Latest news with #INeverThoughtItWouldHappen
Daily Record
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Sharleen Spiteri given major honour by hometown uni
Texas star Sharleen Spiteri beamed as she told fans she is 'honoured' by the accolade Sharleen Spiteri has received an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow. The Texas singer, 57, has taken to Instagram to share the news with her beloved fanbase. The Scots singer posed for a snap outside of the prestigious university in her red and blue gown as she held up her degree and kicked up her leg in delight. Sharleen captioned the snap: "Is there a doctor in the house! Thank you @uofglasgow for my honorary doctorate and for such a wonderful day, everyone that looked after us, it's an honour indeed." Fans raced to the comment section to congratulate the Say What You Want hitmaker on her impressive achievement. One wrote: "Congratulations Dr Spiteri, sounds so good!" Another added: "Well deserved. It was a pleasure to meet you. Enjoy the upcoming festivals." A third penned: "Contrasts Dr. Spiteri. " A fourth replied: "Oh wow, congratulations doc", alongside a clapping hands emojis. Somebody else added: "Oh this is just so fabulous. Congratulations darling." Another joked: "Whats up, Doc? A true doctor of music! Congratulations doll." Glasgow-born star Sharleen, who rose to fame in the 1980s, is the lead singer of the Scottish rock band Texas, who are set to play multiple festivals this summer. The band, formed in Bearsden in 1986 by Sharleen, Johnny McElhone and Ally McErlaine, are in for a brilliant summer with a series of major shows across the UK and Europe. It all kicks off this weekend with the band set to perform at the Isle of Wight festival on June 22. From there on after, they have another 23 festival gigs, travelling to a multitude of places to perform, including Belgium, Spain, Ireland, France, Switzerland and Denmark. Texas will also be appearing in Scotland in the midst of their busy summer schedule. The band are set to play Belladrum Festival in Inverness on Saturday, August 2. However, Sharleen has previously revealed her favourite festival she's ever performed at, describing it at "the best day of her life". Texas played on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in 2023, 24 years after their first slot at the iconic event in 1999. Speaking on podcast I Never Thought It Would Happen from the charity Help Musicians, Sharleen reminisced on their most recent Glastonbury gig. Stating how much she "absolutely loved" the experience, she added: "I didn't think they were going to act the way they did". Sharleen explained how their Glastonbury set changed things for the band, with the likes of Fred Again playing their songs which led to her daughter saying for the first time that she thought her mum was "actually quite cool". While reflecting on her career, Sharleen said that she feels "privileged to still be relevant"- particularly as a woman in music.
The Independent
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bryan Adams reveals the surprising origin behind his ‘first real six-string'
Bryan Adams has shared the surprising true story behind the guitar that inspired his iconic hit 'Summer of '69' and why the Covid -19 lockdown ended up being a 'lifesaver' in a revealing podcast episode. Speaking on the season opener of I Never Thought It Would Happen, hosted by Squeeze co-founder Chris Difford, Adams joins a lineup of major artists for the fifth series of the podcast from the music charity 'Help Musicians.' The Canadian singer - who holds the record for the longest-running UK No.1 single with 'Everything I Do (I Do It for You)' - set the record straight on one of his most famous lyrics. While 'Summer of '69' begins with 'I got my first real six-string / bought it at the Five and Dime,' Adams now admits the truth is less Americana and more Berkshire. Adams was just 12 years old when he bought the guitar - a Stratocaster imitation - from a music shop in Reading in 1970. His family moved frequently due to his father's job with the Canadian embassy, and when they left Israel, the guitar was left behind with a neighbour. Years later, Adams received an unexpected email from someone claiming to have found the long-lost instrument. The trail went cold - until, years later, someone approached him in a Berlin nightclub with the same message. The man turned out to be a friend of the original emailer, who had tragically died in a plane crash. The guitar was passed down to him and, honouring his friend's wishes, he returned it to Adams. In the wide-ranging interview, Adams also reflects on his experience during the Covid pandemic. While the sudden stop in touring brought fears that his career might be over, the time at home turned out to be a blessing. 'It was the best time for us as a family,' he said. 'It was great… a lifesaver.' Still, though, he worried about the future of live music: 'I had convinced myself I was not going to work again... we're done.' When touring resumed, Adams recalled playing a show in Portugal where the masked audience left the sound feeling 'muted.' He added that he believes that if a pandemic were to happen again, 'people wouldn't be as compliant.' Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Adams also spoke about writing the music for the West End adaptation of Pretty Woman with long-time collaborator Jim Vallance. Though the project included 20 songs, Adams revealed around 40 were written in total, many rejected in a 'songwriting by committee' process. I Never Thought It Would Happen continues its tradition of intimate conversations with music's biggest names. Previous guests have included Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sting, Robbie Williams, and Olivia Dean. Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp is among those lined up for the new series. Difford, who also serves as an ambassador for 'Help Musicians', said: 'It's so much fun to uncover these untold stories from across music, and we've started with a cracker. Both Bryan and I are ambassadors of Help Musicians, so it was a special start to the fifth season.' Sarah Woods, CEO of Help Musicians, added: 'Being a musician is a truly rewarding career, but it also comes with challenges and barriers that can be difficult to navigate. In 2024 alone, Help Musicians delivered over 17,000 interventions to support musicians across the UK.'
