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.

Corporate event in Inverness

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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.

Las Vegas Tribute Show at Alea Casino Glasgow

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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.

Las Vegas style entertainmentI 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.

Many thanks to Ford McGill at the Alea for organising such a stylish and fun-filled night.

 

Gosford House East Lothian

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I recently had a lovely evening performing at Gosford House in Longniddry, East Lothian, where  I was booked to sing during dinner at a corporate event.

Gosford House is a majestic neo-classical mansion built in 1800.  The family seat of the Charteris family, it has been featured in movies, international brand photo-shoots, and is a much sought-after location for weddings, gala dinners and other events.

Gosford House Jazz singer

Tina at Hello Scotland was in charge of organising the night, and what a great job she did, as there was lots going on throughout the night, with pipers, a private tour of the house, and a sumptuous five-course dinner.

I kept the guests entertained during dinner with a selection of popular jazz and swing songs from throughout the decades.

The audience were a lovely group of Germans who were very appreciative of the music.  At the end of the night we all bid farewell outside in the grounds singing Auld Lang Syne together and waving our sparklers in the cool evening air.

What a beautiful end to the night, at a truly magical and historic place.

60th Birthday party at Carnbooth House Hotel Glasgow

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I had the pleasure of performing at a 60th birthday party recently at the beautiful Carnbooth House Hotel in Glasgow.  This hotel is not so far from me, so I’m surprised I haven’t come across it before.  What a hidden gem though!  Stunning surroundings and lovely old-world charm, it’s a real touch of class on the outskirts of the city centre.

The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, and the night went very well indeed, with laid-back easy listening classics to start the evening, and lively party songs for dancing later on.  Gwen, our birthday girl, was truly the ‘hostess with the mostess’ and was on the dancefloor all night.

It was such a pleasure to meet Gwen and her friends and family, and to visit such a gorgeous place.  Hopefully it won’t be my last visit.

 

Wedding Reception at Trump Turnberry Hotel Ayr

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The beautiful Trump Turnberry Hotel in Ayr was the setting for a wedding reception I recently performed at.  This luxury resort on the Ayrshire coast boasts a championship golf course, a spa, several restaurants, bars, and stunning views over the Firth of Clyde.

Lisa Martin swing singer

The bride-to-be had requested a list of beautiful songs from across many different eras; from old-time classics like ‘I only have eyes for you‘ right through to more modern numbers like Amy Winehouse’s version of ‘Valerie’.  She chose the very popular ‘At Last’ for the first dance, and a smashing finishing number for me to add into my set – ‘Enjoy Yourself’ by Jools Holland and Prince Buster.  I’d heard this many times on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 2 show, and never realised it was originally a 1940s song!

The hotel was very plush, and the staff and event organisers were super-helpful in getting me to the right place and making sure I had everything I needed to set up for the show.  Our function room was the perfect setting, with gorgeous views across the golf course.

It was a lovely afternoon and the happy couple looked superb. I wish them all the best for the future.

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.

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.