Latest news with #Harry Lewis
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Listen to Vera Lynn's never-heard-before first audition tapes
Dame Vera Lynn 's audition records have been heard for the first time 90 years after they were first recorded. They were found when Virginia Lewis-Jones, daughter of the "Forces Sweetheart," donated her mother's record collection to the British Library's Sound Archive, after she moved out of her home in East Sussex, where Dame Vera Lynn had lived with her husband Harry Lewis for 40 years. Three silver aluminium audition records, labelled by hand with the song titles "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Spring Don't Mean A Thing To Me," alongside a copy of Dame Vera's first record, It's Home, recorded in 1935, were found. Dame Vera made her name during the Second World War, becoming beloved for her rousing songs such as "We'll Meet Again' and giving outdoor concerts for troops.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Dame Vera Lynn's audition records to be released 90 years on
Dame Vera Lynn's audition records are to be released for the first time, 90 years after they were first late singer's first records were discovered when her daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones, donated her mother's record collection to the British Library's Sound donations were made when she moved out of her home in East Sussex, where Dame Vera had lived with her husband Harry Lewis for 40 with the three silver aluminium audition records, which are labelled by hand, a copy of Dame Vera's first record, It's Home, recorded in 1935 with bandleader Howard Baker, was also found. Recorded after trumpeter Baker invited Dame Vera to join his band in 1933, the first record is one of just 100 copies said: "It's so wonderful to hear Ma's voice from those early days, right at the start of her career."I always had the feeling these would be worth exploring so I am absolutely thrilled that the audition tapes we've never heard can now be brought to life, and add significantly to what we already know about Ma." The audition discs will be released by Decca, with What A Difference A Day Makes released as a single on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ previously unheard and rare tracks from them will feature on a new album called Hidden Treasures, which will be released on 7 Vera made her name during the Second World War, when her rousing songs such as We'll Meet Again, (There'll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover and There'll Always Be An England, earned her the affectionate name Forces' final studio album, Unforgettable, was released in died in June 2020, aged 103, after she became the oldest artist to have a top 40 album in the UK, in May that year, with her greatest hits album 100.
