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Shows For Senior Citizens SING-A-LONG-A-ALMOND
Some years ago if you wanted a Sing-A-Long you would have listened out for Max Bygraves. Max is now 87 and has hung up his microphone and retired. So what are we to do ? In the early days of my career I sang in numerous care homes, hospitals and day centres to entertain citizens who had grown to the vintage end of life. It seems that people still like to hear my voice as a strum along to my guitar, they like interesting words and good strong melodies, they enjoy sounds that are really ‘live’ that contrast the monotony of seemingly endless Karaoke, especially when the songs bring back happy memories. In my conversations with people, who live in residential homes, they have often told me how they feel about time, so I am always happy to fill an hour or two of their time with songs which help them recall the emotions of their lives. October 2008 I was on the Gordon Astley Show on BBC Radio Southern Counties. A gentleman phoned in, just before my slot, asking if there was an entertainer who would be willing to perform at a residential home, I, of course, offered my services, some days later the man phoned Gordon again to say thank you to Gordon for introducing me to the home. You can find these recordings on my web site. I have a repertoire of hundreds of songs from the old Music Hall Songs, the War Songs, the fifties, the sixties, Beatles, Johnny Cash, through to James Blunt and Snow Patrol. Generally just wonder around the room with the acoustic guitar, at such events, but I do have amplifiers if they are required. It might not be Max but you can sing-a-long anyway and now you know what to do ! I am also very happy to be involved with groups of active retired people and am always please to be asked to give talks at meetings and to illustrate the stories with some songs. Time When I perform my
aim is to fill an hour or more with fun and joy. I use the songs I sing to bring
back memories, to help people use their minds to recall their past, and then to
give them something new for now and the future.
I have often
heard young people saying that they wished that they did not have to work. I
wonder what they would do with all the time if they did not. During numerous
performances, to hundreds of groups of Senior Citizens, I have learned to
understand just how much time there is in the one hundred and sixty eight hours
in each of our weeks, it can be a lot more than you might think. There are two
scenarios………..If life is full, active, exciting and full of variety. If it
contains things you love and some things you hate, if there are moments where
everything goes according to plan and a couple of things turn to disaster….
life whizzes by and in a flash, it is Monday morning again, and oh it is good to
get out of bed. On the other
hand, a life from a bed, or wheel chair, where the variety of faces, and the
colour of the wall paper seem constant, can be frustration to a person who’s
mind is still alive, but imprisoned, in a painful and aged body. Or a life where
a lack of money limits much of life’s promises. The length of each minute can
seem like an hour, extending the week into a boring monotony. Time shrinks and
stretches, it is not linear. Some American
scientists, took a group of people, from a home for those with dementia, by bus,
to a place that had been made to mimic the environment of the dementia suffers
youth. Like an elaborate movie set all the furniture and clothing was from those
earlier years. The music the movies were vintage, they had old television’s
and radio’s, the food from old style packaging etc….etc….When they arrived
they were told to get off the bus and carry their own suitcase. The combination
the familiar environment of their youth, and having to do things, for
themselves, proved to be great medicine for many, for some the dementia seemed
to ease, or melt away. I know hundreds
of songs, from the Music Hall to the present, interspersed with stories and
conversation. I sing along to my guitar and run one song into another, trying to
cover as many songs as possible in the allotted time. To my mind my job is to
take an hour and shrink and stretch it with fun and joy, so that everyone feels
something afterwards. People can like or dislike, whatever, they have something
to think and talk about when I gone. I would be truly
glad if you would invite me to entertain the people in your care. References Activities
Coordinator Laura Knowle House
Lingfield Road East Grinstead RH19 2EJ 01342 317740 Celia or Simon Age
UK (Age Concern) The Chris Ellis Care Centre 130 Brompton La,
Rochester ME23BA 01634 724745 Discounts Discounts may be
available for ‘Multi Bookings’ at one venue. Or if you get together with
other groups geographically near to you, so that I can do more than one show in
a day in one area. Area Covered In my career I
have performed in twenty two countries so I really do not mind where the show
is. However, I concentrate on the South East corner of England East from
Guildford, South of the river Thames, East along the Southern coast from
Worthing, to Brighton, Hastings, Dover Ramsgate etc. Performances in other areas
are
possible for a suitable fee or for a group of venues over a few days. Professional Fees. I entertain people
for my living, I am self employed, I need enough money to pay my rent, food,
clothing, taxes etc. I ask for a fee. A fee is not a wage. A fee contains
several elements i) Taxes. ii) Business costs. iii) Expenses and transportation
costs. iv) Future investment in the business, equipment replacement. v) Some
money for my talents, the special skills involved, it is not everyone who can do
what I do. vi) Some money for the years of experience and knowledge it takes to
produce the shows. vii) Wages, that money I need, like everyone else, to live. Possible Work
Days. Each year there have
to be some days for administration, and like everyone else I need some time for
family and recreation. There are days which do not get booked. I have a
realistic idea of my possible performing days and I am happy to give shows on
any, or all, of the seven days in each week. I aim to work as many days as
possible and I hope that on some days I can get two or even three shows to do.
For somehow a balance must be reached between the funds you have and the funds I
require to survive. There are some physical restrictions to how far away venues
are from each other and how many shows can be sung before a soar throat occurs.
Shows are normally limited to one hour or two three quarter hour slots with a
fifteen minute break. Of course a lot of my work has little to do with actual
performing. Much of my time is travelling, learning new songs, repairing
equipment, sending out publicity and talking on the telephone. So it is easy to
understand that the fees I charge include much more than the performance given. All Costs
Included. At the time of
writing I have back office costs, which include advertising, guitar strings,
accountants fees, internet, computer etc., which amount £43 per performing day.
On top of this is transportation the car costs £11 per performing day plus
petrol at about 11 pence a mile—my work would not be possible using public
transport. I have a small car, just big enough for my equipment, at the lowest
rate of Road Fund Duty and very low fuel consumption.
Fees including all expenses for shows in South East England. For Shows in London add £20.00 to the above and add £8.00 if the Congestion Charge is applicable.
Contact Almond Now—Direct Telephone: 075 332 407 25 Email: almonddriect@almondgreenway.com Internet: http://www.almondgreenway.com
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