Matt Monro Jnr

There’s been lots of confusion over who Matt Monro Jnr really is. Is he the son? A tribute artist? Or just a namesake of the immortal singer.

Actually he is the real McCoy. Matt Monro Snr was born Terry Parsons and Matt Monro was his celebrity name. Before he could legalize the name, Matthew Frederick Jnr was born which technically makes him the real Matt Monro.

Matt Jnr never dreamed of being a singer. At an early age, his dad spent time training him to be a professional golfer which he accomplished in his teens in the British tour. Singing only came to his life when Matt Snr passed away in the mid 80s. Someone had to carry the tradition and he was the obvious choice. Embarking in a singing career didn’t come easy. Matt trained for at least a decade under the tutelage of his dad’s musical director Colin Keys whom he also uses when he goes on his yearly tour of Great Britain and Europe.

On tour in his native England, he performs with a full Orchestra led by musical director Colin Keys. His repertoire is a mixture of his dad’s timeless hits like “From Russia With Love,” “Born Free,” “Walk Away,” “Softly As I Leave You,” “Yesterday,” “Impossible Dream,” “Around The World” and sprinkled with his own hip versions of “For Once In My Life,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and more.

For this fifth Philippine tour, he will be backed by a talented all Filipino band as in all past Philippine tours with music wiz Carlo Gaa as musical director. For the first time in Matt’s singing career, Filipina dancers featuring Phoebe, Kat and the rest of the Hotsteps will be featured in his show. Guest musician is Lenny De Jesus who has traded her political career with a musical one. Opening the show is Quickie’s Playgirls.

The Matt Monro Jnr (“The Legend Lives”) tour kicks off with a dinner show at the Heritage Hotel main ballroom on Thursday, March 18 (tickets are available at the Riviera Coffee shop, Casino concierge and Ticketworld outlets, National bookstores, Ayala malls and Robinsons) then at Celebration Hall Pagcor Angeles in Angeles Pampanga on Saturday, March 20 followed by a Casino show at Pagcor Hyatt at the Hyatt Hotel & Casino on Wednesday, March 24 then at Pagcor Tagaytay on Saturday, March 27.

Matt Monro Jnr (“The Legend Lives”) is presented by Steve O’ Neal Productions in collaboration with Zest Air (the official airline), Heritage Hotel (the official residence), PCSO, Pagcor, Business Mirror, Hard Rock Café, Live Artists, Perez Optical, Circles and the official concert station RJ100.3 FM.