Back in the Studio!

Songs in Production!

Firstly thank-you every-one who caught my radio show on Easter Sunday on 1940s radio and for all your kind comments. It’s still early days for me as I work on developing my radio voice and mike technique. It’s a different technique required for singing as it is for radio and the spoken word, I’ve learn’t a lot from listening to my last two shows. I still have another two shows recorded in the can waiting to be aired so when I next record program five I hope you will be able to hear a great improvement.

It had been my intention to blog long before today but these last few weeks I have been burning the candle at both ends with far too many late nights and early mornings. I’ve been out every day performing Easter Bonnet shows and getting back in the evenings to a mountain of paper work which doesn’t do it’self. I was also with Richard in the recording studio until gone 1.00 am last Wednesday laying down some demos for a client who has engaged me to sing for her wedding. It was necessary for me to record some rehearsal tracks as my client has pacifically request “I’ll be with You in Apple Blossom Time” and “Long ago and Far Away” and she wants to

Working Late in the Studio with Richard!

Getting Ready for the Shoot!

practice walking down the isle to “Apple Blossom Time”. I’ve had to commission these tracks especially so we’ve changed the time signature to “Apple Blossom Time” from 3/4 to 4/4 which will work better for walking. Richard has also produced a wonderful arrangement of “Long ago and Far Away” which I hope the bride will love.

Apart from working on new songs from the 1940s Richard has also produced

On Stage in Japan!

a great arrangement of the Cilla Black number “You’ve My World” which I’ve been wanting to sing for a long time. We’ve taken the number up a key which suits my voice better and brought in a complete orchestra for the 1970s number “What I did for Love”. I’m really looking forward to performing both

numbers as I have a very full diary ahead of me and it’s important to do the preparation now so everything is in place for the season. Forward planning is the only way to succeed!

With April comes The Best of British Magazines 1940s issue. This year the magazine wanted to do something different. Where I usually write an article about something to do with the 40s scene two months ago I met up with the editor Simon Stabler for an interview. Simon wanted to write an article about my early career and use photos from before I started on the 40s circuit. (Crikey is that me!)  If you haven’t got your copy yet do pop down to WH Smiths and you can find me on page 46. To be honest I hardly recognise myself when I look back on my photographs especially the ones of me in Japan with the dances.  It makes me chuckle when I see a brown face and a white neck and shoulders. I would never let that “faux pas” pass today!

Getting Ready for the Shoot!

Speaking of which this Wednesday I’m going to be working at Shuttleworth House with photographer Angela Adams. This photo shoot has been months in the planning and we are going to be photographing my Victorian and Edwardian costumes. I’ve been able to gain special permission from the estate and it’s a real privilege to be working with Angela again in such a beautiful location. Tomorrow I will be having a very light spay tan just to even out my colour which might seem a bit strange when you are doing a Victorian photo shoot but when you are as white as I am it’s very necessary.  If anything the Japan photos prove that, and even with a spray tan on camera my skin looks normal and contestant from face to shoulders. Another trick I use is to always have my eye lashes dyed which gives the eye a natural definition and looks more natural.

Gosh I’ve just noticed the time and I must dash as I have lots to prepare for Wednesday. I’m also in the hair dress tomorrow getting ready for the shoot so much to do. Next week I will be heading off to Sufolk but more on that in my next blog.

Keep Following and Toodle Pip! 😉