NEWS PAGE & BLOG


Hello one and all and welcome to my news page. Here you can see me as my two alter egos the ever efficient secretary Prudie Jones, Evette the Spivette and plain old little me as you catch up with all that is current in my world. Regrettably unlike Prudie my spelling is quite frightful at the best of times due to my dyslexia so I shall apologise now for anything which might be shamefully mis-spelt. In the mean time I hope you find this page fun, entertaining and informative and become a regular visitor to my site.

Kind Regards

A Voice in a Million


Singing the 70s, Off to Nene Valley, Bassingstoke & Over to France!

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!