dale Gonyea in Redding, CA on Tuesday

At the age of five, Dale Gonyea got up very early one morning and, without a single lesson, spontaneously began playing the piano. His parents were astonished because they did not have a piano. They decided he needed therapy or music lessons. Therapy was expensive. They bought a piano and a career was born.

At ten, Dale saw the movie West Side Story and was furious he hadn't written it. He is a University of Michigan music graduate who now uses the piano as the springboard for his unique humor. It has brought him worldwide acclaim. Named "Classic Comedian of the Year" by a Manhattan radio station, Gonyea is also an Emmy winner, a Clio nominee, and his song-spoof, "I Need Your Help, Barry Manilow" was Grammy-nominated for Comedy Record of the Year. His song, "Has Anybody Seen My Heart?" was featured in the HBO Movie The Girl Gets Moe starring Tony Danza.

He has also written numerous songs for Disney, including the Sport Goofy anthem, "You Can Always Be Number One" and the Genie's song, "Nothing in the World Quite like a Friend" for The Return of Jafar, the sequel to Aladdin. Aside from national jingles, his songs have been performed by Rosie O'Donnell, Kaye Ballard, Ray Stevens, among others and his Cher parody was featured in the hit show Catskills on Broadway.

The Los Angeles Times proclaimed him "heir to the piano-comedy throne" during the run of his solo theater piece, A Twelve O'clock Guy in a Nine O'clock Town. During his subsequent theater piece, An American in Pasadena, thousands were inspired to pull up stakes and move to Pasadena.

Television appearances include Evening at the Improv, HBO Young Comedians, TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Paramount Comedy Theater, and as a special musical reporter on Entertainment Tonight.

Among the highlights of his career, he spent an amazing year living in England, performing and writing for a satirical British television show entitled, "etc".

He shared the bill with Dick Shawn at the Pasadena Playhouse and has opened for Crystal Gayle, Glen Campbell, and Andy Williams among others. Recently, he has been touring the U.S. with Broadway on Ice starring Dorothy Hamill. Live appearances have ranged from Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas to Trump Castle in Atlantic City to Town Hall in Manhattan.

In his spare time, he ponders life's weightier issues, such as "What makes the sky blue?" "Where does infinity end?" and "What did Ernest Hemingway?"