Latest news with #SharleenSpiteri
The Independent
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Texas star Spiteri recalls early days in music as she collects honorary degree
Sharleen Spiteri has said she would have been happy if her band had written 'just one hit record' when she started out as she was awarded an honorary doctorate for her services to music. The singer, who formed Scots rock group Texas in 1986 with her bandmates, said she never anticipated the band achieving global success as she sat recording debut single, I Don't Want A Lover, which kickstarted the group's path to fame. On Wednesday, the University of Glasgow (UoG) recognised a number of individuals for services to their respective fields and industries, including: Spiteri; broadcaster Kirsty Young; political scientist Professor Sir John Curtice; and the author and journalist, Sally Magnusson. Following the special commemoration day ceremony, which marked the foundation of the university, Spiteri, originally from Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, said it was 'emotional' to have received such recognition for her career in music, and said she and her sister wished their mother could have been there to witness the occasion. She told the PA News Agency: 'When I got the call, the first thing I did was phone my sister, Corrine, up and said, 'you will never believe this' and both us us were wishing my mum could have been here to see it, which makes it really special. 'In the moment, you're sitting in there and you're surrounded by the other honoraries and you listen to their stories. 'You're listening to what they've done and it gets really emotional because you're thinking about all the people that got you here. She added: 'It takes a lot of people to allow you to support you and to be successful. You don't start successful, nobody does.' The band's current line-up, consists of Spiteri, Johnny McElhone (bass, guitar, keyboards); Ally McErlaine (guitar); Eddie Campbell (keyboards); Tony McGovern (guitar, backing vocals); and Cat Myers (drums). Next year, the band marks 40 years together, and Spiteri said she had no idea the group would have ever become as famous as they are now. She said: 'Honest to god, I thought if I could just write one hit record, I'd be happy. 'Johnny McElhone and I thought that as the two of us sat there in a spare room, literally recording on a four-track, writing I Don't Want A Lover and we thought, 'we can write one song'. 'He had already been in successful bands before, he'd already written a few hit records, so I feel that I probably had a better chance than a lot of people.' Asked if the band has any plans to mark the 40th anniversary, Spiteri said: 'Well, if I tell you, then you know about it, don't you? It's what you don't know about you'll have to wait and see. 'We've got a big summer this year, we've got 30 festivals around the world. So we're doing that and I'm actually heading off now to literally get back on the tour bus.' Asked what advice she would offer any young, aspiring musicians hoping to get into the industry, she joked: 'Don't listen to people like me.' Also honoured, Kirsty Young spent 35 years working as a broadcaster across a number of TV and radio outlets, including the BBC, STV, Channel 5 and ITV. She was made an Honorary Doctor for her services to her industry, and said it means a 'huge amount' to her. She told the PA News Agency: 'The thing about this honorary degree is it genuinely, deeply feels like an honour.' She added: 'My mother is a Glaswegian, my grandparents and great grandparents were Glaswegian, so to be in this great city and receive this award means a huge amount.' Asked what advice she would offer those who want to work in broadcasting, she said: 'I think the best thing you can do if you're interested in breaking into broadcasting is become a kind of citizen journalist. 'You've got it all in your hands – when I started I was packing camera cases for camera men, there were no camera women in those days or female sound recorders. 'I was labelling tapes, it was a very big, cumbersome operation, but anybody who is at university now will know that it can just be them and their phone or a little camera and they can make news and they can upload it to YouTube and do their own thing. 'So, I would say, get experience by getting the on-air miles under your belt by doing that, and badger organisations that you want to work for. It's a really hard game and it's harder than ever now because people aren't used to paying for content. 'Stick at it, it's a hard game, but it will give you a fantastically interesting life, and you will have access to people and places that most people never get to see or speak to so it's really worth it.' Professor Sir John Curtice, who was awarded an honorary doctorate of letters, said: 'It's a great delight to receive an honorary degree from the university. It is a rare accolade, and I appreciate the university for having awarded it to me. 'In a sense, it's a recognition or a celebration of the fact that I have been able to work with Glasgow University over a number of years. And the fact that, although I'm a member of a different, somewhat rival institution on the other side of the city, it's been perfectly willing to allow me to work, or to be involved in some of the work of this institution as well.' Sally Magnusson, who was awarded a doctor of the university degree, added: 'I'm absolutely thrilled to have got this wonderful doctorate, from the University of Glasgow. 'It has been a real thrill for me to discover what the inside of this lovely university is like, and to be part of its history is tremendous. Centuries and centuries of history and beauty and learning – it's fantastic.'
Daily Record
10 hours ago
- 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.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Texas star Spiteri 'still living the dream' ahead of Belladrum
Texas' Sharleen Spiteri says her love of performing live has not diminished - almost 40 years after the Glasgow band was for hits including Say What You Want and Black Eyed Boy, Texas completed an arena tour last year and are about to play a series of dates across Europe."I never walk out on stage thinking 'I'm not really in the mood tonight'," says Spiteri."In that moment I'm thinking about the people dragged along by their partners, who are kind of like 'I don't really like Texas' - I'm thinking about making sure they leave the gig thinking 'Texas are the greatest band I've ever seen'." Texas enjoyed chart success through the 1990s and 2000s, with Summer Son in 1999 and 2006-released single Sleep among their other hits. The rock pop band have played the Glastonbury music festival twice, and will close the 21st anniversary Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in the Highlands this Bellshill-born Spiteri juggles the demands of touring with family says: "When you're free and single you're going on the road for years at a time. You don't care, you're away, you're living the dream."I'm still living the dream to be honest."I get to do what I love more than anything - standing on those stages and playing the songs I love so much."We're doing festivals this summer, working four-day weeks in June, July and August, and then I get to be home the rest of the week to recover. It's perfect." 'Very lucky' Spiteri admits to still having the occasional "pinch herself" moment."I do feel very lucky and very privileged," she says. "I do have those moments when I go 'wow'. It can be surreal sometimes."A couple of years ago, I was standing on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury and punching the air and then suddenly looking out and it was just a sea of people."She says a performance at Glasgow's OVO Hydro last year was particularly memorable."The first night we walked on we couldn't hear ourselves, the audience was that loud."We stood on the stage looking at each other thinking 'Oh my god'."I thought 'Don't start the songs, I need a moment to get my breath'. It was so emotional."She adds: "We've been doing this for a long time. We're an old band and we're still playing to all these people. That's nuts." Texas previously played Belladrum in 2011 and Spiteri says the challenge of keeping a festival going should not go singer adds: "The music industry is really hard. We've seen how many venues and studios have closed."It's really hard work making a festival, and so many people think they can do it and it's just about putting a load of bands on and that's that."A great amount of thought goes into the acts that play. "We're proud to have been invited back to Bella for its 21st. We must have done something right."Spiteri says the Highlands as a whole is a special place, with Texas having also played gigs in Inverness, a few miles down the road from the Belladrum site."The air up there is better than anywhere else in the world," she says."When you're a singer that's pretty important when you're taking in big gulps of air."Breathing that Highland air you feel ready."And to walk out into that beautiful landscape, to play amongst that, that is something pretty damn special."
