The Enid Blyton Society

Awww...the lovely Hayley Westenra! I think she's absolutely brilliant, Courtenay! Yes, the NZ countryside looks amazing. I've got a mate who emigrated to Wellington about 14 years ago & he keeps asking me & my brother to visit him. I'm gonna have to go sometime soon, for sure.
Your Auntie sounds great fun & I hope she finds an hobbit village one day!

What a fantastic voice! Hayley Westenra was one of my Dad’s favourite singers.

She's amazing, isn't she? Here's her version of a New Zealand classic — Pokarekare Ana — and another of my favourites, Quanta Qualia by Patrick Hawes.

Meanwhile, on a completely different note (literally ), I just heard the news that George Harrison's sitar has been auctioned off for over $60,000. Which of course got me once again listening to this...

Courtenay wrote:She's amazing, isn't she?

She's an Angel! Everything about her is phenomenal!

She is indeed. Under another YouTube video of Quanta Qualia I found once (I don't think it's this one), someone had posted the comment: "This is the music that plays as you ascend to heaven." Which it probably is, especially with Hayley singing it.

Fréhel - Adieu, Mon Petit Officier

https://www.dropshots.com/Domino43/date ... 2/20:10:21" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This was the French version of "Adieu, mein kleiner Gardezoffizier", the Austrian song by Robert Stolz and Bruno Balz, originally written for their operetta, "Die lustigen Weiber von Wien", which was interpolated into the German film version of "Im weissen Rössl", an operetta by Ralph Benatzky, another Austrian, though he was born in Bohemia, when that was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. An English version called "White Horse Inn" with lyrics by Harry Graham, opened in London in 1931. This song was translated as "Goodbye". It was later famously recorded by the Irish tenor, Josef Locke.
It is perhaps surprising that Fréhel was not better known outside France. She was a big French star and appeared in several films. She certainly had a strong voice.

Dave

The Travelling Wilburys — End of the Line

RIP Tom Petty.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS "angel dream" live version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y82MPPn8AXA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This news made me so sad. I really loved Tom Petty and have followed him for years.
Rest in peace Tom.

I dreamed you, I saw your face
Caught my lifeline when drifting through space
I saw an angel, I saw my fate
I can only thank God it was not too late
Over mountains I floated away
Across an ocean I dreamed her name
I followed an angel down through the gates
I can only thank God it was not too late
Sing a little song of loneliness
Sing one to make me smile
Another round for everyone
I'm here for a little while
Now I'm walking this street on my own
But she's with me everywhere I go
Yeah I found an angel, I found my place
I can only thank God it was not too late
I can only thank God it was not too late
I can only thank God it was not too late

Another sad loss. RIP Tom Petty.

I've got several Tom Petty albums. A tragic loss. RIP Tom.

Tom Petty - Even the Losers (acoustic)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PedAgnyi-lA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One more from Tom which shows his great sense of humour even when things went wrong during live performances..

Shane Fenton & The Fentones... Cindy's Birthday (1962)

https://youtu.be/np1W7DVT0Gk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Met up with my Uncle & my Cousin yesterday, who I've not seen for over 40 years! A lovely reunion, full of great memories & other anecdotes I wasn't aware of. One of the things that did crop up time & again was Shane Fenton & the Fentones. He knew them all when the band were fronted by Bernard Jewry, who took over after the death of the original singer Johnny Theakstone, & when the band spent a lot in time in Mansfield.

I think I once mentioned to Eddie, that my Mum used to hang around with the above band when She was just a teenager. What I didn't know, though, until I met up with my long lost relatives yesterday, was that Bernard Jewry sang at my Mum's wedding reception in 1960 before he became really famous. He later became Alvin Stardust!
What a great story!

A brilliant track, Number 6. Your reunion sounds great. What a fantastic time you must have had with your Uncle and Cousin. I do recall that you once mentioned that your Mum used to hang around with Shane Fenton and the Fentones when she was just a teenager. Wonderful that Shane (Bernard Jewry) sang at your Mum’s wedding in 1960 before he became really famous. A great story indeed!

I saw Shane and Fentones ‘live’ in the 1960s in Brighton and I saw Alvin Stardust ‘live’ in Worthing in 2007. On both occasions Shane/Alvin was great, and I even got to speak to him briefly in the theatre foyer after his 2007 performance.

Eddie Muir wrote:I saw Shane and Fentones ‘live’ in the 1960s in Brighton and I saw Alvin Stardust ‘live’ in Worthing in 2007. On both occasions Shane/Alvin was great, and I even got to speak to him briefly in the theatre foyer after his 2007 performance.

.

Seeing Bernard Jewry as Shane Fenton, then as Alvin Stardust years later, must've been a surreal experience indeed, Eddie!! You were quite lucky to get the chance to speak to Alvin. I bet you were quite chuffed! I always think it's nice when one of your heroes takes the time to have a chat, even if it's only for a brief moment!

My Brother did a brilliant pencil drawn portrait of Alvin Stardust & presented it to him the day before he was to appear on stage at the Civic Theatre in Mansfield. I think this was in the early 90's. The local paper covered the presentation & featured the article (plus pic) the following day. The portrait was incredibly life-like & Alvin loved it. My Brother is a graphic designer by trade & a superb artist...unlike me (Zero talent!). If he still has the pic, then I'll post it!

I was very interested to hear about your brother’s pencil drawn portrait of Alvin Stardust, Number 6. He sounds like a really talented artist. It would be great to see the portrait if your brother still has a copy of it.

Yes, I was chuffed to have had a brief chat with Alvin/Shane. Over the years I have been lucky enough to have met quite a few of my favourite stars and I feel very privileged to have done so.