter Box" in Seaside Heights, NJ.
Opened for the Johnny Cash Show throughout Canada.
1962 - 1974 The Kit Kats
Wrote and arranged for the 4-piece band. Recorded 4 albums. Had 2 international hits:
"Lets Get Lost on a Country Road" (1967) and
"Won’t Find Better Than Me" (1970).
Played in over 125 clubs & Colleges.
TV spots with Dick Clark, Jerry Blavat, Hy Lit, etc.
Called "The Ultimate Bar Band", the Kit Kats owned 40% of the Riptide Night Club (1,600 seating) in Wildwood, NJ; 1967-1970. 7 nights and 2 matinees weekly.
The Philadelphia Inquirer named Karl: "The Greatest Rock and Roll Pianist on the East Coast!".
Appeared with Roy Clark, Doc Severenson, Neil Diamond, Lou Rawls, Gene Pitney, Janis Ian, Donald O’Conner, Don Rickles, 4 Seasons, 4 Tops and The Band.
1974 - 1979 Becoming a solo artist
Played piano-bar to fine-dining restaurants - from the Philadelphia Main-Line to Frenchman’s Reef in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
1980 - 1983 The Silver Dollar Ice Cream Parlor
Owned an old-fashioned ice cream parlor built into an 1849 farm house.
Played sing-alongs with fun crowds, 6 nights a week, all year
Featured 4 times on TV show PM Magazine plus Reading and Lancaster newspapers.
Received the County Commissioner’s Achievement Award for work with senior citizens, nursing homes and the National Kidney Foundation.
1983 - 1987 Walt Disney World, Orlando
Performed as the Main Street Pianist in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
Played 8 shows daily for up to 90,000 guests, 5 days a week year-round with hard-core Ragtime.
Played Disney World Hotels, Empress Lilly Riverboat, Fort Wilderness events, and for the Governor of Florida & Senator Dole.
Played in a movie scene: The Magic of Walt Disney World, shown internationally.
1988 - 1989 The Kit Kats Reunion
Reunited the Rock band for concert/dances to "sell-out" crowds and renewed enough media interest in their original material to have Jamie Records hire Grammy winning engineer Tom Moulton to re-mix 44 Kits Kats recordings and release a 2-CD set: "It’s About Time".
Their version of the song "Nut Rocker" was used in the 1984 and 1996 Olympics.
1992 - 2002 The Showboat Casino, Atlantic City
Performed for 10 seasons (4 sets, 6 days a week) October-April; playing Powerhouse Stride.
Appeared with Conway Twitty, Red Buttons & March-of-Dimes Telethon.
Played High Roller events at Harrah’s, Trump Marina, Sands Casino and Tropicana.
1990 - 2009 Hershey Park
Performed 19 seasons (5 hours a day, 6 days a week) April-October; playing Rag to Rock and audience requests.
Led Sing-Alongs at Christmas CandyLane in HersheyPark.
Play casuals at Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge.
2003 - 2008 BCTV, Reading PA
For 6 years, hosted a local monthly TV show: "Piano Magic" performing feel-good music to a live audience and taking phone-in requests.
2010 - 2012
Performed at Walt's American Restaurant on Main Street USA, Disneyland Paris.
Karl composed & arranged a symphony "Tales of the Old West" published by Jaime Music Publishing Co.
Performed twice at the Disneyland Conference Center, Disneyland, CA
Karl has shared the stage with these
great entertainers
Neil Diamond, Johnny Cash, Roy Clark, Del Wood, Conway Twitty,
Marvin Gaye, Don Rickels, Janis Ian, The Kingsmen, Gary U.S. Bonds,
The Chiffons, Martha & The Vandellas, The 4 Tops, Gene Pitney,
Bo Diddley, Robbie Robertson & Levon Helm, The Safaris, Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, Dale Hawkins, The Iron Butterfly, The Rascals,
The 4 Seasons, Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs, Cathy Jean & The Roommates, Gene Chandler, Ronnie Hawkins, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, The Turtles, Lou Rawls, Doc Severenson, PHL Phillies, Donald O'Conner, Frank Sinatra Jr., PHL Elvis Evoker Sammy J, & Mickey Shaunnessy.
Philadelphia DJ Legends: Dick Clark, Jerry Blavit, Harvey Holliday, Hy Litt, Rockin' Ron Cade, Ed Hurst, Brooks St. Ives, & Tom Lemayne
Also: Senator Bob Dole, PA Governor Ed Rendell, PA Governor Tom Corbett,
PA State Senator Mike O' Pake, PA Governor Tom Wolf & Florida Governor Martinez.
