Saturday, July 2, 2011

Alan Watson: Easy listening from a polished performer!

      Alan Watson began singing in public at the age of 9 or 10, which was in 1946/7. This is his story.
      St Paul’s Methodist Church in High Street, Runcorn, (no longer there), stands out in my memory the most. My church, Camden Methodist in Lowlands Road, Runcorn, (also no longer there), held their Anniversary Services in the bigger church. I remember standing alongside the massive pipe organ and singing my solos, which was an awesome experience. I sang solos at my junior school in Victoria Road, and then went on to singing lessons with a Mrs Rylance who got me to sing solos at the Runcorn Townswomen’s Guild concerts during my early teenage years.  My wife-to-be, Blodwin, and I sang with the Runcorn Orpheus Choir for a couple of years when I was aged 16 to 17.
      When I was eighteen I joined three other teenagers of a similar age and we formed a harmony group called ‘The Kadds’ (Keith, Alan, David and Dennis). And we were good! We performed in the Runcorn’s La Scala Ballroom (ex-Cinema), and we also travelled around Cheshire in a chauffeur driven car to other dancehalls and events. At our zenith we appeared on a BBC show, part of which was broadcast. The newcomers like us, were there for the experience and a possible further appearance to be broadcast. Shortly after this event we began to be called up for National Service; two of us going into the RAF and two into the Army, and that, unfortunately, was the end of ‘The Kadds’! On my return to civilian life I joined a six piece band under Alan Williams leadership. This was followed by a ten piece band which was run by Don Moreman, before taking my first professional job with the Stan Clarke Band at the Scala Ballroom, singing three nights a week, with a wage packet for my troubles.
      I also had experience with the Ken Turner Band at the Mecca Dance Hall in Liverpool, ’The Locarno’, and appeared at the Grafton Ballroom with the Johnny Hilton Band, which was an eight piece. After a few years doing cabaret with a Trio called ‘Nice & Easy’, travelling all over the North of England and down to Stoke on Trent in the South, I did restaurant work with Trio’s in Liverpool and Manchester. After this I worked as a compére in clubs around Runcorn and Northwich for almost twenty years.
      In my 40’s I teamed up with The Freddy Smith Big Band (17 piece), staying with them for about ten years. After parting company with them I joined The Merseyside Big Band, which was also a 17 piece, and have remained with them up to date. In addition, since my early 40’s I have sung in my church many times, along with my wife. We have appeared in many musicals at our church and travelled around the North of England performing them as well. During 1987, my wife and I went to the USA to represent our church, singing and talking to congregations at churches in Seattle and Los Angeles who supported our church building project with both financial and practical help. We travelled for three weeks, staying with Christians from the churches, and enjoyed some wonderful hospitality.
      In recent times I have made two CD’s which have been well received, and had a live interview on BBC Radio Merseyside. I have also had tracks from the CD’s played on the radio on numerous occasions on BBC Merseyside and GMR. More recently again, I have just released a CD of Worship songs on the Sheer Joy Music label. I’ve appeared with The Merseyside Big Band all over Merseyside, the top venue being the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, where I sang on two great occasions, where all the top International artists have appeared, people such as Jack Jones and Vic Damone. 
   To my great delight a CD and tape that my wife and I made has travelled all around the globe, from Australia to Africa, through USA and Canada, where I sang in a church in Alberta two years, and has recently been digitally remastered and released on the Sheer Joy Music label. 
      All of the CDs below can be purchased online from the Sheer Joy Music shop. In addition, Songs of Worship is available from CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes to digitally download either single tracks or the complete album.

On his latest CD, Taking it Easy, Alan sings the beautiful love song, When I'm With You, in addition to the country favourite which was recorded recently by Darren Mullen in Australia, Forever Friend. Add to these the haunting Listen to the Rain and the foot-tapping sing-along song, The Happy Song, and you have a great EP album. But there's one more. Anniversary Serenade is a new song written especially for Alan by the song-writing partnership of Colin Gordon-Farleigh and Greg Scheer, and is a great song to help celebrate special anniversaries.

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