Happy New Year!
Well it’s been a busy time for me over Christmas and New Year. I’m just about settling back to normal routine and quite amazed that it’s nearly the end of January already!
I managed to get back home to see the folks for a couple of days over Christmas, so it was lovely to have a little break. New Year’s Eve saw me performing up north again, in a beautiful little Perthshire village called Alyth, where I celebrated Hogmanay with a mixture of locals and visitors.
Alyth must be a very healthy place to live, as there was a lovely gentleman at the bar in his 90s, still looking very fit and active, who had served in the distinguished ‘Black Watch’ Scottish regiment in his younger days. Him and his wife enjoyed the whole night and stayed well into the wee hours!
As it was Hogmanay I included several Scottish favourites, including the essential Loch Lomond and Auld Lang Syne at the stroke of midnight. I also added in some more contemporary Scottish songs by artists such as Rod Stewart, Frankie Miller, Eddi Reader, Paulo Nutini and Emeli Sande.
It turned out to be a very romantic night, as one young man proposed to his girlfriend just after midnight. I think that’s the first time that’s happened at one of my gigs – as soon as she said yes I launched into the traditional Scottish song ‘Mairi’s Wedding’ to get everybody in the mood!
I am booked to sing at quite a few weddings over the next few months, plus a few of my friends are also planning to tie the knot this year – looks like 2014 is going to be a very romantic one!
So, let’s get in the mood with this sentimental swing classic by Ella Fitzgerald: ‘I only have eyes for you’.
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