Patricia Hammond at The Poppy Factory

Great news for my UK friends! Patricia Hammond will be singing a short set of tunes accompanied by the Lovely Parlour Trio at The Poppy Factory on November 11 in honor of Remembrance Day. Located in Richmond, Surrey, The Poppy Factory employs a team of 45 disabled ex-servicemen and women in the task of making commemorative poppies for The Royal British Legion’s annual Appeal and Remembrance Day. These talented people even make the wreaths laid by Her Majesty the Queen and other Members of the Royal Family during the Remembrance Day services! Quite an amazing honor.

If any of you are in the area, do pop in and have a listen to Patricia. And please drop me a comment and share what it was like! I wish I could be there to experience it for myself.

Friday, November 11, 2011 – 11am – The Poppy Factory, Richmond, Surrey

Oh, and while we’re talking of Patricia – she uploaded a new video of a live performance of Yours for us! It’s marvelous to see her and the Lovely Parlour Trio in action.

Music for the Vintage Lover

For some time, I’ve been aware of a void in my wide circle of vintage involvement. Yes, I have the clothes, the hairstyles, the slang words, the movies, the dancing, and the music from days gone by. But, while all the other areas are experiencing revivals with modern twists at the moment, I couldn’t find a place where vintage music was flourishing in the capable hands of modern artists… Until now, that is.

Let me introduce you to a very lovely lady: Patricia Hammond.Patricia is a mezzo-soprano singer with an undying appreciation for what she likes to call “old songs” – classic vintage tunes from the 1900s through the 40s. She’s a performer in the style of Deanna Durbin, Alice Faye and Jane Powell and the range of her repertoire impresses even the most diehard vintage lovers. And because Deanna Durbin has been a major source of inspiration for her, Can’t Help Singing (the title song from one of Deanna’s technicolor spectacle films) appears on Patricia’s new not-yet-released album, Our Lovely Day.

I was given the unforgettable opportunity to speak with Patricia direct from England and have prepared two posts full of links, videos and fascinating tidbits for you to get to know her. Look for the first installment right above this post and the second tomorrow. And be sure and listen to the first few tracks of Our Lovely Day over at Patricia’s site!