Retro Singer

Professional vocalist, vintage wedding entertainment, music, functions, events

1950s Vintage Singer at 60th Birthday Party Airdrie

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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.

Vera Lynn Tribute – Happy 100th Birthday

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Today is a very special day, as it’s the centenary of 1940s World War 2 singer Dame Vera Lynn.  Vera Lynn, ‘The Forces Sweetheart’ started her singing career at the tender age of seven, and she’s still going strong now, having just released her latest album to celebrate her hundredth birthday!

Vera Lynn Tribute

Vera Lynn captured hearts across the nation during the Second World War,  keeping the home fires burning and spirits high with her popular radio show ‘Sincerely Yours’.  She entertained the troops in Egypt, India and Burma, remaining a total professional despite terrible conditions.

After the war she remained very popular around the world, with hit records, TV shows, and Royal Variety Performances.

To this day she remains a national treasure, and has been honoured for her centenary by a special variety performance at the London Palladium theatre.  Her image has even been projected onto the white cliffs of Dover as a special tribute to this living legend.

I made my own tribute to Vera Lynn with this video of my rendition of one of her most beautiful songs: The White Cliffs of Dover.

Happy Birthday to a truly remarkable woman!

 

70th Birthday Party in Glasgow

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I recently sang at a 70th birthday party at the Condorrat Social Club in Glasgow, performing some great hits from the 1950s and 1960s for a lovely audience of young and old.

I had some special requests for lots of Connie Francis and Brenda Lee numbers, plus a smashing old song called ‘If you love me’ which I really enjoyed learning and adding into my set.

Waiting 'backstage'!

The ‘birthday boy’ Bill had a great night – he didn’t know he was getting live entertainment as it was organised by his daughter as a surprise.  I got this lovely feedback from him and his daughter:

“Just enjoyed a surprise 70th party arranged by my family. Entertainment was from Lisa Martin and she was fabulous. A 50’s/60’s night, loved her Connie Francis numbers in particular. The night ended too soon. I would recommend to anyone looking for a similar night. Thanks Lisa” ~ Bill Brackenridge

“Thank you so much! You were exactly what we were looking for, and my dad just thought you were great (we had told him we were getting a dj so you were a nice surprise for him!).  I have to tell you, absolutely everyone I spoke to at the party commented on how good you were, that you were perfect for my dads party, and how they much preferred your sets to a dj – a few even said they were definitely booking you for their upcoming parties!

Thanks again, you were really wonderful!”  Caragh

It was fantastic to meet everyone.  Happy Birthday Bill, may you enjoy many more!

Christmas Party at Gleneagles Hotel Perthshire

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After a lovely Christmas visiting family and friends back home in Liverpool I was delighted to return to the world-renowned Gleneagles Hotel to sing for the guests.  Last year I had so much fun with everyone, so I was very glad to be asked back.  Once again, the Christmas spirit certainly hadn’t dampened and everyone was in the mood to party!

Where better for a vintage gal like myself to perform than the gorgeous hotel bar, with its 1920s-inspired décor.  The music didn’t stay in the 1920s for long though 😉

I started out with some laid-back classics to suit the mood while everybody relaxed with a few drinks, but just like last year, the pace quickly picked up.  I moved onto some lively numbers from the 60s and 70s together with a selection of modern chart hits and the party soon got into full swing with plenty of dancing around the bar.

Elsewhere in the hotel, things were a little more jazzy as Euan Stevenson and his trio performed some cool jazz standards.  There really is something for everyone at Gleneagles over Christmas, with plenty of activities laid on for both adult and younger guests, together with a great selection of musical entertainment on over the holiday period.

But one of the best things about Gleneagles is the staff.  The porters, the reception team, the bartenders and the bar manager were all so friendly and courteous, as usual going out of their way to be the best of service.

All in all, it was a real pleasure to return to this famous Scottish hotel.

1940s style 80th Birthday Party

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This month I performed at my most important VIP gig of the year – my mum’s 80th birthday party!  We decided to have a 1940s / 1950s theme to give her a little reminder of what life was like when she was a young slip of a thing 😉

Nobody needed much of an excuse to get into the mood and dress up accordingly.  It helps that 1940s fashion is so easy to access nowadays with many online shops providing cool vintage looks.

1940s singer birthday party

My gorgeous cousins suit the 1940s look!

I did a little snippet of my 1940s and 1950s show to get the party started, then two of my cousins (Shirley and Becca) took to the mic and kept the singing going (what a talented family we are!).  My partner Stephen is also a singer and musician, so he finished the night off with some music to keep everyone dancing.

My mum had a brilliant time, she was grinning from ear to ear from the moment she walked in.  She was up on the dancefloor all night – I don’t know where she gets her energy from – she’s living proof that age really is just a number!

mum-80th

The birthday girl looking fabulous

It took me two car journeys to get all the presents and cards back to my mum’s house – not to mention the all-important birthday cake.

It was so nice to get to see all my family, as I really don’t see enough of everyone now that I live up in Glasgow.  Big thanks to everyone that helped organise the party, including my brother Danny and his girlfriend Barb who laid out a delicious buffet, my cousins Kate and Shirley for providing a stunning vintage-style birthday cake plus some lovely party decorations, and everyone else for joining in with all the fun!

Vintage tea party at Pollokshields, Glasgow

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I recently sang at a lovely vintage tea party at Pollokshields Burgh Hall in Glasgow.  The special occasion was the 40th birthday party of Jo Pirie, an award winning film-maker who runs Bowery Productions, an independent film and production company that makes promotional films, wedding videos, and various films for other events.

It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and the gardens in Maxwell Park were all in bloom.  Jo had opted for an afternoon tea party to celebrate her birthday, as she was pregnant with her 2nd child so it seemed like a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative to a late-night party!

vintage-tea-party-glasgow

Vintage music lends itself perfectly to this kind of thing, so she booked me to sing some 1940s and 1950s songs while everyone relaxed and tucked into some delicious looking cakes and sandwiches.  It was a lovely informal family affair, with lots of children running about and enjoying the retro-style candy on offer, while people meandered in and around the hall and gardens, making the most of the sunshine.

I included plenty of great old unforgettable classics in my set, such as ‘Fly me to the moon’and ‘My baby just cares for me‘, plus some modern songs with a vintage twist, like this version of Meghan Trainor’s ‘All about that bass‘

A vintage tea party is a unique family-friendly way to celebrate a special occasion in style – and Glasgow has plenty of classy venues that lend themselves perfectly to these occasions.  Pollokshields Burgh Hall certainly added a special something to a perfect day.

1940s show in Edinburgh

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I’m very glad to let you know that I’ll be performing my 1940s show in Edinburgh next month on Wednesday 30th September.  It’s been arranged by the Gorgie Dalry Community Association to provide some entertainment for their community members.

The Gorgie Dalry Community Association are a fantastic organisation who provide a wide range of activities, programmes, and social events for their community, so I’m really glad to be collaborating with them.  The show is in the afternoon starting at 1pm, at The Edinburgh Prison Officers Club, 22b McLeod Street, Gorgie, Edinburgh.  All are welcome, so if you’re in the neighbourhood come on down!

I’ll be singing all the old favourites from the 1940s such as ‘Don’t sit under the apple tree’, ‘The white cliffs of Dover’, and of course ‘We’ll meet again’.  I’ll also be performing my 1950s show, so if you’re in the mood for rockin’ and rollin’ you won’t be disappointed!

So come along and join us on the 30th September for a good old fashioned singalong and a bit of a dance too 😉

To reserve your seat, just get in touch with Catriona Windle from Health All Round.  Email: catriona@healthallround.org.uk or telephone 0131 337 1376.  See you there!

1940s-show-edinburgh

Many thanks to Atticus Oldman of Steampunk Almanac for designing this cool retro-style poster 🙂

Vintage 1940s & 1950s Show Newtonmore

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This Saturday (2nd May) I will be heading up north to Newtonmore to perform my 1940s / 1950s show at the Village Hall for Friends of the Main House.   We’ll be commemorating the 70th anniversary of VE Day by singing all the great songs from that fabulous era.

There are still some tickets left for this event, so if you fancy spending your May Day weekend celebrating vintage-style up in the beautiful village of Newtonmore, call 01540 662294.  Tickets are £12.50 and include a light supper.  The show starts at 7.30pm.  Hope to see you there!

 

 

Silver Wedding Anniversary at Mar Hall Hotel Scotland

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The Mar Hall Hotel provided the perfect venue for a Silver Wedding Anniversary party I performed at recently. Situated in Bishopton, near to Erskine, this Edwardian Scottish mansion is a luxury five star hotel with gorgeous views over the River Clyde.

 

It was a beautiful sunny Autumn day with clear blue skies as I drove into the hotel grounds.  Set within a picture-perfect 240 acre woodland estate, I was struck by the tranquil peace and beauty of the area.

 

The interior of the Mar Hall Hotel is decorated in an elegant vintage style that exudes class and sophistication.  The pianist playing softly in the lounge added to the relaxed ambience.

 

I had been asked to perform a mixture of Swing classics and 1950s & 1960s songs, with the anniversary couple picking the majority of the songs themselves from my set list. Their main objective was to keep all their guests up on the dancefloor, and this was no difficult task as everyone was really up for a party from the word go.

 

I started with a ‘1st dance’ for the anniversary couple: the gorgeous Etta James classic ‘At Last’.  I was glad they chose this song as I love it as a first dance; it’s so romantic and works beautifully, plus it’s familiar to all age groups because it was recently covered by Beyonce.

 

The rest of the guests needed no prompting to join in the dancing and looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.  I love singing at wedding anniversary parties because there’s a certain atmosphere to them that’s a little different to weddings – everybody is so relaxed and at home with each other, as the two families have had all those years to become well-acquainted.

 

As the night went on I sang a mixture of Swing standards and kept the emphasis on fun, dancing, and romance, with ‘Let there be love’, ‘Cheek to cheek’, ‘My baby just cares for me’ and many other classics.  I even threw a bit of Jessie J into the mix in response to a request on behalf of the younger members of the audience 😉

 

The night was over too soon, but I’m glad to report some excellent feedback from the happy couple:

 

“We booked Lisa to perform at our Silver Wedding Anniversary event where we had guests across a wide age group. Without exception every single guest commented on the amazing performance that Lisa gave – her set of 50’s and 60’s classic’s fitted perfectly with the theme of our evening and we could have been in a New York supper club from that era.

 

Her delivery was effortless and the quality of her voice was exceptional – without doubt she put the gloss on what was a fantastic evening and the dance floor was never empty. We would have no hesitation in recommending Lisa to anyone wanting to add a touch of class to their event, we only wish we could do it all again!”

 

~ Jane and Simon Grey.

(From Free Index business directory)

To see more of my reviews, please visit my testimonials page.

 

So, all in all, a wonderful evening at the Mar Hall Hotel.  I would thoroughly recommend this hotel as a top-class venue for a wedding or anniversary function.  Many thanks to Jane and Simon for making me feel so welcome at their lovely party.

 

Views over the Clyde

Views over the Clyde at Mar Hall

Golden Wedding Anniversary at Douglas Park Golf Club

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Last weekend I sang at a beautiful Golden Wedding Anniversary party at Douglas Park Golf Club. It was a nice local booking for me as Bearsden is less than an hour away.

 

It’s the first time I’ve performed at Douglas Park Golf Club, and I must say I was very impressed, not only by the stunning views of the golf course, but also by the lovely staff, who were genuinely friendly and very welcoming. A big thank you goes out to Moses and Lisa for all their help and hospitality on the night.

 

The clubhouse itself was very nice indeed: a perfect venue for an intimate gathering. The room was a nice comfortable size for a small party, plus it also featured a good-sized dancefloor.  Excellent use of lighting gave the room that extra-special touch too.

 

I always love to perform at Golden Wedding Anniversary functions, as it feels such a wonderful and important thing to celebrate a couple who have stayed happily together for such a long time. It’s so lovely to be part of that very special celebration.

 

When I look around at all the guests I wonder who was originally present at the wedding and imagine what life was like for them on that day 50 years ago; how they have changed, and how the world around them has changed too.

 

In this case it would have been 1964, and the world was indeed a very different place back then. The average weekly wage was £16, BBC2 made its first broadcast (which was Play School!), the Forth Road Bridge was opened, and Harold Wilson was poised to become Britain’s first Labour Prime Minister in 13 years.

 

Music was very different back then too. Whenever I sing at a Wedding Anniversary party I like to look back and see what was in the ‘Hit Parade’ back then, so I can include some of the songs that would have been around when the happy couple were in the first blush of romance.

 

In 1964 Beatlemania was in full flow, and they had pretty much taken over the charts. Their first film, A Hard Day’s Night, was released in July of that year. The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and Cilla Black were also very popular.

 

James Bond featured in the cinema and in the charts too, as there were two ‘007’ movies out that year: ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘From Russia with Love’, with their respective theme tunes becoming huge hits for Shirley Bassey and Matt Monro.

 

On this occasion however, I had been asked to perform music from a slightly earlier era: Swing songs and other classic easy-listening standards. I was glad to do so as this is my personal favourite genre of music!

 

I chose a mixed program that included plenty of lovely old romantic songs such as ‘Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra, ‘I only have eyes for you’ by Ella Fitzgerald, and the 1950s Jo Stafford hit ‘You belong to me’.

 

I soon realised that the guests were really up for a party as they were up on the dance floor from the word go. So as the night went on I shifted from swing music to timeless pop classics such as ‘Baby Love’ by The Supremes and ‘Kissin’ in the back row’ by The Drifters, to keep everybody happy on the dancefloor.  I also got a request for some country music, so I added a bit of Dolly Parton into the mix, plus a Boney M medley in response to numerous ‘Slosh’ requests!

 

I finished off a lovely evening with what is in my opinion the perfect Golden Wedding Anniversary song: ‘The Anniversary Waltz’ by Vera Lynn.

 

My warmest congratulations go out to Andrew and Brenda. May they enjoy many more happy years together.