We’re all Going on a Summer Holiday!

This week it’s been very much business as usual as I go from show to show performing a variety of different songs depending on each clients brief. At this time of the year it’s often a mixture of songs from the 1940s through to the 70s with seasonal summer favorites. After all you can’t go wrong in July with “Summer Holiday”, “Grease”, “Mamma Mia”, “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” and a little bit of “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” for good measure!

Last Sunday I had the pleasure of performing for a wonderful Birthday/Anniversary Party in High Wycombe. I’d been asked to sing songs from the 1950s through to the present day and it was a wonderful opportunity for me to perform more of my post modern repertoire. This weekend I have another Birthday Party to perform at with shows taking me through to the end of the month.

On Stage with Liz at her Birthday Party!

Tomorrow is one of those rare days where I don’t have a show and I’ve promised myself a trip to the cinamar to see the new Tom Cruise Film “Mission Impossible”. It’s true to say I don’t have a very good work life balance as I spend all my time performing and when I’m not on stage I’m in the office keeping up to date with my paperwork. It’s something I need to change and I really do need to get out more.

This week I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friends Julius and Karl in Tring at our old pub The Kings Arms. Back in the late 80s early 90s

Wings Over Carew!

when I was part of the amerter dramatic sceen in Tring, The Kings Arms was where we all use to hang out after rehearsals. I have very happy memories of that time and it was a treat to meet up and chat about some the things we got up to back in the day.

I have a busy August ahead of me and I will be heading off to Wales to sing at the “Wings Over Carew” event at the start of the month

https://www.carewcheritoncontroltower.co.uk/events/wings-over-carew-2023/ and then over to Bletchley Park to perform for their Concert Series on 12th August. https://bletchleypark.org.uk/event/fiona-harrison/

Concert Series 12th August 23

I’m also back in the recording studio on the 20th August as I have a number of songs and arrangements I want to put into production in time for Christmas and 2024.

I shall leave you with a few of my photos from Liz’s party from last Sunday and I hope I might get to see some of you at a couple of my forthcoming shows.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Dressed in my “Stars and Stripes” costume!

It’s been another busy week as I’ve been out every day performing “Stars and Stripes” shows to tie in with the 4th July and American Independence Day. Certainly when it comes to American music there’s no shortage of material I can call upon including Hollywood movie musicals which is always at the top of my list, along with American Big Band and Swing.

My show features  all the favourites you would expect from a 4th July spectacular and includes “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy”, “Give my Regards to Broadway”,  “California Here I Come”, “Alexandra’s Rag Time Band”, “Chattanooga Cho Cho” and many more to name but a few.

It’s now full steam ahead for the Summer and the trend this year  seems to be for a mix of music from the 1940s right through to the 1970s with a nuance of post modern jukebox. Strangely enough I don’t have any public events this month although I have sold 25

All Set to go on Stage at the RAFA Club!

shows for July and every-one is a private function. It seems to be the season for parties and this Sunday I’m performing just out-side of High Wycombe for a birthday. I will be doing the same the following weekend too as the season for birthday parties continues.

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of performing for the RAFA Club at RAF Halton. Initially I had been booked to perform outside on the patio but as we weren’t too sure about the weather we thought it safer if I played inside. It was a terrific

On Stage at the Club!

night and I sang a mixture of songs from the 1940s, 50s, 60s, 70s to post modern. Tomorrow I’m singing for a special open day in Kettering and then I’m over to Didcot on Monday to sing the Magic of the Musicals,

That’s all my news for now. I shall leave you with a few of my photos.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

Inside the RAFA Club

Si, Paul and I at The Crown!

Firstly I’d like to begin my blog tonight be thanking every-one who came along to see Paul and I perform last Saturday for Armed Forces Day at The Crown in Hazlemere. It was an incredibly hot day and even Poppy prefered to spend her time flaked out in the cool rather than on stage as we performed 3 x 45 minute shows.

Si Harvey and all his team from the Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club of Hazlemere worked incredibly hard and together we were able to raise £2623.06 for SSAFA which is an superb achievement when you consider this was a

On Stage With The Military!

relatively small event. The pub was packed all day and even well into the evening people were still arriving to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

It was wonderful to see the residence form the Royal Star and Garter home in High Wycombe who booked a table and came in three runs so all their residence could enjoy the day and all three shows.

The Crown looked amazing and the Breakfast Club had gone the extra mile to build me a stage and decorate the pub in union jack flags

On Stage For A Rock and Roll Proms!

and bunting. They had even gone to the trouble of building a special dressing room (complete with carpet) where I was able to change and hang my costumes safely which was much appreciated.

When temperatures start to sore it’s important to say cool and I had three costume changes. I opened the event with my popular ATS “We’ll Meet Again” 1940s show, followed by 1940s glamour where Paul and I sang popular Big Band and Swing tunes from the 1940s & 50s. We concluded the afternoon with a Rock and Roll Proms and finished with Land of Hope and Glory. I

Seeing the Military Vehicles!

think we can safely say a good time was had by all and the weather was glorious.

It’s been an extremely busy time and for those of you who follow me you will know I don’t get many days off. On this occasion Paul and I decided to make something of a weekend of it as we stayed at The Bull Hotel in Gerrards Cross. The hotel is only 20 minutes away from Hazlemere and is dog friendly which made it the perfect choice. We had a lovely ground floor room which was ideal for Poppy so come Sunday we spent the day in the garden chilling out after our busy Armed Forces

Out and About with Poppy!

Day Saturday making the most of the summer weather.

It’s important to make the most of every-day and I still have some catching up to do when it comes to telling you all my news. It only occurred to me the other day I hadn’t written about my visit to the Shuttleworth airshow.

Not long after returning home from Normandy my friend Dave Proctor very kindly sent me VIP tickets to see the Best of British air show. I know Shuttleworth well having performed there on many an occasion but this time was a little

Rob Enjoying the Airshow!

different as I was invited to enjoy the show as a guest. Unfortunately Paul and Poppy weren’t able to attend but my friend Rob Bailey was able to join me instead as we enjoyed a beautiful day picnicking in the sunshine.

Dave met us at the show and gave us a fabulous VIP tour of the museum and work-shop which took us behind the scenes. The Shuttleworth collection is unique in that their aircraft and vehicles on display don’t just languish in hangers but they actually get flown and driven. It’s extraordinary to see early Edwardian aircraft in

Off Duty in my Casuals at Shuttleworth!

the air along with rare examples of aviation history making star appearances in full working condition.

We had VIP seats by the control tower  and as the weather conditions were perfect for flying the air show went on well onto 10pm as we enjoyed an amazing array of flying performances.

Next week I have a full diary with shows every-day. On Wednesday I will be performing at the RAF Club in Halton for a Vintage and Post Modern mix of music which I will be performing

All Set to Take Off!

on their patio stage.

I shall leave you with a few of my favo

And So to Bed – Putting the Aircraft Away!

rite photos.

Toodle Pip, Keep Following and Bye for Now! 😉

We Will Remember Them!

Hello every-one and may I say how wonderful it is to have my web-site is back up and running again. If you’ve been following me you will know I’ve had a problem with my host provider which resulted in my web-site being down for seven days. So much has happened since I last posted on 26th May and I have no shortage of news to tell you all.

For the moment I’m going to be a bit back to front with me writing about my latest adventures in Normandy first, and then going back to the end of May when I will be  telling you all about my shows at The Nene Valley Railway and Milestones Museum in Basingstoke.

My web-site couldn’t have gone down at a worst time but it’s great to know everything is back up and running again despite me having so much to catch up on.

Sailing Out of Portsmouth!

I sailed back from France on 13th June after enjoying five wonderful days away in Normandy. I’ve been on tour since the 6th June working my way down the country starting with a special 6th June “We’ll Meet Again” D-Day concert at Hailsham House and then on the 7th, I was in Fishbourne as I moved closer to Portsmouth and the ferry port. It’s unusual for me not to be in Normandy for D-Day itself but due to the way the weekend fell, my French bookings took place a little later enabling me to sail out on the 8th.

On Stage at The Liberation Ball!

My tour came about because I had been engaged by the “Up the Johns” organisation to perform at their Liberation Ball on the 10th June in the town of Bretteville l’ Orgueilleuse (Juno). They had originally booked me to perform at their dance back in 2020 but due to the pandemic everything was rescheduled and then rescheduled again so it was thrilling that after a three year delay I was at long last able to fulfil the engagement. I’m constantly updating and it was the first time I was able to use my new radio facade I commissioned from Wendover Wood to wrap around my sound system.

On this occasion I was travelling  alone so no sooner did I dock at Ouistreham  I made my way to Benouville to perform a special Garden Party Concert for my friend Steven Oldrid. Usually when I’m in France it’s all about singing the music of the 1940s but on this occasion it was a little different. As it was

Meeting Up With French Friends at the Ball!

post D-Day I was able to mix in tunes from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, post modern to grand Opera. I was also able to stream live which you can see by clicking the link to my facebook page above.

After my show I made my way to Arromanches where I had booked in with my friends Adrian and Karen to stay at their Normandy Beech B&B. I hadn’t seen them since the pandemic and it was wonderful to be back in Arromanches again catching up on old times. I also performed a Friday night concert for them in their courtyard which I also streamed as we rocked the night

Dressed Up for the Ball!

away and finished with the classic aria Nessun Dorma.

So much has changed since I last performed in Arromanches in 2019 including the new elegant 6 June D-Day Museum “Musee du Debarquement”. It’s a very elegant looking building and well worth a visit!

I made a point of visiting the museum after my Bretteville show on the Sunday as I wanted plenty of time to take everything in. Mussee du Debarquemnt  tells the story of the Mulberry Harbour and its importance as troops started to move forward after the initial D-Day landings. It was an incredible feat of engineering especially as it was completed in six weeks despite the tempestuous Normandy weather. You can still see the remains of the harbour today.

On Stage at The Liberation Ball!

I don’t often get the chance to take in all the surrounding when I’m working but on this occasion I made a point of walking along the prom after dinner and up the hill to the 360 degree cinema just out-side of Arromanches. It was a beautiful evening and I returned the following day to visit the cinema and admire the statues which have been clearly created using a series of tiny circles welded together making  their subjects transparent.

Out-side the Musee du Debarquement in Arromanches!

The first time I performed in Normandy was for the 60 D Day Commemorations in 2004. I remember it well as people decorated their houses with flags and there seemed to be more jeeps driving up and down the roads then, than during the 1944 invasion. I returned for the 65th in 2009 and I’ve been performing in Normandy every year since excluding the pandemic years.

The first time I performed in Normandy it was at the the American Gold Beach museum in Ver-sur-Mer. It’s a charming museum which focuses on two historic areas. The bridgehead by British troops on Gold Beach during the D-Day landings and the presentation of the first air mail flight between the USA and France in 1927. This is where the term Lindy Hop comes from which we now associate with a style of Jive

Admiring the Statues at the 360 degree Cinema!

dancing which was first developed in the Harlem nightclubs of the 1920s and became mainstream in the 1930s & 40s.

Due to my other commitments I hadn’t been back to Ver-sur-Mer since 2019. Now it hosts the British Normandy memorial and it’s a wonderful tribute to those who lost their lives during the D- Day Landings. The memorial records the names of 22,442 people from more than 30 countries under British command who were killed in Normandy from 6 June to 31 August 1944. It’s so tranquil there and I’m so pleased that I was able to visit. It beautiful, where life stands still and

The British Normandy Memorial! Ver-sur-Mer!

gives you a chance to reflect and think about those who gave their lives.

In many ways we owe this wonderful tribute to George Batts, a Normandy veteran who met with BBC journalist Nicholas Witchell in July 2015. Batts pointed out that the United Kingdom was the only major Allied nation without a dedicated memorial in Normandy. The Normandy Memorial Trust was set up after their meeting and it was completed and unveiled on 6 June 2021.

Now I’ve returned home from France I’m busy planning for next year and I can confirm I will be

Remembering Our Wonderful Veterans!

performing in Normandy for the 80th D-Day Commemorations. The beauty about going out a little later means every-one is a little more relaxed and more open to discuss business over coffe

e and croissants. I will definately be performing in Arromanches during this period. With full show news to follow closer to the date – so keep watching this space for up dates .

In the meantime I will leave you with a few of my photos and don’t forget you can see my live streams along with my Normandy video diaries by

Waiting to board the Ferry at Ouistreham!

clicking onto my facebook pages.

My next blog will be about my Nene Valley and Milestones museum shows so –

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for now! 😉

Sailing home to Blighty!

Nene Valley Railway 27th May 23

I’m all set for an action-packed weekend filled with nostalgic melodies and beautiful songs! Although tonight’s blog will be short and sweet, it’s all in preparation for an early night before embarking on an exciting journey tomorrow morning. Brace yourself for an unforgettable experience at the mesmerizing Nene Valley Railway, where I’ll be taking the stage with a series of spectacular shows that will transport you through the decades, from the swinging 1940s to the groovy 1970s.

As the sun rises, I’ll kick off the day at Wansford Station with a dazzling display with my 1940s WAAF Show, aptly titled “Straighten Up and Fly Right.” This fabulous show will have you tapping your feet and whisked away to an era filled with courage, resilience, and timeless tunes. But the excitement doesn’t stop there! At 1:30pm, I’ll transport you to the rocking 1950s with my show “Chantilly Lace,” a sensational showcase of melodies that will have you jiving and bopping along. Finally, at 3:30pm, prepare to be immersed in the nostalgia of the 1960s and 70s as I take you on a melodic journey with “Thank-you for the Music,” featuring iconic songs that defined an entire generation.

https://www.nvr.org.uk/

Anticipate a glorious weekend ahead, as the weather reports promise abundant sunshine

Milestones Museum 1940s Week!

But the thrill doesn’t end there! After bidding farewell to Nene Valley Railway, I’ll swiftly make my way to Basingstoke on Sunday to captivate audiences at Milestones Museum during their exhilarating 1940s week. In perfect harmony with the half-term break, this event promises to be an absolute delight. Mark your calendars for Bank Holiday Monday, May 29th, and Tuesday, May 30th, as I will be gracing the stage with three shows each day. And if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, there will also be a host of fascinating talks throughout the day too.

Let me give you a glimpse of shows for Monday, May 29th: I’ll commence at 11 am with my ATS show “We’ll Meet Again,” whisking you away to a time of camaraderie and courage. At 1 pm, prepare to be dazzled by the glitz and glamour of the 1940s with my “Hooray for Hollywood,” show celebrating the iconic musicals of yesteryear. Finally, at 3 pm, we’ll march to the rhythm with my US WAC show “Gi Jive,” transporting you to an era of energy and fortitude.

On Tuesday, May 30th, the festivities continue! I’ll start the day at 11 am with my WRNS show, “The Fleets in Port Again,” a captivating tribute to the unsung heroes of the Royal Navy. At 1 pm, get ready for a sensational Big Band and Swing Show titled “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree,” guaranteed to have you singing along and craving dance floor moves. And to wrap up this extraordinary journey through time, I’ll “Straighten Up and Fly Right,” with my WAAF show at 3 pm.

For further details and to ensure you don’t miss out on this remarkable experience, visit the following link:

https://www.milestonesmuseum.org.uk/event/1940s-week

So, gear up for an enthralling weekend filled with captivating performances, iconic melodies, and a nostalgic atmosphere that will transport you to the golden ages. Don’t miss your chance

That’s all my news for now but I’m looking forward immensely to this weekend and I look forward to seeing you.

Toodle Pip and By for Now! 😉

Singing the 1970s!

It’s true what they say a rest is as good as a cure although I confess I haven’t had much time to relax with my current work diary. It’s good to be busy although I have been pushing myself to the extreme performing shows every day, learning and rehearsing new material in-between times.  I was struggling to remember the words to my new songs at the start of the week until I realized the problem was down to tiredness. I have been burning the candle at both ends of late and once I’d topped up on my sleep my words came flooding back and all was well.

I put my brain through a lot and I’m turning shows around on a pin head so it’s important I partmentanize. This week I opened at The Poplars Garden Centre in Toddington performing for their Coronation High Tea. It was a lovely afternoon and I thought this would be my last “Happy and Glorious” show of the season but I forgot I have one more to do this coming Monday due to a rescheduled date. I’ve also been extremely

On stage at The Poplars Garden centre!

busy performing songs from the 1950s and 60s plus rehearsing every minute of the day as I build my 1970s repertoire.

Yesterday I was engaged to sing for a wake in Egham as family and friends came together to remember Paul Edmonds. My brief was to sing the hymn “I Vow to thee my Country”, “Pack up Your Troubles” and songs from the 1970s. The theme colour was orange and every-one was asked to wear the fashions of the 1970s & 80s and to party the afternoon away in tribute to Paul. It was a lovely event and I felt honoured to be engaged to sing for this important occasion.

Land of Hope and Glory!

A lot of thought goes into my shows and never more so when I’m commissioned by a family to sing a selection of songs in tribute to a loved one. I’m constantly learning new music as the vintage time lines move forward and it’s healthy when clients come to me and request numbers I haven’t thought of before. On this occasion I was requested to sing some Elton John and I choose “Crocodile Rock” which opened up my 70s section once I had performed the requested hymn and the War time sing-along selection.

I have a naturally high soprano voice and it’s easy for me to sing classical music especially when it comes to hymns and popular songs from the shows and musicals, usually because they are often written with soprano voices in mind. It’s not always so easy relating that to pop songs where a stronger lower register is often required. One of the other song requests from yesterday was Wham’s “Wake me Up Before

Singing the 1970s at The Beehive in Egham!

you Go Go”. I tried very hard to learn this one in time but sadly it wasn’t possible. A few of the first notes were a little out of my lower register where the rest of the song was fine. It is possible to transpose but this can sometimes lose the essence of the number and doesn’t always work. Now I’m older my lower register has got stronger and I’m sure in time this is one I will master but for the moment I will continue on developing my 1970s repertoire.

My next couple of weeks are going to be very full on as I head up to Nene Valley Railway next

Nene Valley Railway 27th May 23

Saturday 27th May to perform 3 x 45 minute shows during the day at  Wansford Station. These will include songs from the 1940s – 1970s. 11.30am 1940s WAAF Show “Straighten Up and Fly Right”, 1.30pm Songs from the 1940s & 50s “Chantilly Lace”, 3.30pm Songs from the 1960s & 70s “Thank-you for the Music”. https://nvr.org.uk/article.php/27/wansford-station/abbc661a119b49a393fc8d34b235305a

Milestones Museum 1940s Week!

The next day I will be heading down to Basingstoke to perform 3 x 45 minute shows daily at Milestones Museum for their 1940s week. I’m performing Bank Holiday Monday 29th & Tuesday 30th May and all my shows will be different. These will include :-

Monday 29th May

11.am – ATS “We’ll Meet Again, 1pm – 1940s Glamour “Hooray for Hollywood” 3pm – US WAC “Gi Jive”

Tuesday 30th May

11am – WRNS “The Fleets in Port Again” 1pm – Big Band and Swing Show “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”, 3pm WAAF “Straighten Up and Fly Right”

You can also find more details by clicking this press link to the Basingstoke Gazette https://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/news/23527614.step-back-time-1940s-milestones-half-term/

The Following weekend I’m performing in my home town for the Leighton Buzzard Food Festival which will be taking place in the High Street on Sunday 4th June. I will be performing a straight through 60 minute show at 11.30am “Songs from Around the World” before I start making my way south to perform at Hailsham

Liberation Ball 10th June 23

House a special show for D-Day on 6th June.

I will then be heading onto Portsmouth with a show in Fishbourne before I catch the early morning ferry over to Normandy to perform at the Liberation Ball on the 10th June at the Salle le Studio, Place des Canadiens, Bretteville l’ Orgueilleuse.  Plus I have two private garden party shows to perform in Benouville on 8th and Arromanches on 9th.

I have a lot to do and plan for and this is my first day off since 3rd April. I shall leave you with a few of my photos from this week and I hope very much to see some of you at my forthcoming shows.

Keep Following Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

The King and I!

It’s been an amazing week as I continue to perform “Happy and Glorious” shows with my last Coronation concert due to take place on Monday 15th May. I shall be performing for a Vintage High Tea at The Poplars Garden Center in Toddington on that date and it’s already promising to be a fabulous afternoon.

If you would like to book a table please click the enclosed link where you can find more information about the event and it will be delightful to see you. https://poplars.co.uk/happy-and-glorious/

I’ve performed sixteen shows in eleven days and it’s been great to see peoples decorations as I’ve been travelling about. It’s hard work performing show after show but very enjoyable and I wouldn’t have it any other way. On the day of the coronation I was fascinated by the ceremony. My first show

Coronation Fever!

was at 11am which was brought forward to 10.30am  so my audience were able to hear me and watch the first part of the coronation playing out behind me on a large screen.

Like the rest of the nation I was mesmerised by the ceremony. Steeped in 900 years of tradition I found the whole event really joyous. Perhaps one of the highlights for me was seeing our armed forces matching down the Mall to Buckingham Palace and negotiating that tricky gate with a specially devised  marching manoeuvre as our troupes went from twelve abreast to six.

I know as a nation we like to have a moan from time to time but it’s events like this which really makes one proud to be British. No other country in the

Off Ration VE Day High Tea in Kettering!

world does this sort of thing as well as us and we should be proud of the fact! I had two shows the day of the coronation but I was fortunate my second show was much later in the day which meant I was able to catch the highlights between performances. I’ve also been performing my new British Themes medley which has been a super  addition to my show and lovely to hear all those fresh sounding instruments too.

It’s great to be busy and I just have another two coronation shows to do with a “Putting on the Ritz” and a “Magic of the Musicals” this weekend

Hope and Glory in Wallingford!

which will break things up a little bit and give me a change of repertoire. On the 8th May I was invited to perform my “We’ll Meet Again” ATS show for VE Day which once again was followed by a sumptuous off ration tea.

It’s been an interesting month because a lot of the bigger events didn’t really take off until very late in the season. This was largely due to a short fall in funds as most of the money was spent on the Queens Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Councils were very late to book and in many cases it was the private sector and the care home market which really went to town and planed ahead for the coronation. I was contacted very late by a couple of councils by which time I had already sold all my dates to other clients.

It seems I’m not alone as most vintage and retro entertainers were performing predominantly for private parties and the pub

The Cutting of The Coronation Cake!

market rather than for big out-door events which as it happens proved to be very fortuitous. Especially as many of the out door events planned for the 6th May ended up being rained off.

I’ve been very blessed to have been working every day since the 3rd April with only three days off. However with the cost of living going up so much it’s not easy making a living especially with the bottom falling out of so many events. These days it’s often much more cost effective to play three local care homes than travel and sing at a heritage event.

Coronation Cake!

It’s important to keep working and fortunately I have plenty of variety in my repertoire covering so many different styles and genres. I never stop learning new songs and it’s important to stay on trend so I’m especially looking forward to including three of my new post modern numbers into my “Putting on the Ritz” show on Saturday.

That’s all my news for now and I shall leave you with a few of my photos from this weeks coronation shows.

Keep Following – Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Meeting Up with King Charles III

The Royal Coach Cake Stand!