Jimmy Maddox is retiring. Sad news for piano bar fans

Jimmy Maddox is going to be retiring from cruising effective as of April 9th. I got it straight from the horse's mouth.

I only got the opportunity to sail with him once and was hoping to run into him again, but apparently that won't be happening! :(

That's sad news but I wish Jimmy well on his future endeavors.

What a gifted performer.

Thanks Jimmy for all the entertaining nights and some enjoyable lunches.

I heard a lot of nice things about him. But he was never on any of the ships we were on so we never met him.

Wishing him a wonderful retirement.

Wow. We will be in the piano bar for his final week.

Sent from my SM-J320W8 using Forums mobile app

Jimmy Maddox is going to be retiring from cruising effective as of April 9th. I got it straight from the horse's mouth.

We will always fondly remember the fun times we had with him.

All good things must come to an end: elycelynne has reported the sad news that with the end of Jimmy's current Nieuw Amsterdam contract he wiil be retiring from cruising. See this thread.

Very sad news. I'm sure that Jimmy would rather retire from cruising vs. contracting with Billboard Entertainment and appearing in the dueling pianos. Jimmy doesn't need a 2nd person to put on a good show. Once the NA converts the good old piano bar to Billboard Onboard, that will be the end of Jimmy's appearances and all of the other great piano bar talented musicians we have enjoyed over the years.

I'm sure that Jimmy saw the writing on the wall with the adoption of Billboard Onboard. Jimmy doesn't need a 2nd musician to put on a good show, and he probably said "no way will I do duel pianos". Plus, he would have to switch his marketing agent to Billboard Entertainment to get a new contract, and he excels as a solo artist. Sad news, we will miss his performances and the many other great musicians we have enjoyed in the intimate piano bars of the past.

We've will be on his last cruise week on the NA and are really looking forward to it.

As a friend of Jimmy's for a decade, and a member of Piano Bar Nation, I would say this news is not "shocking."

And while it may be "sad" for some, his friends are happy that he is opening a new chapter in his life with his lovely fiancée, Monique.

Jimmy will continue to entertain on the Flower Power Cruise, Malt Shop Memories and other charters that may request his talents.

There is also the possibility that he will find a piano bar on another line, or perhaps host his own Piano Bar Nation cruise. (Obviously not a full charter, but a special group arrangement.)

I would say HAL left Jimmy, and not vice versa. The new configuration of piano bars and the Billboard affiliation would stifle a man of Jimmy's talents.

I just sailed with 8 other members of Piano Bar Nation, and we spent a lot of time talking with Jimmy and Monique about their future plans. LIfe is short, and when you've found the happiness he has with his fiancée, you want to savor every moment.

It's time for a change.

I heard a lot of nice things about him. But he was never on any of the ships we were on so we never met him.

Wishing him a wonderful retirement.

i WISh him a long, happy retirement. bye, bye, Jimmy.

Thank God! I thought someone had passed away after reading that thread title. Good luck in your retirement Jimmy M.

Wishing him a well deserved retirement. Here's a very nice piece on Jimmy from the Palm Beach Post in 2013.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/travel/sing-song-you-the-piano-man/

As a friend of Jimmy's for a decade, and a member of Piano Bar Nation, I would say this news is not "shocking."

And while it may be "sad" for some, his friends are happy that he is opening a new chapter in his life with his lovely fiancée, Monique.

 

Jimmy will continue to entertain on the Flower Power Cruise, Malt Shop Memories and other charters that may request his talents.

There is also the possibility that he will find a piano bar on another line, or perhaps host his own Piano Bar Nation cruise. (Obviously not a full charter, but a special group arrangement.)

 

I would say HAL left Jimmy, and not vice versa. The new configuration of piano bars and the Billboard affiliation would stifle a man of Jimmy's talents.

 

I just sailed with 8 other members of Piano Bar Nation, and we spent a lot of time talking with Jimmy and Monique about their future plans. LIfe is short, and when you've found the happiness he has with his fiancée, you want to savor every moment.

It's time for a change.

You're obviously a lot more in the loop than I am, so I guess you wouldn't be shocked. He didn't go into detail with me, but I did get the feeling that he was happy about whatever was next for him. I think that HAL is probably leaving a lot of the good piano bar people who like to have some control over what goes on in their piano bars and not have their sets dictated to them.

Thank God! I thought someone had passed away after reading that thread title. Good luck in your retirement Jimmy M.

Sorry! :o I guess it was a bit more dramatic than I intended it to be!

Sorry! :o I guess it was a bit more dramatic than I intended it to be!

No worries Ma'am; just glad that Jimmy is OK

Jimmy is the greatest, we will miss him

We are very fortunate to have sailed with him, we consider him to be the gold standard

:loudcry:

Very sad news. I'm sure that Jimmy would rather retire from cruising vs. contracting with Billboard Entertainment and appearing in the dueling pianos. Jimmy doesn't need a 2nd person to put on a good show. Once the NA converts the good old piano bar to Billboard Onboard, that will be the end of Jimmy's appearances and all of the other great piano bar talented musicians we have enjoyed over the years.

very sad news..........just came back from a 7 day cruise on the Eurodam.......no more piano bar.....dueling pianos by Billboard Onboard.....UGH......terribly disappointing

This link should work.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/travel/sing-song-you-the-piano-man/FO2ULd31EKZ71IHv6utRDO/

Sad news for sure. [emoji32]. Jimmy was on our NA Med/TA cruise and again on our NA in the Caribbean. He is the best! And the dueling piano thing wouldn't suit him. HAL's loss. ❤️

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sorry! :o I guess it was a bit more dramatic than I intended it to be!

This thread has been restored as a separate thread and the title changed at elycelynne's request.

Thanks, Walt! :D

I am deeply saddened by this news, but not particularly surprised. Once I heard about HAL going to dueling pianos, and looking back at a few conversations I've had, I was waiting for it. Of course, as sad as I am for me, and for the other Piano Bar Nation friends, I am so very happy for Jimmy. I know this was a well thought-out move and I am positive he will not disappear completely. Jimmy has been a good friend for many years and he has been a sounding board for me on more than on occasion, I will miss his wit and wisdom. And, of course, his talent.

Now, I must go send him a private email and give him heck as to why I wasn't clued in on the event until it was too late to book the cruise! Grrrr. Love you, Jimmy.

Maureen

Thank you everybody. Your love and concern is very humbling. I have truly enjoyed my career with HAL. I wish them the best.

I will be playing the occasional cruise but I have retired from full time cruising. I will surely miss sea life but more importantly I will miss the lifelong friends and fans I have made throughout the years. I thank you all and May God Bless.

Hugs and tears will flow during these last seven days.....thankful to be on board as the sun sets over the oceans of the world for your friends and fans....yet smiling as the sun rises over the continents of the world for Jimmy and Monique.....

Thank you everybody. Your love and concern is very humbling. I have truly enjoyed my career with HAL. I wish them the best.

 

I will be playing the occasional cruise but I have retired from full time cruising. I will surely miss sea life but more importantly I will miss the lifelong friends and fans I have made throughout the years. I thank you all and May God Bless.

We will miss you, Jimmy. [emoji32]. Fred told me after we last cruised the NA in '14 that you told him retirement was in your near future, but, being the eternal optimist, I refused to believe.

Wishing you and Monique the best...HAL is losing a true star. ❤️

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk