Profile : Phil Kelsall : Organist and Musician

Blackpool Tower’s Ballroom is home to what must be the most famous and most played Wurlitzer in the world and Phil Kelsall has amazingly now completed 32 years at the Tower, having been appointed in 1975, initially as organist in the Tower Circus band with occasional appearances in the Ballroom. In 1977 Ernest Broadbent the then Tower organist, retired through ill-health and Phil was the obvious choice as the new principal resident organist, a position he has held ever since.

The link between the Tower Ballroom and the BBC has always been a strong one, more recently through the hit series Strictly Come Dancing . The legendary Reginald Dixon broadcasts will be particularly remembered by many and Phil Kelsall was to continue this link when in 1980 he was asked by the BBC to record for the Sam on Sunday shows, following Reginald Dixon’s retirement part way through that series. Phil has also acted as a guest presenter for Radio 2’s The Organist Entertains. Numerous  credits have also included  Radio 4’s long running The Archers and Radio 2’s flagship music programme, Friday Night is Music Night. 

Meeting the Queen

Phil has met many famous people throughout his career however this is without doubt his most memorable meeting. Here you can see him as he is greeting the Queen at the Tower Ballroom.

Television and film crews never seem to be far away from the Tower Ballroom and Phil has been filmed demonstrating the Wurlitzer, sometimes along with celebrities such as David Soul, Barbara Windsor and even Rod Hull and Emu to name but a few. The BBC recorded an edition of Songs of Praise at the Tower featuring Phil at the Wurlitzer. During the past few months the sound of the Wurlitzer has once again returned to the TV screen, with appearances in yet another edition of Songs of Praise, this time from the Thursford Christmas Spectacular show and also as part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations from Blackpool Tower. Off camera, Phil’s music has been heard in TV adverts and in programmes such as Last of the Summer Wine.