Difference between revisions of "Jon Lukas Woodenman"

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40 YEARS ON ....the pop music legend that is jon lukas woodenman has at long last been recognized as the son of his mother country Malta and nominated for his hand print at BAY STREET on 28th. NOV 2010.
[[File:Jlw_sportsvibe.jpg|300px|thumb|right|jonlukaswoodenman in 2014]]


jon lukas woodenman formerly known as jon lukas remembered in Maltese music history for achieving the first ever successful overseas pop chart placer in various foreign territories and first ever Maltese artiste major worldwide record company signing in 1970. An era in Malta with just REDIFFUSION radio no internet nor media connection abroad other than pre-paying for an overseas phone call booking to go out a couple of days later, heralded by a telegram at the destination.
[[File:Jonlukas_1971.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Jon Lukas in 1971]]
When, Radio Luxemburg for Europe was the equivalent of today's MTV. Radio Luxemburg played Can't Afford to Lose twice nightly for a month's period with odd plays for a year or so after.An era where there was no future in Malta and if one dreamt of becoming a pop star abroad, one would become a classic contender for the local mental institution.
Click here for vintage photographs:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=29803&id=722243161


Known for his evergreen classic called: Can’t afford to Lose Released on EMI COLUMBIA label in 1970, an era when a song had a verse, chorus, hook line and a
[[File:Cantaffordtolose.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Can't afford to lose - the hit single 1970]]
message, still played on RADIO stations to date and sang word for word by the public forty years on from the date of its recording at EMI Abbey Rd. Studios London UK. Same studio room, mikes and session musicians being used by THE BEATLES at that time near the band’s break up, the b side Can't Make you Mine written by Paul McCartney's brother Peter McCartney (Mc Gear) of THE SCAFFOLD at a phase when Elton John was still doing backing vocals for that band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-xj6Q8C0D8
Can't Afford to Lose reached the No.1 chart spot in Lebanon for a full month, holdin' back the Beatles' single The Long and Winding Road from that No 1 spot.
Tours in Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, Damascus, Iran, Bahrain and the rest of the Emirates followed for some time after. Billing with (NOT supporting) major artistes as Googoosh, Gilbert Becaud, Johnny Halliday, Mal, Modugno, Patti Bravo and Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Bannanarama, Lisa Stansfield, Level 42, Sir Bob Geldof and other US soul and Arab home names.
The song also touched the British top 50 charts climbing to the 40's plus other European territories.


1980s jon lukas woodenman formed a close personal friendship with Marvin Gaye during Marvin’s disturbing life period, pre his hit album SEXUAL HEALING. There are unfinished productions amongst other stuff transpired through this period of frendship prior to Marvin's unfortunate death.
[[File:Jlw_marcstorace.jpg|300px|thumb|right|jonlukaswoodenman with Marc Storace in 2008]]


1993s near Malta Euro 2nd. placer winning entry called Zommni u Ghannaqni / Love we Share which was later picked for production by BIDDU of Kung fu Fighting production fame. This is the first time in his career that he sang in Maltese, which opened up inside of jon a deep wide feeling of belonging.
[[File:Jlw_mmaaward.jpg|300px|thumb|right|jonlukaswoodenman with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the MMA's in 2010]]
LOVE WE SHARE
http://twiturm.com/b8gyp
LOVE WE SHARE Maltese version called ZOMMNI u GHANNAQNI
http://twiturm.com/b8gyp


1998 found him in the web charts of peoplesound.com (pre myspace indie band site) for the whole month of August with MY TIME with his then alternative band called WOODENMAN. (hence the name add since)
Jon Lukas known as ''Woodenman'', born (4 August 1948 – 11 June 2021) as Frank Agius, was a Maltese musician from [[Paola]], Malta. Back in the 1970s, Jon Lukas scored a first for Maltese music when he released [http://tinyurl.com/a95dbf4 Can't afford to lose]. The song went on to become a huge hit, making him the first Maltese artist to break through at an international level. 40 years later, his milestone feat was recognized when, on 28 November 2010, [http://tinyurl.com/6dzdjt4 his handprint was included at Bay Street's Walk of Fame]. He also received a [http://www.facebook.com/jon.woodenman/media_set?set=a.10150101384268162.303058.722243161&type=3 Lifetime Achievement award at that year's edition of the Malta Music Awards], which was presented to him by Freddie Portelli and featured on the [http://tinyurl.com/cfs2d9g TVM news] that same day. 
MY TIME
http://twiturm.com/8vpkm


Things quietened down after that due to his near fatal cardiac arrest and the post recovery.
2007 was presented with an EFFIGY AWARD in Marbella Spain through ONDA CERO Radio / ABC Network Radio USA with tracks called:
FAR AWAY
http://twiturm.com/n92b6
and BETTER MAN
http://twiturm.com/mhx66


Throughout this thirty-five year period jon lukas woodenman was based in UK and on a mountain in Spain. He rarely visited his beautiful Island of Malta and when jon did, it was for very short periods.
__TOC__


Early 2009 found him back in Malta beside his mother's lingering deathbed.


During this period, in 2009 continuing into 2010, he featured as music guru on Malta's cool hit talent show called ID on ONE TV. jon, also started his distinctive cutting edge radio show on ONE RADIO, called woodenman's jukebox, repeated recorded editions of which now go out on air each Monday at 20.45 hrs Malta time and also uploaded to facebook - woodenman's jukebox group page where they stand indefinitely for you to listen on-demand with all other previous show editions found on the group page wall.
== Biography ==
Welcome to join this woodenman's jukebox on facebook group.
It goes without saying that Jon Lukas will forever be remembered in Maltese music history, and not only for achieving the first-ever successful pop chart placing in various foreign territories, but also for being the first Maltese pop artist to sign with a major international record company. In the 1970s, a time when in Malta the only access to pop music was via Rediffusion, FM radio and the internet were still unheard of and even making an overseas telephone call was quite complicated, dreaming of becoming a pop star was next to impossible, so the fact that Jon Lukas succeeded in getting signed to EMI Columbia was certainly a momentous feat.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=119931810577&ref=ts


He visited the Island to record seasons ahead for these shows on one long blast basis.
He does these in the English language not because he has forgotten his mother language but because he can express himself better in pop terms and so as his foreign fans can understand his work whilst attracting foreignors to Malta media sites and Malta itself.


Then later Adrian Saliba of REWIND PRODUCTIONS had commissioned him to write ONE 4 U for Malta Eurosong 2010.
At its peak Can't afford to lose was getting regular airplay on Radio Luxembourg, which was essentially the equivalent of today's MTV. Thanks to the station playing the song twice nightly for a month and with the odd playlist inclusion over the next year or so the song, spread to various territories where it made a huge impact. Considered by his fans as a classic evergreen, the song continues to enjoy regular airplay, especially in Malta.  
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ONE-4-U-Fan-Page/275914705048?ref=ts


In August 2010 a personal tribute by Winter Moods (Malta's biggest band of its music history) was given to woodenman during their 10.000 audience attended concert.
(an attendance first, for the size of this small Island)


Unfortunately, earlier on this year woodenman was diagnosed lung cancer positive and only now is he slowly recovering from a part lung cut out operation and a gruellin' four month chemotherapy course.
It's worth mentioning that Can't afford to lose was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road studios in London, precisely in the same studio, and using the same microphones and session musicians as The Beatles at the time when the Fab Four were close to breaking up. The single's B-side Can't Make you Mine was written by Mike McGear of UK act The Scaffold, who in real life is actually Peter McCartney, brother of Sir Paul McCartney.
He has now reached the start stage of the high 5 year cancer situation.
CANCER UPDATE link:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?saved&&note_id=154668304562472&id=13212079403


Listen to his PERSONAL music from
http://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman


Listen to his tracks free stream or download from
Apart from making it to the Top 40 charts in the UK and some other European territories, Can't afford to lose occupied the top place in the pop charts in Lebanon for a full month, holding back The Beatles' The  Long and Winding Road from reaching the No.1 spot. This led to several tours in Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, Damascus, Iran  and the rest of the Emirates, with Lukas sharing top billing alongside major names such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Googoosh Googoosh], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_B%C3%A9caud Gilbert Bécaud], Johnny Halliday, Michel Legrand, Mal, Domenico Modugno, Patti Pravo, Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Bananarama, Lisa Stansfield, Level 42 and various other international acts and stars of the Arabic music world. 
http://www.broadjam.com/jonlukas




[[Category:A-Z_of_the_Malta_Music_Scene]]
At the start of the 1980s, Jon Lukas formed a close friendship with US soul legend and Grammy Award winner Marvin Gaye, who was at the time living in London and going through a period of personal turmoil. They worked together on a number of ideas and productions, and although these remained largely unfinished, Lukas did release one track in particular, [http://tinyurl.com/6zemfyq Love Hurts], sadly just before Gaye's tragic death in 1984.
 
 
In 1993, Jon Lukas, accompanied by Marita, placed second in that year's Malta Song Contest with the song [http://www.broadjam.com/player/player.php?play_file=49431_395452 Żommni u Għannaqni]. The song marked another first in the singer's career, being the first time he sang in Maltese, the experience of which Lukas has said 'opened a deep feeling of belonging'. The English language version of the song was titled Love We Share and was produced by renowned Indian-British music producer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biddu Biddu] whose track record includes Carl Douglas'[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kung_Fu_Fighting Kung Fu Fighting] as well as hits by Tina Charles, Jimmy James and The Real Thing.
 
 
In 1994 Jon Lukas broke the taboo surrounding HIV/AIDS in Malta by setting up the [http://tinyurl.com/c4qreqz Jon Lukas AIDS Awareness Campaign], to promote awareness and education about the emerging disease. That same year, Lukas organized and participated in a [http://tinyurl.com/5r3cozd Rock Mass] dedicated to his brother Ray, who had died from HIV+ related complications in 1987.
 
 
In 1998, the singer, under the name of Woodenman, his band at the time, made a significant impression by conquering the Peoplesound.com indie music web charts. The band was at No.1 for the entire month of August with the song My Time. Later that year, Lukas suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest, as a result of which he was forced to take a break from music and spend time resting and recovering. 
 
 
Although not so much in the public eye, the singer was still dabbling in music behind the scenes, and in 2007, he was presented with an Effigy Award in Marbella, Spain, where he spent a lot of his time when not in the UK. The award was given to him by ONDA CERO Radio/ABC Network Radio USA for radio airplay in these territories for his 2007 release Far Away, his first under the jon lukas woodenman moniker that he continues to record under to this day. Later that year, he also released a new song, Better man, which like Far away, revealed a
re-energized appetite for music that captured his soulful timbre with a fresh perspective.
 
Throughout the larger part of his career, Lukas had rarely visited Malta, except for maybe the odd short break. In early 2009 however, he decided to return for a six-month stretch in order to care for his mother, who had become very ill. While in Malta, he got involved in the local scene, forming part of the judging panel on ONE TV’s talent show [http://tinyurl.com/ck7a5sd ID] and presenting his own distinctive cutting edge radio show, [http://tinyurl.com/5ufnwys woodenman’s jukebox], with the aim of presenting listeners with 'uninterrupted credible music - no talk'.
 
 
The radio show is still broadcast to this day, and is [http://www.one.com.mt/index.php?id=1929 streamed live] on Fridays at 2045hrs CET (1945hrs UK) on ONE Radio and at [http://www.channelradio.co.uk/ CHANNEL RADIO UK] on Wednesdays at 1900hrs CET (1800hrs UK) with a repeat on Fridays 2200hrs CET (2100hrs UK). Show details and listen on-demand links for all the woodenman's jukebox broadcasts are available on the [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Woodenmans-jukebox/176021599118074?fref=ts dedicated Facebook page]. Around this time, jonlukaswoodenman was approached by Adrian Saliba of Rewind Productions to write a song, [http://tinyurl.com/c6g3b87 ONE 4 U], for the 2010 Malta Eurosong Contest.
 
 
In 2010, jonlukas woodenman [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6baK7DDQ4Q woodenman was diagnosed with lung cancer], which left him without part of one of his lungs. This was followed by a gruelling four month chemotherapy course, the experience of which he shared with his friends and fans via [http://www.facebook.com/pages/jon-lukas-woodenman/13212079403?sk=notes online posts about his cancer treatment on his Facebook page].
 
 
In August 2010 a personal tribute by Winter Moods (Malta's biggest band of its music history) was given to woodenman during the band's concert in front of a 10,000-strong audience..... an historical first in terms of gross attendance, considering the size of this small Island.
 
In May 2011 his [http://tinyurl.com/cbfklb5 first post-cancer live appearance] courtesy of  Winter Moods in tribute concert. He also featured in the [http://tinyurl.com/c3d8elo TVM's biography about Winter Moods]. 
 
 
His involvement, along with meeting some of the movers and shakers of the Maltese music scene introduced him to the abundance of activity and talent that the island had to offer. In fact, apart from recording his radio shows, the schedule of his visits to Malta, now more frequent, also includes taking in a number of live music events that happen on the island.
 
 
== Discography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
| '''No'''||'''Songs'''||'''Year'''||'''Artist'''||'''Remarks'''||'''Video'''
|-
| 01||Now That You're Gone||1969||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||A Winston Montanaro Project - Charles Sciberras RIP||
|-
| 02||Fleur||1969||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||A Winston Montanaro Project - Charles Sciberras RIP||
|-
| 03||Can't Afford To Lose||1970||Jon Lukas ||The Hit||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIJWc_KJ30I / Youtube]
|-
| 04||Can't Make You Mne||1970||Jon Lukas ||B-Side||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL48YFrwGhI / Youtube]
|-
| 05||This Time||1971||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se8xlcZpRzM / Youtube]
|-
| 06||Love Love Love||1974||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u00p-XEXk2I / Youtube]
|-
| 07||Take My Heart||1974||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||Live Version||
|-
| 08||Find Me||1978||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||
|-
| 09||The Love We Share / Żommi u Għannaqni||1993||Jon Lukas & Marita||ft. Marita Agius - Maltese Live Version||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZNyF1Zw6QA / Youtube]
|-
| 10||The Love We Share||1993||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||Marita Agius (version)||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyMtaJwGGRg / Youtube], (Instrumental) [https://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman/song/13704197-love-we-share / Reverbnation]
|-
| 11||Depend on Me||1994||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XujgHeMpXno&list=PL-If-QKemCoezs65U47v0Cw3efNBFRU_f&index=5 / Youtube]
|-
| 12||The Love We Share||1994||Jon Lukas Woodenman||Bosede -Biddu production Saxaphone version||
|-
| 13||The Love We Share||1995||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||Biddu Production - Bosede (1995)||
|-
| 14||My Time||1997||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E-MftkYkXg / Youtube]
|-
| 15||Misty||2000||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||
|-
| 16||Can't Afford To Lose Get Funky||2003||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||
|-
| 17||Far Away||2007||Jon Lukas Woodenman||acoustic||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glx2MyvzCT4 / Youtube]
|-
| 18||Far Away||2008||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||
|-
| 19||Better Man||2009||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||([http://www.broadjam.com/player/player.php?play_file=49431_395412 orchestrated version]), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvmSXEXMe4E&list=PLkSlwNA7oByHXyk5yAMB-jkQnoQaf6-fs&index=4 / Youtube]
|-
| 20||Lord's Prayer||2009||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||Live Version||
|-
| 21||Never Go Away||2011||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbzQnA0FJh4 / Youtube]
|-
| 22||No Mountain||2012||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSnp6fEY_x8 / Youtube], Tribute [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Gaye] 
|-
| 23||Older Better||2012||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmuHIOIp8oY / Youtube] [https://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman/song/21255586-older-better- / Reverbnation] (original Version)
|-
| 24||Theme from Xablott||2012||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ivsza1YLMw], [http://www.facebook.com/notes/jon-lukas-woodenman/xablott-the-theme-song-lyrics/282895535073081 info / Youtube]
|-
| 25||Secrets||2013||Jon Lukas Woodenman||ft. Lady intro||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ccYN9p6EI4&list=PLkSlwNA7oByHXyk5yAMB-jkQnoQaf6-fs&index=3 / Youtube]
|-
| 26||Older Better||2013||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||Live Striped Version||
|-
| 27||Bad News||2014||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMLieO0O7wc / Youtube]
|-
| 28||Older Better||2014||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG_P4oPQLTo&feature=youtu.be Older-Better? (live on Sportsvibe Sessions)]
|-
| 29||Regent Street||2014||[[Lyndsay Pace]]||ft.Jon Lukas Woodenman||[http://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman/song/21688046-regent-street-feat-lyndsay Regent Street] ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KBiI9M9vO4 / Youtube]
|-
| 30||Hold On||2015||Jon Lukas Woodenman||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqhJcKMfrHQ  / Youtube]
|-
| 31||Your Song||2016||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||
|-
| 32||Can't Afford To Lose||2017||Jon Lukas Woodenman||Exclusive stripped-down version performed live on [[Rockna]]||
|-
| 33||Done Fighting ||2020||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4WIf-FML1k / Youtube], [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ictbUAVyQBw / Youtube]
|-
| 34||Destination Street||2020||Jon Lukas Woodenman ||||[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVTSEbL2BFc / Youtube]
|-
|}
 
== See also ==
 
[http://www.m3p.com.mt/wiki/A_word_with_Woodenman A word with Woodenman (Michael Bugeja, The Sunday Times of Malta, 16 June 2013)]
 
[http://www.facebook.com/jon.woodenman/media_set?set=a.10330683161.29803.722243161&type=3 jonlukaswoodenman Photo gallery]
 
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eka-zXS5ZWw&list=UUsDzDv7HwXK8WRBZSYds-ZQ&index=20 Jon Lukas appearing on Iranian National TV with Googoosh circa 1972]
 
jonlukaswoodenman on The Sapiano TV Show (February 2, 2012) ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_NWbgQXjog Part 1]) ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSMY7HhMkWw Part 2])
 
[http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsDzDv7HwXK8WRBZSYds-ZQ woodenman's jukebox on YouTube]
 
[http://tinyurl.com/cbsamzq jonlukaswoodenman Live on PJAZZA (TVM) 07 August 2009]
[http://tinyurl.com/6ceb22v jonlukaswoodenman Live comeback concert May 20ll]
 
[http://tinyurl.com/cwh5tma jonlukaswoodenman on ID (ONE TV)]
 
== External links ==
 
[http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jon-lukas-woodenman/id580281195 jonlukaswoodenman on iTunes]
 
[http://www.reverbnation.com/jonlukaswoodenman jonlukaswoodenman on Reverbnation]
 
[http://myspace.com/jonlukaswoodenman jonlukaswoodenman on Myspace]
 
[http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=jon+%20lukas&aq=f jonlukaswoodenman on YouTube]
 
[http://soundcloud.com/jon-lukas-woodenman-music jonlukaswoodenman on Soundcloud]
 
[http://www.broadjam.com/jonlukas jonlukaswoodenman on Broadjam]
 
[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Woodenmans-jukebox/176021599118074?fref=ts woodenman's jukebox page on Facebook]
 
[http://www.facebook.com/groups/119931810577/ woodenman's jukebox group on Facebook]
 
 
==See also==
[[:Category:Jon Lukas Photos]]
 
 
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lukas, Jon}}
[[Category:A-Z of the Malta Music Scene]]
[[Category:Singers from Malta]]
[[Category:Maltese singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Male Vocalists]]
[[Category:Maltese musicians in England]]

Latest revision as of 06:37, 8 August 2022

jonlukaswoodenman in 2014
Jon Lukas in 1971
Can't afford to lose - the hit single 1970
jonlukaswoodenman with Marc Storace in 2008
jonlukaswoodenman with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the MMA's in 2010

Jon Lukas known as Woodenman, born (4 August 1948 – 11 June 2021) as Frank Agius, was a Maltese musician from Paola, Malta. Back in the 1970s, Jon Lukas scored a first for Maltese music when he released Can't afford to lose. The song went on to become a huge hit, making him the first Maltese artist to break through at an international level. 40 years later, his milestone feat was recognized when, on 28 November 2010, his handprint was included at Bay Street's Walk of Fame. He also received a Lifetime Achievement award at that year's edition of the Malta Music Awards, which was presented to him by Freddie Portelli and featured on the TVM news that same day.



Biography

It goes without saying that Jon Lukas will forever be remembered in Maltese music history, and not only for achieving the first-ever successful pop chart placing in various foreign territories, but also for being the first Maltese pop artist to sign with a major international record company. In the 1970s, a time when in Malta the only access to pop music was via Rediffusion, FM radio and the internet were still unheard of and even making an overseas telephone call was quite complicated, dreaming of becoming a pop star was next to impossible, so the fact that Jon Lukas succeeded in getting signed to EMI Columbia was certainly a momentous feat.


At its peak Can't afford to lose was getting regular airplay on Radio Luxembourg, which was essentially the equivalent of today's MTV. Thanks to the station playing the song twice nightly for a month and with the odd playlist inclusion over the next year or so the song, spread to various territories where it made a huge impact. Considered by his fans as a classic evergreen, the song continues to enjoy regular airplay, especially in Malta.


It's worth mentioning that Can't afford to lose was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road studios in London, precisely in the same studio, and using the same microphones and session musicians as The Beatles at the time when the Fab Four were close to breaking up. The single's B-side Can't Make you Mine was written by Mike McGear of UK act The Scaffold, who in real life is actually Peter McCartney, brother of Sir Paul McCartney.


Apart from making it to the Top 40 charts in the UK and some other European territories, Can't afford to lose occupied the top place in the pop charts in Lebanon for a full month, holding back The Beatles' The Long and Winding Road from reaching the No.1 spot. This led to several tours in Lebanon, Abu Dhabi, Damascus, Iran and the rest of the Emirates, with Lukas sharing top billing alongside major names such as Googoosh, Gilbert Bécaud, Johnny Halliday, Michel Legrand, Mal, Domenico Modugno, Patti Pravo, Bob Geldof, Midge Ure, Bananarama, Lisa Stansfield, Level 42 and various other international acts and stars of the Arabic music world.


At the start of the 1980s, Jon Lukas formed a close friendship with US soul legend and Grammy Award winner Marvin Gaye, who was at the time living in London and going through a period of personal turmoil. They worked together on a number of ideas and productions, and although these remained largely unfinished, Lukas did release one track in particular, Love Hurts, sadly just before Gaye's tragic death in 1984.


In 1993, Jon Lukas, accompanied by Marita, placed second in that year's Malta Song Contest with the song Żommni u Għannaqni. The song marked another first in the singer's career, being the first time he sang in Maltese, the experience of which Lukas has said 'opened a deep feeling of belonging'. The English language version of the song was titled Love We Share and was produced by renowned Indian-British music producer Biddu whose track record includes Carl Douglas'Kung Fu Fighting as well as hits by Tina Charles, Jimmy James and The Real Thing.


In 1994 Jon Lukas broke the taboo surrounding HIV/AIDS in Malta by setting up the Jon Lukas AIDS Awareness Campaign, to promote awareness and education about the emerging disease. That same year, Lukas organized and participated in a Rock Mass dedicated to his brother Ray, who had died from HIV+ related complications in 1987.


In 1998, the singer, under the name of Woodenman, his band at the time, made a significant impression by conquering the Peoplesound.com indie music web charts. The band was at No.1 for the entire month of August with the song My Time. Later that year, Lukas suffered a near-fatal cardiac arrest, as a result of which he was forced to take a break from music and spend time resting and recovering.


Although not so much in the public eye, the singer was still dabbling in music behind the scenes, and in 2007, he was presented with an Effigy Award in Marbella, Spain, where he spent a lot of his time when not in the UK. The award was given to him by ONDA CERO Radio/ABC Network Radio USA for radio airplay in these territories for his 2007 release Far Away, his first under the jon lukas woodenman moniker that he continues to record under to this day. Later that year, he also released a new song, Better man, which like Far away, revealed a re-energized appetite for music that captured his soulful timbre with a fresh perspective.


Throughout the larger part of his career, Lukas had rarely visited Malta, except for maybe the odd short break. In early 2009 however, he decided to return for a six-month stretch in order to care for his mother, who had become very ill. While in Malta, he got involved in the local scene, forming part of the judging panel on ONE TV’s talent show ID and presenting his own distinctive cutting edge radio show, woodenman’s jukebox, with the aim of presenting listeners with 'uninterrupted credible music - no talk'.


The radio show is still broadcast to this day, and is streamed live on Fridays at 2045hrs CET (1945hrs UK) on ONE Radio and at CHANNEL RADIO UK on Wednesdays at 1900hrs CET (1800hrs UK) with a repeat on Fridays 2200hrs CET (2100hrs UK). Show details and listen on-demand links for all the woodenman's jukebox broadcasts are available on the dedicated Facebook page. Around this time, jonlukaswoodenman was approached by Adrian Saliba of Rewind Productions to write a song, ONE 4 U, for the 2010 Malta Eurosong Contest.


In 2010, jonlukas woodenman woodenman was diagnosed with lung cancer, which left him without part of one of his lungs. This was followed by a gruelling four month chemotherapy course, the experience of which he shared with his friends and fans via online posts about his cancer treatment on his Facebook page.


In August 2010 a personal tribute by Winter Moods (Malta's biggest band of its music history) was given to woodenman during the band's concert in front of a 10,000-strong audience..... an historical first in terms of gross attendance, considering the size of this small Island.

In May 2011 his first post-cancer live appearance courtesy of Winter Moods in tribute concert. He also featured in the TVM's biography about Winter Moods.


His involvement, along with meeting some of the movers and shakers of the Maltese music scene introduced him to the abundance of activity and talent that the island had to offer. In fact, apart from recording his radio shows, the schedule of his visits to Malta, now more frequent, also includes taking in a number of live music events that happen on the island.


Discography

No Songs Year Artist Remarks Video
01 Now That You're Gone 1969 Jon Lukas Woodenman A Winston Montanaro Project - Charles Sciberras RIP
02 Fleur 1969 Jon Lukas Woodenman A Winston Montanaro Project - Charles Sciberras RIP
03 Can't Afford To Lose 1970 Jon Lukas The Hit / Youtube
04 Can't Make You Mne 1970 Jon Lukas B-Side / Youtube
05 This Time 1971 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
06 Love Love Love 1974 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
07 Take My Heart 1974 Jon Lukas Woodenman Live Version
08 Find Me 1978 Jon Lukas Woodenman
09 The Love We Share / Żommi u Għannaqni 1993 Jon Lukas & Marita ft. Marita Agius - Maltese Live Version / Youtube
10 The Love We Share 1993 Jon Lukas Woodenman Marita Agius (version) / Youtube, (Instrumental) / Reverbnation
11 Depend on Me 1994 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
12 The Love We Share 1994 Jon Lukas Woodenman Bosede -Biddu production Saxaphone version
13 The Love We Share 1995 Jon Lukas Woodenman Biddu Production - Bosede (1995)
14 My Time 1997 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
15 Misty 2000 Jon Lukas Woodenman
16 Can't Afford To Lose Get Funky 2003 Jon Lukas Woodenman
17 Far Away 2007 Jon Lukas Woodenman acoustic / Youtube
18 Far Away 2008 Jon Lukas Woodenman
19 Better Man 2009 Jon Lukas Woodenman (orchestrated version), / Youtube
20 Lord's Prayer 2009 Jon Lukas Woodenman Live Version
21 Never Go Away 2011 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
22 No Mountain 2012 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube, Tribute [1]
23 Older Better 2012 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube / Reverbnation (original Version)
24 Theme from Xablott 2012 Jon Lukas Woodenman [2], info / Youtube
25 Secrets 2013 Jon Lukas Woodenman ft. Lady intro / Youtube
26 Older Better 2013 Jon Lukas Woodenman Live Striped Version
27 Bad News 2014 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
28 Older Better 2014 Jon Lukas Woodenman Older-Better? (live on Sportsvibe Sessions)
29 Regent Street 2014 Lyndsay Pace ft.Jon Lukas Woodenman Regent Street (/ Youtube
30 Hold On 2015 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube
31 Your Song 2016 Jon Lukas Woodenman
32 Can't Afford To Lose 2017 Jon Lukas Woodenman Exclusive stripped-down version performed live on Rockna
33 Done Fighting 2020 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube, / Youtube
34 Destination Street 2020 Jon Lukas Woodenman / Youtube

See also

A word with Woodenman (Michael Bugeja, The Sunday Times of Malta, 16 June 2013)

jonlukaswoodenman Photo gallery

Jon Lukas appearing on Iranian National TV with Googoosh circa 1972

jonlukaswoodenman on The Sapiano TV Show (February 2, 2012) (Part 1) (Part 2)

woodenman's jukebox on YouTube

jonlukaswoodenman Live on PJAZZA (TVM) 07 August 2009

jonlukaswoodenman Live comeback concert May 20ll

jonlukaswoodenman on ID (ONE TV)

External links

jonlukaswoodenman on iTunes

jonlukaswoodenman on Reverbnation

jonlukaswoodenman on Myspace

jonlukaswoodenman on YouTube

jonlukaswoodenman on Soundcloud

jonlukaswoodenman on Broadjam

woodenman's jukebox page on Facebook

woodenman's jukebox group on Facebook


See also

Category:Jon Lukas Photos

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