John Tesh

**John Frank Tesh Jr.** (born July 9, 1952) is an American musician and radio and television presenter. He wrote the _NBA on NBC_ basketball theme "Roundball Rock". He hosts the _Intelligence for Your Life_ radio show and _Intelligence for Your Life TV_ with his wife, Connie Sellecca, since 2014.

Tesh has won six Emmys and has four gold albums, two Grammy nominations, and an Associated Press award for investigative journalism. Tesh has sold over eight million records. His live concerts have raised more than $7 million for PBS. He has co-hosted the television program _Entertainment Tonight_. He worked as a sports commentator and host for the Olympic Games, Wimbledon, the US Open, the Tour de France, Ironman Triathlon, and as a news anchor and reporter. In 2018, Tesh became part of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame.

## Early life

Tesh was born in Garden City, New York, on Long Island. He is the son of Mildred (Bunny) and John Frank Tesh Sr. He graduated from Garden City High School in 1970. He started playing piano and trumpet at six years old. He was named to the New York State Symphonic Orchestra in high school, while playing the organ in a rock band. Tesh studied communications and music at North Carolina State University.

Tesh started reading the news for Rick Dees at WKIX (AM) Raleigh in 1974. His roommate, Bill Leslie, was an anchor at WRAL-TV and helped him get into the radio and TV field. Tesh worked as a news anchor in Raleigh, Orlando, Nashville, and New York's WCBS-TV for 12 years.

## Personal life

Tesh has been married to Connie Sellecca since 1992. They have one daughter called Prima. His wife also has a son with actor Gil Gerard, named Gib, and he is sometimes on Tesh's radio and TV programs. Tesh and Sellecca live in Los Angeles.
In the 1970s, he dated Oprah Winfrey for a short time.

Tesh is a Christian. He was raised a Baptist and was involved in the church as a child. He played organ, sang in the choir, and went to church camp. He has written and performed Christian music.

### Studio albums

- 1987: _Music from the Tour de France, Vol. I_ (Tesh Music BMI)
- 1988: _Tour de France_ (Private Music)
- 1989: _Garden City_ (Cypress)
- 1992: _A Romantic Christmas_ (Decca)
- 1992: _Ironman Triathlon_ (GTSP)
- 1992: _Music in the Key of Love_ (GTSP)
- 1992: _The Games_ (GTSP)
- 1993: _Monterey Nights_ (GTSP)
- 1993: _Winter Song_ (GTSP)  1994: (Decca)
- 1994: _A Family Christmas_ (Decca)
- 1994: _Sax by the Fire_ (Decca)
- 1995: _Sax on the Beach_ (Decca)
- 1996: _Discovery_ (Decca)
- 1996: _Choirs of Christmas_ (GTSP)
- 1997: _Avalon_ (Decca)
- 1997: _Sax All Night_ (Decca)
- 1998: _Grand Passion_ (GTSP)
- 1998: _Guitar by the Fire_ (Decca)
- 1998: _Songs from the Road_ (BMG)
- 1998: _Pure Movies_ (GTSP)
- 1999: _One World_ (GTSP)
- 1999: _John Tesh & Friends_ (Columbia River)
- 2000: _Pure Hymns_ (Faith MD)
- 2000: _Pure Movies, Vol. 2_ (Garden City)
- 2001: _Pure Orchestra_ (Garden City)
- 2001: _Pure Gospel_ (Faith MD)
- 2001: _Classical Music for an Intimate Mood_ (Garden City)
- 2001: _Classical Music for a Stress-Free World_ (Garden City)
- 2001: _Classical Music for Babies (and Their Moms)_ Vol. 1 & 2 (Garden City)
- 2001: _Classical Music for a Prayerful Mood_ (Garden City & Faith MD)
- 2002: _Awesome God_ (Garden City)
- 2002: _The Power of Love_ (Garden City)
- 2002: _Christmas Worship_ (Word)
- 2002: _A Deeper Faith_ (Garden City)
- 2002: _God of Wonders_ (Garden City)
- 2002: _Worship God_ (Garden City)
- 2003: _A Deeper Faith, Vol. 2_ (Garden City)
- 2007: _A Passionate Life_ (Garden City)
- 2008: _Grand Piano Christmas_ (Garden City)
- 2009: _Grand Piano Worship_ (Garden City)
- 2010: _Grand Piano Romance_ (Garden City)
- 2011: _Big Band Christmas_ (Garden City)
- 2012: _Big Band_ (Garden City)
- 2025: _Sports_ (GTS Records)

### Live albums

- 1995: _Live at Red Rocks_ (Decca)
- 2004: _Worship at Red Rocks_ (live) (Garden City)
- 2005: _Red Rocks Platinum_ (live) (Garden City)
- 2008: _Alive: Music & Dance_ (Garden City)
- 2020: _Songs and Stories from the Grand Piano_ (Garden City)

### Compilations and collections

- 1990: _Tour de France – The Early Years_ (Private Music)
- 1993: _Monterey Nights_ (Decca)
- 1995: _Anthology_
- 1997: _Victory – the sports collection_ (GTSP)
- 1999: _Heart of the Sunrise - The Millennium Collection_ (John Tesh)
- 1999: _One Day_ (Unison)
- 2000: _Pure Hymns_ (Faith MD)
- 2000: _Forever More: The Greatest Hits of John Tesh_ (Decca)
- 2003: _Worship Collection: Awesome God_ (Garden City)
- 2009: _The Best of Christmas_
- 2009: _John Tesh – Greatest Hits – Live in Concert Vol. 1 CD/DVD_ (Garden City)

### Singles

- 1988: _A Thousand Summers_ (single)
- 1989: _You Break It_ (Atlantic) (single)

### Other albums

- 1995: _Backstage with John Tesh_ (Digital Entertainment) (an interactive CD-rom)
- 2005: _Drive Time Intelligence_ (26 tracks of Intelligence For Your Life on the go, plus 3 bonus music tracks)
- 2010: _God of Wonders_ (Word)

## Videography

- 1993: _A Romantic Christmas_
- 1995: _Live in Monterey_
- 1995: _Live at Red Rocks_
- 1997: _The Avalon Concert_
- 2000: _One World_
- 2002: _Christmas Worship_
- 2004: _Worship at Red Rocks_
- 2008: _Alive: Music & Dance_
- 2009: _Greatest Hits: Live in Concert, Vol. 1_
- 2012: _Big Band Live_
- 2020: _Songs and Stories from the Grand Piano_

## Other websites

- Official music website
- John Tesh at Allmovie

## Infobox (musical artist)

- **name**: John Tesh
- **image**: File:John Tesh Official Photo.jpg
- **background**: non_vocal_instrumentalist
- **birth name**: John Frank Tesh Jr.
- **birth place**: Garden City, New York, U.S.
- **instrument**: Piano, keyboards
- **genre**: Pop music, Pop, contemporary worship music, contemporary worship, 20th-century classical music
- **occupation**: Composer, musician, radio host, news anchor, sportscaster