It’s true to say I’ve never been as busy as I am now which is why I have decided to split my blog into two parts tonight. I’ve so much to share with you all as I’m not long back from completing 8 shows over 5 days and travelling nearly over 500 miles. To be honest I’m still very tired from the weekend and now we are in August it’s a straight run through to September with no free days at all, so very busy indeed!

This last week has been such fun as I’ve been on tour with my good friend Kim who has to be the best looking sound engineer in the business not to mention a frightfully good hair dresser too. In fact Kim calls herself the Hair Hitler and she has been making sure I’ve been going out looking my very best with no fly away bits. I’m afraid when it comes to my hair I can be so slap dash which doesn’t and wont do so I’ve felt altogether much smarter this weekend with her help even if we can be a little like “Hinge and Bracket”.Can’t we dear!

On Thursday we were booked to play in Leeds at Weetwood Hall for a WW1 conference so naturally I was engaged to perform my WW1 show “Pack up Your Troubles”. The organiser Mr Peter Chubb looked after us very well and he gave Kim and I a lovely family sized room which was just as well as Connie was packed full of costumes and hat boxes which we had to un load before we could rig. Thursday must have been a very important night for the conference as he had arranged for a pipe, bugle and drum display and a Scottish piper who piped us into dinner. By the morning we had to be on the road again br

The Pipe and Drums at Weetwood Hall!

On the Road with Kim!

ight and early as I was due to perform in the Isle of Wight for the Steam Railway’s Victorian weekend. It’s 283 miles from Leeds to Portsmouth so perhaps not surprisingly it took us most of the day. Natraly we ended up in a cue on the M25 which was just horrible and by the time we got onto the ferry Kim and I were ready for a cup of Earl Grey tea. Sadly I wasn’t able to do the Isle of Wight’s Victorian event last year as I was already booked by the Bugatti Club to do their summer rally. So this year was rather special as I had lots of new arrangements and costumes not to mention my new album “The Good Old Days” which I launched there.

More on that tomorrow as I must get to bed now. In the mean time enjoy my photos which I have posted up onto facebook.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!

To say I’ve been a little bit busy these last few months has to be something of an understatment to say the least. I have been working flat-out here at Harrison HQ and I’m now starting to see the fruits of my labour which is very rewarding. I picked up my new album today from the CD duplicator and I have to say I’m really pleased with it. Needless to say we had a few desarters along the way but nothing I couldn’t sort  so I’m now looking forward to launching it in the Isle of Wight this weekend. I’ve already sold a couple of copies and the response I’ve had has been very positive. This is my seventh album and it’s hard to belive that I recorded my first album 20 years ago in 1994 at a studio in Blackpool. Gosh where does the time go to! What I’ve learnt about show biz and singing in those 20 years is priceless. It is true what they say, You don’t get older you just get better!

I recorded this album over two days on the 15th & 16th July and from start to finnish took 19 days before I was able to sell my first copies today. I think that’s quite an achievement even if I do say so myself especially when you consider this is my second album this year. Mind you this wouldn’t have been possible with-out the very talented team of people I have around me. In particular Richard who I work with very closely  on my musical arrangements and Rachel my web-designer who is able to make my designs reality while adding her own special flar. Then there are all the wonderful photographers I have worked with which makes the product what it is. So Thankyou every-one for all your hard work! I’m now looking forward to enjoying a very busy August and I’m all pack to head off up to Leeds tomorrow. I’m booked to sing at a WW1 conference and then I’m back down the co

My New Album “The Good Old Days”

untry on Friday as I head over to the Isle of Wight for the steam railways Victorian Weekend. I’m booked to perform 3 Music Hall shows daily and this will be where I launch my new album “The Good Old Days”. I shall be on stage at 11.45am 1.30pm and 3.10pm and this year I will be performing some new Music Hall numbers which I’ve not sung there before including “Burlington Bertie from Bow”, “She was one of the Early Birds” and “Oh! Oh! Antonio”. I also have a new arrangement of “Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way” which I shall be performing at the end of one of my sets. All the above mentioned numbers have been included in my new album so I hope you can make it along to see me in the Isle of Wight. This year I shall be working with my friend Kim who will be doing sound for me and then on the 4th August we will be heading back home with a very special show booked in that evening to mark the WW1 centenary. I shall be performing at Quainton Village Hall as the village remembers it’s fallen with Lights Out. This is where every-one turns off their lights and places a candle in their windows to remember  the dead. A rather lovely way to remember I think!

That’s about all my news for now but just to keep you up to date about my album “The Good Old Days” Rachel will be adding it to my web-site this weekend so it will be possible to buy on line very soon by clicking onto my CD page

Time for bed I think as I head off bright and early tomorrow. Keep Watching and thank-you for Following Toodle Pip!

Hello every-one I’m just back from Manchester and Wythenshawe Hall’s 1940s event. I drove up yesterday after my show in St Albans and today I was booked to do two shows one ATS and one American glamour so it’s been another busy weekend. In fact I’m keen to get my blog out tonight as I’ve so much to do next week with the launch of my new Music Hall album “The Good Old Days” plus a full week of WW1 and Music Hall shows to do as I head into the busy month of August with a non stop run. The weather has been super and Wythenshawe Hall did really well today attracting over 650 visitors. It was lovely reading all the visitors comments on the notice board and the Hall want to book me back again later this year for their WW1 day – so I shall keep you posted about that. Wythenshawe Hall are very keen to invite artists to present their work and in the library they had an installation where it was possible to go into a booth and sing along karaoke style with a serving solider on film. I’m only sorry I didn’t get the chance to have a go as it looked like great fun and I did rather like the look of the solider on the bill board advertising the instigation – great muscal tone!. My friend Ingrid told me some of the soldiers, you can tell were very nervous when they were filmed – but a great idea never the less!

That’s about all my news for now as I have so much to do next week and much to prep for as I head up to Leeds and then down to the Isle of Wight. I was thrilled to see Micheal at Wythenshawe to-day and he has very kindly offered to make a video for me so I will be able to share todays shows with you at a later

Me at Wythenshawe Hall

Getting ready for my second set!

Wythenshawe Hall

date – something eles I will keep you posted on. A big thank-you to Ingrid and all the staff at Wythenshawe Hall who made me so welcome.

Time for bed I think! Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip!

I do Like to be Beside the Sea Side!

These last few weeks have been something of a whirl and today I have been sorting out the few loose ends which needed tieing for my new Music Hall album “The Good Old Days”. I can’t belive how quickly it has come together and much of this is down to the talented people I have around me. In particular Richard who is an amazing musician and who I work with very closely on my musical arrangements and Rachel my web-design who like me is so particular about design, presentation and making sure every last detail is spot on. Then there are all the talented photographers I’ve been privileged to work with over many years so this is a product I’m very proud of and something I’m looking forward to sharing with you all. With regards launch date I’m aiming for the 30th July as I’m off up to Leeds on the 31st and then straight down to the Isle of Wight on the 1st for The IOW Steam Railway’s Victorian Weekend so it’s important I get everything organised and sorted for then. I popped into Rachel’s last night after my show and went over the design – this morning I was at the printers and now everything has been approved and in full production. So not long now! Keep watching this space and I shall keep you all posted!

This week I have been out and about performing another mixed bag of shows from “Hooray for Hollywood” to WW1 and “Pack up Your Troubles” to a “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” show booked in for tomorrow and a Summer Garden party on Saturday before I head up to Wythenshawe Hall in Manchester for their 1940s weekend. I need to just double check the times but I’m down to be on stage at 12.30pm and 3pm so I hope you can all make it along. Some of you may remember I had the pleasure of performing at Wythenshawe Hall on Easter Sunday this year for their Victorian event so it’s lovely to be booked back and I hope very much I will be working with Scarlett their resident Soprano again.

That’s about all my news for now as I must type up my show plans for this and next weekend.

Thankyou for Following and Toodle Pip!

Me on stage with Kit and Adam

Me at The Heros of Moreton Exhibition!

Sitting by the Lake at Fossebridge

Out and About at Boughton in the Water

I’m not sure if I will be able to write-up a full blog tonight as I was late starting my work due to my computer not arriving back untill 2.30pm this afternoon. I sent Patrick Bell away for more memory and he seems to be happier and not making quite as many creaky noises as usual. I’m back in the studio tonight – just finishing off some house keeping and up dating my net book and ipad with the new musical changes I’ve made on some of my musical arrangements. I’ve had a really good listen to my album and I’m pleased to say there is not a thing I want to change so I hope to put “The Good Old Days” into production tomorrow although I still have to approve the artwork! So fingers crossed I will be able to get this Music Hall album out for the 1st August!

Talking of Music Hall I’m just back from the Cotswolds and performing my WW1 show “Pack Up Your Troubles” for the “Heroes of Moreton” exhibition in Morton in the Marsh. A big thank-you to Adam Wood and Kit who invited me to sing for their event and what a lovely event it was too. I was booked to sing at Redesdale Hall and Adam and Kit had put on a wonderful exhibition in the hall. If you click onto my facebook star at the top of this page you will see I have posted up lots of my photos onto facebook – many of which show the exhibition, so do please take a look. In truth Saturday was a bit of a dash as I had a WW1-WW2 show to do on the way in Aylesbury first and then it was straight to Moreton for a 7pm curtain. As it happens it couldn’t have gone better and I wore my new WW1 costume which I designed for day time and dashing from show to show. It’s come out rather well – a sute in pale blue with navy trim and the skirt has gorday inserts which give me the freedom of movement I need. I’ve designed the coat so it can be worn open allowing me to move freely on stage – perfect! Mind you come the evening I did change my hat to silk – something a little smarter! I really enjoyed Saturdays show and we had a super audience which really got into the swing of Music Hall. Adam and Kit had decorated the hall beautifully and I enjoyed the exhibition too!

On Sunday I took some time out to visit Boughton on the Water. I love the Cotswolds and I’d booked to stay over at Jurys Inn in Swindon. Originally I was down to do a show in Reading but it fell through at the last minuet so I decided to do a bit of sight-seeing instead. I headed back into the Cotswolds and discovered a wonderful hotel on the way by chance. The Inn at Fossebridge. To be honest Swindon is not the place for me and I couldn’t get out quickly enough – too modern and I hated the one way system! So if I am ever that way again I shall try the Inn at Fossebridge. I had a lovely Sunday roast lunch and then enjoyed Boughton on the Water there after!

Gosh I’ve just seen the time and I need to eat before heading to the studio. Thanks for following and Toodle Pip!

If you have been following me on facebook you will know just how busy I have been these last few months and it’s going to get even busier with the centenary. I’m completely sold out for August. I will be down in the Isle of Wight at the start of the month and then all over the place with shows booked in Scotland and Wales not to mention Shuttleworth’s WW1 event in Biggleswade on the 10th and an awful lot more besides. In fact things are going crazy on the Victorian and WW1 front that I took the decision to record another album this week. Yes I know this is my second album in a year and no-body records two albums in a year – but then I’ve never been like any-one else so I took a deep breath and went for it! I just felt the time was right to do so and this is one is a tribute to the Music Hall and Variety stage. Somewhere I feel very at home. I can’t make up my mind which is my favourite track “Burlington Bertie from Bow ” or “Don’t Dilly Dally on the Way”, either way Richard has done me proud with this new arrangements and it’s lovely to be singing these songs again!

For those of you who have seen me on stage will know I commission all my music which means my arrangements are exclusive making my act unique.  Although I don’t own the songs I own the tracks which means I have a large catalogue I can pull from. I wasn’t sure if I could pull this off as I’ve had so little time with my diary being so very busy but I’m ever-so pleased with the result and if my “We’ll Meet Again” album is anything to go by I think this will sell well. It seems people just like a good old-fashioned sing-along at the end of the day!

I’m working very hard to get this album out for August and I need to sort out the album design tonight for when I see Rachel tomorrow morning. If I don’t make the 1st then it will be mid August and I shall keep you all posted with how I get on. In the mean time don’t forget you can see me this Saturday in the Cotswolds at Redesdale Hall, Moreton in the Mash. I’m on stage at 7pm with my WW1 show “Pack Up Your Troubles”. It’s the towns Heroes of Moreton  “We Remember Them” event and it’s going to be a busy day as I have a show in Aylesbury on the way through. So no time to Dilly

The Good Old Days Me all Music Hall!

Me in the Recording Studio!

Dally! You can get tickets by going to their web-site at www.heroesofmoreton.com

From 3pm marching tunes will be played by the Shipston Brass Band with an exhibition from 5pm.

Well I must dash now as I have so much to do and prep for. Thank-you for following and Toodle Pip!

Me all WW1 Photo by Bee Jackson

I’m sorry to say I’m in a frightful dash this evening. I’ve just got back from performing a WW1 show and I’ve been really busy all week getting everything ready for Rachel my web-designer, as we had a meeting this morning. Now I’ve gone mobile with my web-site I have been working really hard to up date my pages in particular the 1940s one which we will be going live with next week. Tecknolagee is moving really fast and it’s important I move with it. You can see this in photos and how they are now up loading. Before you would always need to sharpen, now you don’t need to as the modern programs do it automatically. I have lots of plans for my web-site and I shall be adding lots of new pages  as we go along. I’ve tried to tidy things up a bit on my 1940s page and we will be in bedding all my 1940s videos onto that page so it will make it easier to use and less of a fiddle having to click onto my You Tube channel. I shall be adding a separate credits page as I felt this was making the 1940s page too long and also a video and show reel page making things more customer friendly. I also have lots of new photos to add and I’m looking forward to showing you Amy Elisibeth Philips photos who I worked with earlier this year. She took some cracking shots of me at Swanwick Station and Angela Adams who I worked with last year on a 1920s and 30s shoot. I only used a fraction of what she did for the 20s and 30s page and I’m looking forward to using more.

Things are going crazy with WW1 and a couple of years ago I had the pleasure of working with Dave and Bee Jackson of Retro Air Photographic. They took some great photos of me in WW1 costume and I shall be wearing that costume tomorrow when I sing for a Blackadder do in Aldershot. You can also catch me at The Mayor’s Newham Show in Central Park, East Ham on Sunday. I’m on stage at 1.25pm – 2.25pm with “Pack Up Your Troubles” my WW1 show and also at 3.35pm – 4.05 with my Big Band and Swing Show. I shall also be compereing all through the day as my alter ego “Evette the Spivette” so it’s going to be a very full weekend.

Next week I’m back in the recording studio with Richard and I’m playing at Redesdale Hall in Moreton in the Mash on the 19th July for their WW1 remembrance. I must dash now. Enjoy the photo this is one of Bee Jackson’s

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!