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Performing History
I’ve been a solo artist and a session singer from the age of 17. I’ve appeared on records by various artists such as Placebo, Suede and Tom Jones and the Stereophonics. I work with up and coming bands and newly signed artists singing and arranging backing vocals.
My first professional appearances were as a singer and dancer in West End musicals as a teenager, in particular Hair! in all three British companies, performing all the major roles over three years.
Then I started touring and recording as a backing vocalist notably with Kiki Dee, Elton John, Mick Ronson and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
I was lucky enough to get into commercials and voice over work for over 20 years and I was the voice of Kylie Kangaroo in the Coco Pops ads.
I had a stint as an actress, singer and composer for the World Service on English by radio serials, and appeared as actress in training films for Guinness and BP.
As I read music at sight I was able to appear in vision and behind the scenes as a backing singer on many television series like the Val Doonican show that were televised live on a Saturday night to up to 9 million people, and several series of the Granada music show Get It Together performing featured songs and backing vocals with guest artists.
Too many recording sessions to list, though one of note was with Sir Paul McCartney and Sir George Martin when slightly delirious with a cold I told them where they’d gone wrong with their vocal arrangements!
I also sang on film soundtracks including the Muppets, An American Tail, Breaking Glass, Letter to Brezhnev, The Missionary, Time Bandits and with David Essex in Silver Dream Racer which featured a song sung by me and released the day that BBC radio went on strike!
A change in direction took me back to the theatre to take the lead musical role in a Young Vic revival of John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert by Willy Russell.
I arranged the music, sang and played the piano and also coached the other actors in their musical roles.
I had a stint as a TV Presenter with Nickelodeon on a live broadcast roadshow as the character Granny Grunge improvising piano accompaniment and introducing segments. I performed in weekly satirical comedy revues with the likes of Hale and Pace writing songs and sketches.
I’ve recorded and performed with an 8 piece vocal group the Neil Richardson singers specialising in jazz harmony arrangements of standards. This stood me in good stead when I started an a capella vocal group composed of myself and three of my former pupils called Hummingbird.
Alongside this I’ve composed theme tunes and commercials and documentaries like Horizon, Dispatches and two series of a documentary series ‘Hidden Treasure Houses’.
I also released records on EMI, Bronze and Phonogram Records.
One of the most fun projects was working with Dame Edna Everage aka Barry Humphries as musical director and pianist for the stage show Back with a Vengeance which toured England before hitting the West End for nearly a year. I also ventured abroad with Barry with his one woman (?) shows.
I regularly take part in Northern Soul weekenders and gigs doing backing vocals for the original recording artists from the 1960’s.
In 2010 I was invited to compose and arrange music for an eight piece choir for a concert by progressive-death metal-electro band Chrome Hoof which was performed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.
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