Rhys Wynne-Jones at the Cornwall Night Church that fateful night – via SWNS
A homeless man who was recorded playing piano in a church on a cold January night says his whole life has turned around, in the two years since his performance went viral.
Rhys Wynne-Jones had been homeless for a decade in England when he sought refuge at St. Mary’s Church in Penzance—one of Britain’s ‘Night Churches’ that remain open to vulnerable populations for all 24 hours.
After entering and speaking with volunteers, the 34-year-old asked if he could use their piano to engage his lifelong coping mechanism—music.
He began playing a rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, while volunteers and visitors gathering to watch.
“There is a lot of noise in my head, but when I play piano my head goes quiet, I feel calm,” he said.
A volunteer posted a video of the performance on Facebook, where it quickly spread, amassing hundreds of comments asking for the identity of this young man known as The Nightchurch Pianist.
After Rhys came forward, he was invited to play the song at a special charity gig where he rubbed shoulders with British stars like Ronnie Wood, the ‘pop prince’ Peter Andre, and the cast of EastEnders.
Best of all, he secured a safe place he can call home, moving into a new Coastline Housing development in west Cornwall (See their video below, of a practice session…)
He has collaborated with Peter Andre on a television pilot and is looking forward to a series of gigs scheduled in a variety of venues including a theatre production in Bristol.
He’s smart, too. As part of his act, he recites all the countries of the world, the elements of the periodic table, and the first 100 digits of the number Pi.
“I don’t see myself as a professional pianist or a celebrity figure. I only need enough money to cover my expenses,” he told SWNS news. “I just love to play the piano to raise money for homeless charities and good causes.”
And, in the 30 months since his night church performance, he’s raised over £40,000 for charity ($54k).
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But he says “the pain doesn’t end just because you’ve got a key”. Life in his new home, though—practicing on his Roland keyboard, eating, and sleeping—has been calming.
He now uses any bleak memories from the streets, and his new Instagram friends, to motivate him to help and inspire others.
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