About Wayne

Wayne Bingham started learning to play the organ at the age of 11, he was taught by a gentleman named Roy Brown. After a few years Wayne took the gamble and started playing in local public houses, but was very nervous for a while until he gained confidence. The first organ that Wayne had was a Hammond T500 that his parents bought him, Wayne played this for a few years. After various competitions especially one in skegness, Wayne decided that when he left school to go to college and further his musical education. When this time came he left the tuition of Roy Brown and went south east Derbyshire college to do his O level in music and grades on the piano taught by Tony Morgan.

At this time Wayne was looking for a new organ, in 1982 Wayne acquired a brand new on release Elka E49 this was to be the machine that was to get Wayne going, taking this organ out Wayne did his first proper concert, only in a public house, but it was a concert, went down very well. Practising quite hard and recording three tapes from this organ over a coupe of years, Wayne decided to upgrade again and exchanged the Elka E49 for a brand new Hohner GP 98 Portable, which he called the Hohner Pro GP 98, this was in 1984. By this time Wayne was playing live most nights and teaching the organ and keyboard as well.

In August 1984, Wayne turned 18 years of age and had a surprise from his parents, a letter Inviting him to play on the Mighty Wurlitzer in the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool, but this was delayed until September 1985 where Wayne was to be greeted by Phil Kelsall the resident organist there. Wayne had a practise first, then played for a while why people where coming in to the Tower Ballroom, he then went down on the mighty Wurlitzer.

In 1985 and 1986 Wayne entered the Yamaha Electronic Organist Competition, not winning but coming within the top five players. By 1987 the Music was booming, having done a short season in Blackpool and venues around the country, Wayne decided to extend his creativity in his musical performance and with the help of his Mother went out and formed a Duo called Golden Rendezvous, auditioning with many agencies around the country, a lot of work was to follow.

So at this stage Wayne was in a duo, doing the concerts, residential clubs and pubs as well as teaching the organ, keyboards and piano, the career looked good. In 1990 Wayne along with his Duo Golden Rendezvous had the chance of a summer season in Flamingo Land north Yorkshire, dominating the all new Oasis Bar and performing in the main concert room once a week, Golden Rendezvous hit the holiday park by storm, meanwhile Wayne was still doing the occasional society concert, but the duo work seemed to be taking over.

Towards the end of the season Wayne had to pull away from Flamingo Land because of circumstances beyond his control and Golden Rendezvous then carried on performing around the country. By the mid 90s everything in wayne's musical career had changed, the odd organ night singalong and a bit of disk jockeying was all that he was doing, even that came to a close by the end of around 1998.

Wayne's Concert Diary