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Emma Thompson and Shower-Curtains
Emma Thompson recently came clean when she was asked if her level of fame now means that she can turn down crappy acting roles. “I don’t always say no to rubbish,” she said, “because that’s often the best paid.“ Good for you. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one.
New video: Blue Moon
Here’s Blue Moon from the sessions we did at The Pool Studios. Written in 1934 by Rodgers and Hart, it's been recorded by all the greats from Sinatra to Elvis to Dylan to the Supremes. That's versatility! I hope you enjoy our version.
A Guide to American Cheese
Before all this madness started, I was in an American style burger restaurant and ordered an cheese burger. I paid extra for the "cheddar cheese" topping. I put that in quotations marks because what they gave me was the colour of a high-viz jacket and about as tasty.
How to use the time
Wow! It’s crazy how quickly everything can change in a week. After my two shows in London, I flew back home to Tenerife just before all of Spain went on “lock down”. All bars, restaurants and pretty much everything else is closed with strict rules on what we are allowed to do.
How to plan the perfect weddIng
As a singer I’ve been to my fair share of weddings. I’ve seen the good the bad and the ugly (and that’s just the chefs). As well as plenty of “perfect days” I’ve seen fights, food disasters, cars breaking down and power cuts. So, from the point of view of the wedding singer, here’s my hit list for the perfect wedding.
Pretend lives for pretend friends
A beautiful place to enjoy, used only as a backdrop to promote pretend lives to pretend friends. Sometimes, I’m so glad I’m not young anymore.
What did you want to be?
Some kids grow up wanting to be a fireman or an astronaut. I wanted to be a bagpipe. One of my brothers wanted to be a sheep so maybe there was something in the water. At least my ambition was (almost) musical.
Thank you, David Carter
I was very sad recently to hear of the death of one of my favourite arrangers, David Carter. You may not know the name but you will have heard his work. He was one of the first arrangers I worked with, back in the early 90s. I didn't know anyone who could give me a recommendation, so I looked through the small ads in the back of the Stage newspaper and there he was.
CBSO with Clare Teal
Thank you to the city of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducter Gavin Sutherland and one of my favourite singers, Clare Teal, for such a wonderful night in Birmingham.
Do you like Valentine's Day?
Do you like Valentine’s? For me, the expectation of having to do something special somehow makes it less special. Regardless, if you fancy a romantic ballad, here’s my studio recording of If Ever I Would Leave You.
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You
I have just released a new video of my singing a Led Zeppelin classic Babe I’m Gonna Leave You.
Cabaret students at GSA
It’s been my pleasure to spend a week teaching cabaret to the musical theatre students from the Guildford School of Acting. I think this is the only course of its kind in the UK and I’m delighted to be a part of it.
Carnegie Hall (Almost)
I was recently asked to sing at New York’s Carnegie Hall but had to say no because I was already booked for a cruise ship. Ouch. It’s one of the few places I would really like to work. I could have begged the cruise line to let me off, but over the years I’ve learned the importance of honouring commitments and not letting people down.
The key to success
I am on a five day photography course this week in India. The teacher is Martin Parr, which is like having tennis lessons from Andre Agassi or practising your three-point-turn with Lewis Hamilton. I love Parr’s work. It’s enlightening, life-affirming and often, very funny.
Relax with peggy lee
Peggy Lee once admitted that she doesn’t use most of her voice but what she has used has served her well. There’s an understatement. My pal Jon Nickoll introduced me to a little known album of hers called Sea Shells. Here, Peggy Lee begs our indulgence in a very personal song cycle, a sort of meditation on life and the passing of time.
Making the Transition from Musical Theatre to Cabaret
There are two main routes into cabaret: musical theatre and singing in bars or piano lounges. Each requires their own skill set but for a successful transition into cabaret, some of those hard-earned skills will need to be left in the wings.
Help for people with dementia
What songs instantly make you smile? I bet most of them take you back to your teenage years. My list includes Jason and Kylie’s ‘Especially for You’ (I skipped school to watch the wedding), Sinatra’s ‘Nice n Easy’ and the theme from Trumpton. For Jean Pyle, an 87 year-old living with dementia, it’s ‘I Love You Because’. Seeing her face light up on hearing it is a beautiful moment and a testimony to the power of music.