The glamorous and iconic American Bar at London’s Savoy Hotel is a frequent haunt of the rich and famous.

A magnet for A-list celebrities, it has served everyone from the Queen Mother to Winston Churchill, with the legends of film and music also regularly among its guests.

Most nights of the week you’ll find Ramsgate’s Jon Nickoll tinkling the ivories, looking dapper in his tuxedo and singing one of the more than a thousand songs from his huge repertoire.

The 45-year-old concedes that being the star of the show at one of the world’s most famous cocktail bars is a far cry from his teenage years busking on the streets of Thanet.

In 2004, aged 26, he became the youngest ever resident pianist at the Savoy and, apart from a spell at the Dorchester during the hotel’s refurbishment, he’s been there ever since.

His career has taken the father-of-two all over the world, including performances in Hong Kong, parties in New York, Gleneagles in Scotland and the beautiful hotel Crillon in Paris.

He has also given a private performance for ex-US president Bill Clinton, and performed at the after-show party for 'An Audience With Joan Rivers' at the London Television Centre.

“I knew I wanted to be playing music but I never dreamed it would turn out like this and give me the opportunities I’ve had,” he told KentOnline.

Among Jon’s favourite memories is the night the late Amy Winehouse joined him at the piano following the South Bank Show awards.

She was among a group of celebrities who went to the American bar for after-show cocktails.

“Actually, she was the only one who was clapping after I finished a song,” recalls Jon.

“So when she came over and asked if she could join me to sing a few songs, I was hardly going to say no.

“She was alongside me for about 20 minutes singing classics like ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ and ‘Georgia On My Mind’.

“It was incredible hearing that smoky, unique voice right in my ear, and I shall never forget it.”

Other legends to have joined Jon in song, and bought him a few beers, are Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Tom Jones.

And among his prized possessions is a signed message from the recently deceased composer Burt Bacharach who wrote “I like the way you play and sing” – praise indeed from one of the world’s musical icons.

“I have to admit I was dead nervous when he came in because he was a musical genius and perfectionist, so for him to offer me some praise was remarkable,” said Jon, adding: “but perhaps he was just being kind.”

Jon first picked up a guitar when he was about eight years old.

“I saw Elvis on television and he just blew my mind and I just thought ‘that’s what I want to do’, although I’m certainly not an Elvis impersonator," he said.

“My dad taught me three chords and that was enough for most songs, to get me going.

“One of my first public appearances was at a junior talent show at Margate Winter Gardens when I was about eight. I came second to a girl who sang ‘I once was an ugly duckling’, as I recall.

“But my uncle ran a folk club and I was soon immersed in the world of music and knew that’s what I wanted to do, so my school studies took a bit of a back seat, to be honest.

“I was earning money busking at 16, and by 19 it was really my full-time job.

“I have a wide eclectic taste but the Beatles were a big musical inspiration. Performing just seemed to come naturally to me.

“From then on, I was never going to be anything but a musician.”

Jon was taken on by an agent who provided hotels with pianists and found himself booked for the American Bar.

“The crazy thing is that I’m now one of the longest-serving members of the team at the Savoy. But it is a prestigious gig and has opened a few doors for me.

“For example, one night Chris Evans was in and heard me play and came over and said: ‘Fancy playing after Status Quo next week?’

“The next thing I know, I was performing in front of 30,000 people at Carfest – my biggest gig ever.”

Jon, who lives with his wife Laura and their children, Charlie, 13, and Eva, nine, also writes his own songs and has his own Spotify channel.

“I’m a play-and-pay guy so don’t earn unless I’m performing,” he said.

“I guess the dream is to get one of my songs out there that’s widely played on radio and downloaded and would earn me a regular income that way.”