SOUTH TYNESIDE

Coronation, this May, so Katie Ashby and her D-Day Darlings prepare for their Coronation Tour, under the watchful eye from above, of Dame Vera Lynn. The Nation’s Sweetheart, gave these wonderful darlings, sweethearts in their own right, her blessing several years ago, and they continue to do both Dame Vera, her family, and the estate, proud.

A lengthy tour to come, with a number of dates sandwiched between them, the upcoming months is going to be very busy indeed for co-founders Katie Ashby, Nicola Roberts et al; they’ve even got a couple of dates in our beloved northeast in which to soak up the celebratory atmosphere they’ll bring.

Immediately after the Coronation itself, the Darlings will be touring from 29 April until 22 June, they have appointments at The Customs House, South Shields (13 May) and the Darlington Hippodrome (26 May), among others – the actual day itself, there’ll be a trio performance in Selsey, West Sussex. Looking back though, at the time they were afforded the support of Dame Vera, could actually be attributed to the very beginning of Katie, Nicola and company’ journey in the industry.

“Myself, and Nicola (Roberts), are still here from when we first started out, nearly fifteen years ago now, explained Katie, reminiscing of those formative days, some fifteen years or so ago now.

“I was doing lots of variety shows before that, and within them, we did a segment about wartimes, which I used to watch from backstage.

“Seeing how much it mixed the audiences, it gave me the thought, right there, that’s what

I wanted to do.

“The feedback we got in those early days helped us to grow and we were told, even then, that Dame Vera’s people were showing an interest and gave us their support.

“We even wore the uniforms (of the WRAF) from the very beginning, something which I love, the authenticity of it all, and it was a vision of mine from the start, like they actually do, when we were are at full capacity, we’re flying in formation.”

That connection to Dame Vera however, she being both the forces, and the nations sweetheart, prior to her passing in June 2020 (aged 103 years), is one which continues to burn bright for Katie.

Doing what she does now, Dame Vera has, and rightly so, been an inspiration for, and instrumental in the success, of the D-Day Darlings.

Katie even enjoyed a meeting with the Dame, not long before her passing, at the entertainer’s then home, the D-Day Darlings co-founder adding, with her beaming smile: It’s amazing that we have the support of Dame Vera’s family, and estate.

“I’m delighted that we’re able to continue working with them, and to be the voice of their campaigns.

“I met Vera in the March of 2019, the year before she passed away, and it was truly amazing, wonderful.

“They tell you not to meet your heroes, your idols, but for me, that could not have been further form the truth.

“It was basically like, going to your grans house; she was so nice, had all the photo albums out, tea and cakes, and told us many, wondrous stories.

“It was just the most surreal time and, when we started to leave, she serenaded us with ‘We’ll Meet Again,’ and it was, on the back of that meeting, when we were heading home, I started writing the song, ‘Sweetheart.’”

Carrying on, unabated and whole-heartedly Katie, who recently turned 45, never let the recent, global health-scares, stand in her way; having had a child, she continued with the business the best way she could, readying herself, the darlings, and the juniors, another string to their wholesomeness, for when things could start up again. Before that though, there was

Britain’s Got Talent (apparently we do anyway), the Darlings being finalists in 2018 – a nice way to celebrate your ten year anniversary, and the following year, Colin Thackery, the loveable Chelsea Pensioner, won the same competition (he’s also included on the upcoming tour).

“Britain’s Got Talent was a fantastic experience, and something which opened up our demographic to a much wider audience,” continued Katie.

“We’ve a great variety in what we do, and we’re very much an act with heart (plenty of it), and meaning.

“There’s nobody else does this kind of music, at this level, in the way which we do, so it’s very niche and we’re certainly one of a kind, and often seen as being bigger than the trend.”

It was that same year which they released their debut album, ‘I’ll Remember You,’ it reaching #15 in the UK Album charts; that was followed in 2019 by ‘I’ll Remember You: The VE Day 75th Anniversary Celebration Edition,’ and it went on to reach #5 in the UK Album chart (peaked at #2 midweeks).

EXLUSIVELY, a third album is also due next year (2024), for the 80th Anniversary, Katie saying that: “it’s the last chance we’ll probably have to commemorate those that are living, who survived the war.

“(Colin Thackery) we saw him on Britain’s Got Talent and we absolutely love him, he’s a wartime hero.

“He, alongside our wonderful juniors, will help to make this a generational, family show (for the coronation tour).

“It absolutely made sense that, when we started putting this together, he’d join us on a few shows – his wife was from Darlington and one of the songs he performs is dedicated to her.”

The ‘Kings Coronation Tour,’ it begins at the Merryfield Theatre, in Verwood, Dorset, on Saturday 29 April, and runs for some 27 dates, Matinee & Evening performances galore, until the finale, at the Elgiva Theatre, in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, on Thursday 22 June - not forgetting the smattering of trio, and fivepiece performances, scattered throughout the same period.

“This tour, we started looking into it as soon as the date was announced for the coronation,” continued Katie.

“We just wanted to be able to get out there and see as many people as possible.

“So many people, venues, they wanted to books us straight away, and that’s amazing.

“But we have a lot going on now in which to work around, including everyone’s availability, the logistics, costings, it’s endless.

“We’re looking forward to having a party with everyone though.

“Everything we have on these shows ties in, and we’ve even got a Navy section in there in which to honour our King.

“It’s a real, celebratory show, fun, and light-hearted, making it very time-specific to help people feel good – a light, breezy, kindhearted performance.”

As for Katie Ashby, she’s always keeping herself busy, and not just with home-life either, the D-Day Darlings very much a fulltime business for herself, and her partner, Stewart Whale.

“I do perform at most of the shows as this is my job, running the Darlings, and our juniors,” concluded Katie.

“There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes, and that included writing and rehearsing new material, songs, but yes, most of the time I’m on the shows as well.”

Keep up-to-date with everything D-Day Darlings via their socials on Facebook https://www. facebook.com/TheDDayDarlings and Twitter https://twitter. com/TheDDayDarlings and their fantastic website https://www. ddaydarlings.co.uk/

Among the talented, female musicians heading to the Hexham Jazz Festival this May, and there’s a few of them, Claire Martin, Jo Harrop (she’s one of our own you know), there’s also the serenely-stunning vocals of Kent born, Rachel Sutton.

If you’ve not checked her out, we’d urge you do so. Her debut album, ‘A Million Conversations (2020),’ was a stunning followup to the long-forgotten EP, ‘Trouble in Mind,’ some six years previous, and we now have it on good authority, there’s more, finally, in the pipeline.

For Rachel, life as a performer began long before she became a jazz singer. The multi-talented Sutton is a trained actor, having worked across the UK, Europe, and at both the Edinburgh and New York Fringe festivals. Although born-and-raised in the sumptuous, Kent countryside, Ms. Sutton’s education would take her to that of Glamorgan University, as well as the Welsh College of Music & Drama. “I was heavily into acting even before I went to university,” began Rachel, her life though, somehow always revolving