Vintage Singer Preston

December 3, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently had the pleasure of singing for a wonderful lady at her 80th birthday party in Chorley near Preston, Lancashire. Held at the beautiful Shaw Hill Golf and Spa hotel, it was a lovely celebration of life, love, friendship and family.

The Shaw Hill is a marvellous country house hotel set above a championship golf course in the tranquil setting of Chorley in Lancashire. Vardon’s restaurant provided the perfect venue for the nostalgic afternoon.

I sang a selection of favourite old songs that were all specially chosen by the family.

The day was organised by her daughter, who sent me this lovely testimonial:

“Lisa performed at my mum’s 80th birthday over the weekend. She sang some nostalgic songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s which evoked many happy memories for mum and her friends.
Lisa was professional and friendly and of course, super talented! I would thoroughly recommend Lisa to anyone planning a special event and looking for a first class singer.
Thank you Lisa, you made my 80 year old mum a very happy lady x”

She also sent me this picture – how romantic! To think they’ve been together for 59 years and he’s still gazing at her as if they’d just met – heartmelting!

Still romantic after 59 years!

I had a really good time meeting all the family and felt privileged to be part of such a special occasion.

Singing at the Novar Estate in Dingwall

July 12, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

During the last couple of months I’ve had quite a few trips up to the Scottish Highlands to perform at the beautiful Novar Estate in Dingwall near Inverness.

I was booked to provide entertainment for some groups of American visitors who were visiting Scotland as very special guests of Whyte and Mackay award-winning whisky.

They were certainly lucky as they got to see Scotland in all its summer glory – we had such amazing weather here during June! And lucky for me too, as the drive up from Glasgow to Inverness was really something in the sunshine – just like driving through a picture postcard.

Whyte and Mackay wanted to provide some high-class entertainment that was a little different from the usual ‘bagpipes and Scottish dancing’, so they asked me to sing a mixture of music for the guests, including some American songbook standards.

During pre-dinner cocktails I sang light easy-listening songs, including some fun vintage-style versions of pop songs (in the style of Postmodern Jukebox), and during dinner I provided jazz standards plus some other well-known classics such as popular Bond themes. After dinner we picked up the pace and let our hair down a bit with some music for dancing (Abba was a big favourite, as always!).

From my time singing on American cruiseships I’ve always loved entertaining American audiences, as they’re always very friendly and enthusiastic. The groups at the Novar Estate were no exception, and so we had a lot of fun.

Really speaking, my job was very easy, as the guests were already so happy at being in such a sumptuous setting. Whyte and Mackay had treated them to some stunning trips around Scotland, and The Novar Estate is a really outstanding venue. Check out this link for some fascinating history on its origins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novar_House

Neil and the team at the Novar did an absolutely sterling job ensuring that every detail was absolutely perfect, from the whisky cocktails to the sumptuous dinner. Shauna from Whyte and Mackay was the perfect hostess, organising everything so it ran perfectly smoothly and making sure that everyone was totally happy.

It was so lovely to meet everyone at Novar, and I’m looking forward to returning again soon.

1950s Vintage Singer at 60th Birthday Party Airdrie

June 10, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I love when I’m asked to be the singer for a birthday party or anniversary, because it feels like such a privilege to be invited into such a special occasion.

And my recent booking at Harty’s Function Suite in Airdree was no exception. I was contacted by the birthday girl herself, who was organising her 60th birthday celebration and wanted a vintage 1950s singer for her party.

She had decided on 1950s and 1960s music, because that was the era during which she grew up. And also of course because the music and fashion from those decades are so cool!

I was sent some song suggestions and I put together the set list to include the recommendations. I’m always happy to include song requests when I’m given enough time to organise them beforehand – it makes it so much easier when I have the opportunity to prepare the music and rehearse etc.

And in this case it was a real pleasure as the songs were all excellent choices I have to say! The requests included At the hop, Runaround Sue, That’ll be the day, Da doo ron ron, and lots of other great numbers that always keep the dancefloor filled.

The chosen venue was Harty’s Function Suite in Airdrie (formerly known as the Caritas Club).

When I arrived to set up I was very impressed by the lovely vintage 1950s style decorations that had been arranged. Balloons and 1950s memorabilia gave a great atmosphere to the room, and it was topped off with a fun 60th birthday cake in the shape of a record player!

All the party guests had gone to town with 1950s and 1960s fancy dress and they looked fantastic. This era lends itself so well to parties as it’s so easy to source vintage 1950s and 1960s clothes so everyone can have fun and really get into the mood.

The birthday girl was such a gracious host and had a wonderful time. She gave me some lovely feedback too:

“Thank you for making my special bday extra special you are a fantastic singer and everyone thought you were excellent so thank you so much Lisa xx”

What a lovely lady! Wishing her all the very best for the future.

You’ll Never Know, 1940s song from The Shape of Water

March 28, 2018 By Lisa Martin 4 Comments

You’ll Never Know is a 1940s song that popped up recently in the award-winning film ‘The Shape of Water’. When I went to see the movie I was very pleased to hear the original Alice Faye version featured prominently in several scenes.

Funnily enough, I’d recently recorded a version myself, as it’s one of my favourite songs. It’s one of those beautiful standards that’s so emotive to sing that I sometimes struggle not to burst into tears when I’m performing it – back then they certainly knew how to write songs that would pull at your heartstrings!

So I put together a little video of my recording and added some trivia about the song – I’m always fascinated to find out the background of these vintage songs.

Here it is – I hope you like it.

You’ll Never Know – history and background

You’ll Never Know was written by Harry Warren (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics) and was introduced in the 1943 movie ‘Hello Frisco Hello’ by popular singer of the day Alice Faye.

The movie ‘Hello Frisco Hello’ was released by 20th Century-Fox and filmed in Technicolor. Set in San Francisco, it told the story of vaudeville performers around the period of the Panama Pacific Exposition of 1915, and starred Alice Faye, John Payne, Lynn Bari and Jack Oakie.

The song’s sentimental lyrics – based on a poem written by a young wartime bride from Oklahoma – captured the hearts of millions of people who were missing their loved ones.

With lines such as ‘you went away… and my heart went with you’, it really struck a chord with couples who had been separated with no guarantee of being reunited, and it became something of a World War 2 anthem.

Funnily enough, according to Philip Furia and Michael Lasser, the song’s main melodic theme came from military inspiration. In their book The Poets of Tin Pan Alley they quote Warren:

“You know my big Academy Award song, “You’ll Never Know”? Well, it wasn’t entirely original – I did a little steal on that one. Songwriters always borrow a few bars here and there. I don’t know how the hell it came to me but I was thinking about the notes in a bugle call and dammit if it wasn’t just what I wanted to get “You’ll Never Know” started”

The song wasn’t just popular with the public – it also won the 1943 Academy Award for best original song.

Faye went on to perform the song again in her 1944 film ‘Four Jills in a Jeep’. Sadly however, she never released a recorded version of it due to a clause in her contract with Fox. She soon faded away from the public eye; replaced by bigger stars such as Betty Grable.

Alice Faye was an incredible talent and I can’t understand how she isn’t more widely remembered. In my opinion she delivered the definitive version of this song, although many other performers came to be better known for it, including Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Lynn, whose version was very popular with British audiences.

Around this time the musicians’ recording strike of 1942 to 1944 prevented singers from recording songs with any musical accompaniment, leading artistes such as Frank Sinatra and Dick Haymes to record their versions ‘a capella’ (using only voices and no instruments).

They used backing singers to replace the music, and I must say it’s very cleverly done, as you can hardly tell there’s anything missing!

As the years went by singers such as Doris Day , Shirley Bassey, and Michael Buble continued to bring back this beautiful song, and no matter what era it found itself in, it never failed to inspire emotion.

It was the first song ever recorded by a very young Barbara Streisand, in 1955 at the age of 13. Despite her tender years that distinctive voice still shines out as she effortlessly does the song justice.

You’ll Never Know in the movies

You’ll Never Know has continued to be a hit on the silver screen too. It was used to great effect in the opening scene of Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film ‘Alice doesn’t live here anymore’ , perhaps setting the trend for emotive vintage songs providing uneasy backdrops for violent movies.

The Shape of Water

This evergreen song has most recently been brought back into the public eye in Guillermo del Toro’s incredible film ‘The Shape of Water’, starring Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, and featuring a spell-binding performance from the wonderful Sally Hawkins.

The film is set in the 1950s and features lots of gorgeous vintage music, including one of my absolute favourites ‘I know why and so do you’ – I was so pleased when that little gem popped up – I had to restrain myself from singing along in the cinema 😉

Fantasy sequences and playful dance scenes throughout the movie mean that vintage songs and style were seamlessly sewn into the plot, despite the storyline being VERY different to your typical vintage Hollywood movie. I won’t say anymore because, you know – spoilers 😉

If you haven’t seen the film, do yourself a favour and go and see it, as it’s incredible – especially if you’re a fan of the 1940s and 1950s.

You’ll Never Know – Lyrics

You’ll never know just how much I miss you
You’ll never know just how much I care
And if I tried, I still couldn’t hide my love for you
You ought to know, for haven’t I told you so
A million or more times?

You went away and my heart went with you
I speak your name in my every prayer
If there is some other way to prove that I love you
I swear I don’t know how
You’ll never know if you don’t know now

You went away and my heart went with you I speak your name in my every prayer
If there is some other way to prove that I love you
I swear I don’t know how
You’ll never know if you don’t know now

You’ll never know if you don’t know now

James Bond Show for Edinburgh Hilton Launch

February 10, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

A James Bond show was the theme of the evening for the launch party of the new Hampton by Hilton Hotel in the Edinburgh West End. I was delighted to be asked to perform my ‘Casino Royale’ show, which features a mixture of classic James Bond themes together with songs to suit a Vegas Casino theme night.

Hilton Hotel Edinburgh James Bond Casino night

Trying my luck before the show!

The West End of Edinburgh is becoming a fantastic area for new businesses, with the Fountainbridge area boasting a huge range of attractions, including multiplex cinema, restaurants, bowling alley, casino, and even a trampoline park.

I discovered that Fountainbridge has something of a connection with James Bond, as Sean Connery was born here. Prior to becoming the original iconic Bond he had a slightly less illustrious job here – as a milkman!

Hampton by Hilton prides itself on its friendly service, and I must say all the staff at the hotel were the friendliest I’ve ever encountered. They were so cheerful, and really couldn’t do enough to help. Paul and Lauren were in charge of the night and they made a fabulous team, making speeches, organising the raffle, and mingling with the crowd throughout the evening to ensure everything ran flawlessly.

The hotel restaurant had been magically transformed into a James Bond style Casino, with soft mood lighting and pictures of various Bond movies all around the walls. The guests had fun at the casino tables, magician ‘Pop’ was on hand to keep everyone entertained, and I performed music throughout the evening to set the musical backdrop.

Here’s a snippet of the famous ‘James Bond’ music, plus my rendition of ‘Skyfall’ by Adele:

I also performed a mixture of easy-listening background music while the guests were sipping their martinis and trying their luck at the casino – here are some of the songs I performed:

Many thanks to Tracey at The Entertainment Company for organising the acts on the night as expertly as always.

Jazz Show at Press and Journal Gold Awards Aberdeen

January 17, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently had the opportunity to perform my jazz show at the beautiful Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland. The Marcliffe was the glittering backdrop for the annual Press and Journal Gold Awards, hosted by BBC Breakfast presenter Steph McGovern.

I was booked for a late-night jazz set after the awards ceremony had finished. It was a very varied crowd with people of different ages and backgrounds, so I had lots of fun putting together an eclectic mixture of music, with jazz versions of songs from throughout the decades.

I love finding versions of modern pop songs in a vintage style as it works really well for audiences with wide-ranging age-groups. Bands such as Postmodern Juke Box have brought vintage music to the younger generations and made it much more fun and accessible, so old styles of music are really making a comeback, I’m glad to say.

So as well as my usual timeless classics from the 1940s and 1950s, my set included a 1920s version of a Britney Spears song, a 1930s version of ‘Heart of Glass’ by Blondie, and even a laid-back jazzy version of ‘Wonderwall’ by Oasis. I love the confused look on peoples’ faces as they begin to recognise the song, yet they can’t quite place it as the style is so different!

Press and Journal Gold Awards at The Marcliffe Hotel Aberdeen

Technical expertise was provided by Andrew and Phil from A-Line Audio Visual in Aberdeen, who were really helpful and did an excellent job making sure everything looked and sounded perfect throughout the evening, which was no mean feat considering the size and complexity of the event.

I look forward to visiting the Marcliffe again as it was a gorgeous hotel in beautiful surroundings, with lovely friendly staff.

Remembrance Day Singer

November 16, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I had a busy weekend for last week’s Remembrance Day, performing my 1940s wartime show in Glasgow and Fife, Scotland. It was a lovely sunny but briskly cold November weekend, and it was great to see such a large turnout for both events.

Remembrance Day, also known as Armistice Day, is a memorial day held every year on 11th November to commemorate the end of the First World War, when hostilities finally ended in 1918 at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. It gives people the opportunity to honour the memory of the members of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in the line of duty.

My venue in Glasgow was the Kirkintilloch Rangers Supporters Club, a lovely friendly club with a really strong community spirit about it. Everybody had turned out in force wearing their poppies with pride, and the band played a rousing selection of hymns and marches.

I sang my selection of old-time classics by Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields and many other wartime favourites, and it was great to hear everyone singing along.

At the end of the day a beautiful memorial bench was presented in honour of a local member of the community who had fought in the First World War. What a beautiful gesture on a lovely occasion, and a privilege for me to be a part of.

On Remembrance Sunday I travelled across to Glenrothes in Fife to perform at the CISWO club. Another fab club, CISWO host a broad selection of events for the local community to enjoy. I was made very welcome by staff and customers alike, and enjoyed performing a wide range of music for the afternoon, beginning with my wartime show and ending with modern songs for dancing.

This will be my last opportunity to perform at this venue as they are moving next week to new premises across the road. I wish them the best of luck, and look forward to returning to see the new club.

Corporate event in Inverness

August 31, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I headed up to the Highlands recently, to perform at a corporate event in Inverness. Ardtalla House on the Novar Estate in Dingwall was the beautiful backdrop for me to sing classic songs in a vintage style for a group of American businessmen who were visiting Scotland. They were guests of Glenmorangie, producers of finest Scottish malt whiskey, so of course they were treated to a tour of the distillery before their arrival at Ardtalla House.

We were blessed with fine weather, so I performed my first set outside on the terrace. The guests were served aperitifs as I sang a mix of popular songs. After that we made our way inside where the party settled down to a sumptuous meal, complete with traditional ‘Address to haggis’. I provided some soft background music during dinner, and afterwards the guests were led back outside by a Scottish piper, to be treated to a rousing performance by a Military Band.

All in all it was a fabulous night, and the Novar Estates was truly a stunning venue. That night I had the pleasure of staying at the wonderful Kincraig Castle Hotel, where the staff were lovely and the surroundings were gorgeous. Here’s a video I took of the lounge in the morning before breakfast – it felt as though I’d been transported back to the 1940s – they were even playing one of my favourite songs! I highly recommend this hotel if you’re ever travelling in the Inverness area.

On the way back home we stopped off at Chanonry Point and were lucky enough to see some dolphins! We also had a look around the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre which was really fascinating. Scotland has so much to offer, and I feel so lucky that my job takes me around and about this country, giving me the chance to visit so many beautiful places.

Many thanks to Sibilla and her team at Bright Partnerships who organised the event.

Corporate Entertainment in Edinburgh

July 27, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

The Balmoral Hotel provided a beautiful setting for my show recently, where I provided some corporate entertainment in Edinburgh. I was booked to perform a surprise James Bond tribute show at the Chaine Des Rotisseurs Gala Dinner.

The Balmoral has been a landmark in the heart of Edinburgh for over a century, beginning life as a grand railway hotel and now remaining a striking feature of Princes Street with its historic Balmoral Clock and kilted doormen. It was a good choice for a James Bond tribute show, as everyone’s favourite ‘Bond’ – the one and only Sean Connery – officially re-opened the hotel in 1991.

J.K. Rowling is also a fan of this hotel, and obviously found it inspirational, as she stayed here to finish ‘Harry Potter and the deathly hallows’, making the Balmoral something of a pilgrimage for Harry Potter fans.

Did you know that the Balmoral Clock has traditionally always been set three minutes fast, so the people of Edinburgh don’t miss their trains?! How thoughtful! It is set at the right time just one day per year – and as you can probably guess, that is at Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve), so nobody gets confused as to when to set their fireworks off!

The Chaine Des Rotisseurs are an international gastronomic society who celebrate fine food and wine around the world. By the looks of the sumptuous dinner they were served at The Balmoral, they were certainly well catered for in Edinburgh and shown some of our famous Scottish hospitality.

My James Bond / Casino Royale show is perfect for these sort of corporate functions, as it is a show that people can just sit back and listen to. Featuring all the great theme songs from the movies, it includes classics from the 1960s right through to modern day favourites such as Skyfall by Adele, so it has something for everyone.

And here’s Dame Shirley Bassey with a couple of all-time greats that I always make sure I include in the show!

Las Vegas Tribute Show at Alea Casino Glasgow

July 11, 2017 By Lisa Martin 1 Comment

I had the pleasure of returning to the Alea Casino in Glasgow recently to perform at a glittering ‘Las Vegas’ style night.

The Alea is a great place in Glasgow for a night out, as not only can you try your luck at the Poker table or on the slot machines, but they also have a variety of live entertainment and tribute shows in their bars and restaurants.

Alea Casino prides itself on its Las Vegas style, located on the waterfront at Springfield Quay with stunning views of the River Clyde and the Glasgow skyline. So it was the perfect venue for a Las Vegas style evening.

I performed classics from the 1950s and 1960s from stars such as Frank Sinatra (and his daughter Nancy!), Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, and many others to keep us all in the Vegas mood. The audience were really up for singalong after they enjoyed their dinner at the casino’s fantastic Face to Face function room.