RUSSELL NEWS ARTICLES
5th Jan.
A letter in the Mirror following the article below ...
4th January 2012
From The Daily Mirror
2011
The article in the DAILY MAILonline.
We
ask a celebrity a set of devilishly probing questions – and only accept
THE definitive answer. This week it’s the turn of tenor Russell
Watson...
By Rob Mcgibbon
14th November.
From The Daily Mail.
THE DEFINITE ARTICLE
27th Oct.
An absolutely fantastic review for Russell at the Manila concert from FreemailAsiatoday.com
Unforgettable evening with David Foster and Friends
Tiberius Kerk
| October 27, 2011
Russell Watson was the second singing sensation. At 44, this English tenor is closing in on some of the world’s greatest tenors.
A member in our group who is a diehard Watson fan, let out a loud scream when he appeared.
She was joined in the thundering crescendo of cheers by thousands of others.
I didn’t realise that Russell Watson had such a powerful voice until he sang the popular Italian song “Volare” and
nearly short-circuited the stadium’s electrical and electronic systems.
We all cheered, shouted and tried to drown out the voices of others with the conclusion of each of his song.
Great showmanship
In
2007, Watson was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Fortunately for his
family and his fans around the world, the brain surgery was successful.
For
someone who started out in life as a semi-manual labourer with little
education, Russell Watson continues to bring much enjoyment to music
lovers.
Dubbed as the “people’s tenor”, Watson has taken life by the
jugular and has swept through Putra Stadium like an unstoppable typhoon.
All of us were undeniably thrilled by his amazing vocals.
There’s only so much you can appreciate from a DVD and a set of speakers at home, wait till you hear him live in concert. Unbelievable!
26th Oct.
DAVID FOSTER & FRIENDS
A review of the concert in Manila from the Philippine Star.
Russell gets a brief mention.
“I just love the Philippines,”
Foster said as he opened the show that lasted for two hours and a half,
“because Filipinos can sing along with the songs that they know by
heart.”
Taking that cue, Watson asked the crowd to sing along with
him when he did Volare, except when he started to shift to the Spanish
lyrics.
“He has not only a good voice but also good looks,” commented Foster.
26th Oct.
From the Staronline Ecentral entertainment.
A JOURNEY OF HITS
The paragraph about Russell..
Now
on his third KL visit, Watson, whom Malaysians are probably familiar
with, lent an operatic style to the pop songs with Because You Believe,
Volare,
You Raise Me Up and Nessun Dorma from Pucini’s Turandot – the latter was simply magnificent.
After suffering two brain tumours, Watson has just returned to singing and his voice has become richer and more powerful.
25th Oct.
An article in the Daily Express.
23rd Oct.
From Ecentral The Star online
Foster and friends thrill fans in first ever Malaysian concert
6th.Sept.
The article from THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
3rd Sept.
Daily Express
31st August
DAILY EXPRESS
Lunch With An Old Bag
30th August.
Russell is mentioned in thisManchester Evening News news article today.. 2 pictures included
Salford tenor Russell Watson gave a rousing performance of favourites including Nessun Dorma and You Raise Me Up before Londoner Heather Small, who had a string of hits with
Manchester band M People, took to the stage to remind the delighted party goers of that amazing voice.
10th August.
Celtic Legends V ManchesterUnited
Russell got a brief mention in the Daily Mail.
and from Celtic Football Club.
The event began on a high
note with singing star, Russell Watson, treating the crowd to a rousing
rendition of the Puccini classic, Nessun Dorma. And it set the tone for
the rest of the evening.
15th July.
A brilliant review for Russell's concert at Castle Hill.
From This is Devon.
WATSON WAS TRULY WONDERFUL
.Russell Watson at Midsummer Music
Castle Hill, Filleigh
Review: Jo Wood
THE stunning grounds of Castle Hill were the perfect setting for a memorable evening of Midsummer Music. Russell Watson is a truly engaging performer, and the atmosphere was amazing.
He's
coming to the end of an extensive tour, and it's clear that the
performers have all become firm friends, such was their rapport.
Musical
director Robert Emery is so enthusiastic, at times you think he will
take off! Nothing less than a symphony orchestra would be up to
supporting this great voice, and the National Symphony
Orchestra did a superb job, also entertaining us with a medley of movie classics which led seamlessly into E Sara Cosi.
If
local opera lovers were expecting an evening of high brow high opera
they were destined for disappointment. Beginning with a heartfelt
rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story
, Russell took us on a
tour through the best tenor solos, which took in all the operatic
favourites as well as some unexpected numbers, like Dusty Springfield's
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me
and the theme from the Godfather. His joy in performing is infectious: he knows how to put the fun in Funiculi Funicula.
The
audience was encouraged to join in, which we all did with gusto. Volare
was an absolute hoot. And when the rain came down (fortunately just for
a few minutes) a rousing We're Singin' In The Rain
went down a storm.
Soprano
Natasha Marsh (inset) was a sparkling guest singer. Her duet with
Russell, The Prayer, was lovely, and her solo numbers included Eva
Cassidy and Queen.
Before radiotherapy treatment Russell Watson was an excellent tenor, now the lower register of his range has broadened and the rich tone is quite bewitching. For me the highlight of the
evening, and one which needs a robust voice, was the Toreador's Song from Carmen.
Rousing
renditions of Jerusalem, Land Of Hope And Glory and Rule Britannia
brought the delightful evening to an end, and left me hoarse with
singing along.
So apologies to anyone who was sat nearby but I'm pretty sure you were joining in too.
What a marvellous experience. I hope that Castle Hill will host him again soon. Please?
JULY
9th July.
From Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
Opera star Russell Watson and hundreds more make a beeline for new radiotherapy centre
1st July.
From Salford online
Video: Russell Watson on Salford's new Christie centre
by Tom Rodgers
Opera star, Irlam lad and former Christie patient Russell Watson today joined
hospital staff in celebrating the imminent opening of the new radiotherapy centre in Salford
30th June.
From the Manchester Evening News.
Russell Watson sings the praises of the new Christie centre
Opera
star Russell Watson was given a VIP tour of Christie’s new £18m
radiotherapy centre in Salford – and relived how the hospital helped him
battle cancer three years ago.
The singer, who was born in Salford,
was given radiotherapy at Christie in Withington after being diagnosed
with a brain tumour. Yesterday, he spent over an hour at the new
centre at Salford Royal, talking to staff and meeting patients.
27th June.
review for the concert at Cheltenham , from This Is Gloucestershire.
Tenor Watson is mobbed by fans at racecourse gig
OPERA singer heartthrob Russell Watson got a few female fans hot under the collar during a performance at Cheltenham Racecourse.
The 44-year-old left the stage during a song to walk among the audience and was mobbed.
The
self-styled "People's Tenor" was performing to help raise money for
Cheltenham-based cancer charity Linc. Pupils from a Gloucestershire
school also took to the stage with the star. The chamber choir at The
King's School had been asked to accompany Russell. He was also joined by
operatic soprano Natasha Marsh.
Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen was among
the crowd which enjoyed renditions of aria Nessun Dorma, Can't Help
Falling in Love by Elvis and a piece from Phantom of the Opera.
23rd June.
Russell is featured in the June 27th issue of this Australian magazine.
Australian Woman's Day magazine, 27
June 2011 issue, features KATE MIDDLETON &
PIPPA MIDDLETON on the cover and in 2 page "Kate v Pippa - Royal rivals
- as the Duchess steals the show at another wedding, the sisters' lifelong
rivalry over who is 'thinnest and prettiest' heats up" story with 2
photos
Also
featured RUSSELL WATSON in 1 page "Russell finds his voice
again - surviving serious illness has given Russell Watson renewed focus on his
career" story with 2 photos
22nd June.
This Is Gloucester
From The Gloucestershire Echo dated 11th June.
16th June.
From a Japanese magazine , with thanks to a friend in Japan
10th June.
This magazine from Australia ...ULTIMATE Sanity magazine ..June 2011 has an article about Russell and
an advert for La Voce.
Click the pages, Russell is on pg 28.
6th June.
Taiwan News items
26th May.
From Wimslow.co.uk.
Article and slideshow of 10 pictures.
Russell Watson greets his chocolate alter ego
25th May.
An article in the Manchester Evening News with video from the 'Chocolatier' event .
Dianne Bourne
May 25, 2011
Video: Russell Watson's chocolate sculpture looks tasty for char
From The BIRMINGHAM MAIL 2nd May.
From THE EVENING STAR 9th April
From the TELEGRAPHand ARGUS 9th May.
Review for Bradford concert.
3rd May.
From Walesonline
Review: Russell Watson, St David’s Hall
by David Owens, South Wales
If you think the cult of celebrity is something only celebrated by young people, then perhaps it’s time to think again.
For
when Russell Watson jumped off the stage to do a walkabout during his
performance quite a few of the audience – most of them pensioners – were
falling over themselves like adoring teenagers to kiss and shake hands
with The Voice. One female fan even enjoyed a double helping.
In
many ways it is a miracle that Watson is still able to perform – after
overcoming two brain tumours that left him close to death.
He
now looks healthy and is clearly a fighter who is a top professional at
working an appreciative audience with his mix of opera and popular
music.
Joining
Watson on the La Voce tour, and tightly packed on stage, were the
excellent Arts Symphonic Orchestra led by eccentric conductor Richard
Emery, and the eight-strong Capital Voices Choir.
And
with him on stage for a sequence from Phantom of the Opera was singer
Mary-Jess for whom Watson is predicting great things in the future
There
are many highlights and few lowlights from the down-to-earth Watson in a
highly accomplished performance which sits well with his supportive
older fans. He’s clearly enjoying life after his brush with death.
Puccini’s
Nessun Dorma is predictably wonderfully received while Elvis’ Can’t
Help Falling In Love is rather bizarrely followed by an audience
suggestion of Love On The Rocks.
For
the Welsh contingent, Watson runs through a rousing version of Delilah
and promises on his next visit to the capital to sing in Welsh.
By Phillip Nifield
1st May
From Wales online
Watson proves The Voice still has it
WATCHING
Russell Watson performing on stage it’s difficult to imagine that
little more than three years ago he was close to death after a second
brain tumour.
Today the popular tenor, dubbed The Voice, is back
doing what he does best – and, in fact, he sounds better and looks
fitter than he’s ever done.
He’s currently entertaining fans on a
gruelling UK tour, which sees him perform a huge range of songs, from
opera classics to chart hits.
Joined by the young Arts Symphonic
orchestra – possibly the best-looking bunch of musicians in the land –
the superb Capital Voices and up-and- coming singer Mary-Jess, Watson
spent around two hours on stage during his concert at St David’s Hall in
Cardiff and it appeared as though he didn’t want to leave.
The
show opened with the ballad Somewhere from stage classic West Side
Story, which showcased Watson’s rich voice from the start.
“It’s such a thrill to be here in the Land of Song,” he told his cheering Welsh fans.
The
first half contained hits by Mario Lanza, songs from Puccini’s Tosca
and a rendition of the popular Volare, which he had the whole crowd
singing along to.
He spoke candidly about his fight for life following two brain tumours and his return to singing.
“It
feels now so much more enjoyable and rewarding than it has done,” he
said of his career. “Thank you for your continued support.”
While the
first half lasted less than an hour, Watson more than made up for it
during the second section, which lasted around 90 minutes. In fact,
after finishing with the mighty Nessun Dorma he returned to the stage
for an encore of around five songs. He even responded to a request for
Love On The Rocks, quipping afterwards: “Ladies and gentleman, Russell
Watson the human juke box – that’s 50 pence please love!”
Watson
spent much of the night bantering with the audience, proving just how at
ease he is as a showman as well as a singer. He also worked well with
the charismatic music director Robert Emery who was responsible for the
clever arrangements.
Russell Watson is certainly back with a vengeance.
Karen Price
9th April.
Russell is featured in the April editition of ETC magazine online, it can be seen on this link ( pages 104, 105 ,106).
3rd April
From THE SUNDAY POST
3rd April
From TheDaily Mail .co.uk
Picture from The Mail on Sunday
From The Manchester Evening News
From The Birmingham Mail
From BILLBOARD
31st March.
Miracle Man
6:00pm Thursday 24th March 2011
By Katherine MacAlister »
Russell
Watson is back. And while ‘The Voice’ looks the same from the outside,
albeit thinner, the world famous singer has gone through hell and back
to get here. His well documented double brain tumour had him teetering
on the edge of a mental abyss, but in the end his love for life won
through and he has re-emerged better than ever before. Here, he bares
his heart to Katherine MacAlister.
25th March.
From The Oxford Times.co .ukRussell Watson: New Theatre
Thursday 24th March 2011
23rd March.
From This is Devon
Russell Watson heads to North Devon
KING OF THE CASTLE: Russell Watson headlines Midsummer Music At Castle Hill (inset)
23rd Feb.
From THE NEW STRAIGHTS TIMES.
Showbiz: New tenure for a tenor
2011/02/20
SUBHADRA DEVAN
19th Feb.
From Walesonline.co.uk
Russell Watson was almost silenced but is back on song
CHESTER ZOO
From the Straights Times..LIFE magazine Singapore
Dated 25th Jan.
Life!
Jan 25, 2011
Watson, the wedding singer?
British classical-pop star Russell Watson says he has offered his services for the April royal nuptials
By eddino abdul hadi, music reporter
Having survived the painful lows of two brain tumour surgeries and the exhilarating highs of a successful music career, English classical-pop star Russell Watson now seems to approach each new day with a good dose of humour.
Discussing Prince William's upcoming royal wedding, the 44-year-old jokes that he had offered to be the wedding singer.
'I did a performance at the London Palladium for Prince Charles last month. At the end of the performance, we spoke and I told him it was very nice to see him and that I am available for weddings at the moment. He laughed. I'll take that as a no, then,' he says in a telephone interview peppered with much boyish giggles and lots of laughter.
More than a decade after he made his debut with The Voice, Watson will perform his first show in Singapore at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Saturday. Tickets are sold out. It will be his first public performance of the year.
He says: 'You're going to see 'The Voice' stride on the stage and absolutely rip the roof off the place. I'm very excited about getting back on stage.
'You can expect big noises and lots of emotion and I'm going to do a combination of materials from my last nine albums.'
Referring to his days as a pub singer, he adds: 'And a few little surprises, maybe a little bit of Elvis.'
Yet he might have never performed here.
In 2006, Watson found out about his first brain tumour, the size of a cricket ball, just one day before his 40th birthday. It was removed in a five-hour emergency operation.
A little over a year later, the pituitary adenoma returned and he required another emergency surgery. For a while, he was warded in the hospital's intensive care unit.
The man who calls himself 'The People's Tenor' turned out to be a fighter, too. 'It was a long, hard fight but it taught me a lot of lessons in life. I have a massive appreciation of life now and the people around me,' says Watson, who has two daughters aged 16 and 11 with his ex-wife.
He worked out intensively at the gym to regain his fitness almost immediately after undergoing post-operation radiotherapy sessions.
Less than a year after the second operation, he was back at the microphone.
His most recent and ninth album, La Voce, was released two months ago, 10 years after he helped to popularise classical, opera-style singing among the masses.
'If you look before 1999, there is no mention of classical crossover. The genre came to life when I released my first record,' he says unabashedly.
'I was the first artist to ever release classical arias and pop songs on the same record. It introduced classical music to a lot of people who wouldn't normally listen to it.'
More than 10 million copies of his albums have been sold worldwide, a testament to his popularity.
But the singing star, who has performed at The Vatican, Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall in New York City, has stayed resolutely proud of his working-class roots.
He is a school drop-out and a former labourer who started singing to make some extra cash.
'I used to sing in the pubs, a little bit of Meat Loaf, some Elvis, Buddy Holly, all that kind of stuff. I was a little bit of rock 'n' roll back in the days when I couldn't afford Aston Martins,' he says.
A concert secretary suggested that he try opera classics. Despite having no classical singing training, Watson excelled at it.
Word of his vocal prowess soon spread throughout Manchester, where he won a talent contest, and he got to sing at a match between his favourite team Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
His performances before and after the game, the last match of the Premiership season in 1999, earned him a standing ovation to go with his jubilation at United winning the league title.
Two years later, his debut album, The Voice, comprising operatic arias and pop and rock covers, earned him the distinction of being the first British singer to reach No. 1 on both the British and American classical charts.
He now has to take daily injections and medication to stay alive but he shrugs it off as 'routine'.
'By the same rule, if you didn't drink water, you will die. I'm less agitated by small things, I just deal with life in a more relaxed and less intense way than I used to,' he says.
dinohadi@sph.com.sg
All tickets to Russell Watson - La Voce at the Esplanade Concert Hall on Saturday are sold out.
From Media corp.com Singapore
13th Jan
From THE YORKSHIRE POST Dec 7th 2010
Article from THIS IS NOTTINGHAM dated 19th Nov.
My weekend: Russell Watson
Friday, November 19, 2010, 08:00
By simon wilson
I ALWAYS try to be home at the weekend to be with my children. My weekend is based around making them happy. So it'll be a combination of watching films, getting on the Wii, going out for a walk... I try to find a range of things so they're not doing the same thing every weekend. But overall we like to chill, eat and watch movies.
The big favourite on the Wii at the moment is Mario Kart. My nine-year-old, Hannah, is king of that. She whips us.
My other daughter, Rebecca, is 16. She's just coming out the other side of the Kevin-and-Perry stage. To be fair, in the past six months or so I've noticed the child becoming someone who is bordering on caring. From the age of 13 it was all "me, me, me, me, me... it's so unfair".
I live in "Mancheshire". The posh bit, aye. (Sir Alex) Ferguson lives around here. Coronation Street? They can't afford it around here (laughs).
I live opposite a field full of sheep.
On a Friday night, when the kids come over, the first thing they ask is 'Dad, what are we watching?' Recently it was Hachi: A Dog's Tale, with Richard Gere. It was actually all right but you knew from the start what was going to happen. The dog's going to die and everyone's going to be crying at the end. And that's pretty much what happened. They were all crying. No, not me. I'm a big, strong Salford lad.
I had a cinema room built in the house because I can't really go to the cinema. I get teenagers throwing popcorn at me and stuff like that (laughs). "Oi, Russell Watkins!"
Years ago, I was walking through the Trafford Centre in Manchester and there were a group of kids, walking towards me, with their hoodies up. They gave me a double take and I was thinking "yeah, I'm down with the kids, even they recognise me". Then I hear "RUSSELL!" So I look over my shoulder. "All right lads?" "YOU'RE S***!"
I was laughing about that for ages. I liked it so much I put that in my book.
I get stuff like that happening to me all the time.
The kids like spaghetti, lasagne and pizza but they like their fish fingers and chips as well. But I try to get vegetables down them. It's dad's cafe and dad's taxi. And dad's hi-fi store as well. My daughter's iPod went missing on her 16th birthday so dad's hi-fi store had to ring up to get her a new one.
I'm as fit as I've been for a long time. I'm feeling strong and fit and good about life. My career is... well, I couldn't ask for any more at the moment.
I play a lot of tennis and I'm in the gym every other day. I watch what I eat and don't drink too much and all the rest of it.
The last book I started was Run Baby Run by Nicky Cruz. It's triumph over adversity. It's something that interests me because, I came from a nuts and bolts factory to the world of classical music, which is quite a step. The last book I finished was called Vocal Reproduction Organic Imagery, which is a medical journal on how the voice works. I've did a heck a lot of study on the voice when I was ill. My perfect weekend is what I do now, with the kids.
Russell Watson has announced a date at the Royal Concert Hall on April 13. Tickets are £25 to £60, from the venue or call 0115 989 5555. His album, La Voce, recorded with the Roma Sinfonietta, Ennio Morricone's orchestra of choice, is released on November 29.
15th January 2011
From the EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES
East Anglian Daily Times
Russell ‘The Voice’ Watson returns
Saturday, 15 January, 2011
0:01 AM
As you’d expect it’s changed him; giving him a completely different outlook on life, friendship, family and his career and - he says - made him a better person.
While he’s happy to talk about his brushes with death, it’s clear he wants to move on to more positive aspects of his life.
“It’s a period of time in my life that I will never forget but I’m not a victim any more I’m a survivor. If I was a boxer then I’d have been knocked down a few times in the fight but hey, you know what, I’ve got back up and won. I’m still here and I’m still doing what I love but with a renewed vigour for it.”
Those changes are all over Watson’s new album, La Voce, which was recorded in Rome with the Roma Sinfonietta, Ennio Morricone’s orchestra of choice.
Watson’s voice, as heard on Pino Donaggio’s Io Che Non Vivo (Senza Te), Mario Lanza’s Arrivederci Roma or Parla Piu Piano (the theme from The Godfather) has never sounded better, stronger, more driven and powerful.
“I’ve truly given my heart and soul to this record,” he says. “It feels quite poignant – this is where I started. With everything that’s happened I’ve had a lot of time to focus on the record and make the one I really wanted to make. The performances are as good as they can possibly be at this stage of my career.”
Watson says La Voce is the product of his life to date and the defining record of his life so far.
“I believe that I have come through all this for a reason and that reason is now,” he says.
“There are great times to come, but this is what it’s all about for me now. This is the first record that I’ve made which has true continuity, La Voce is a very clear-sighted piece.”
It earmarks a return to what he became famous for; the last classical record he made or that was eligible for the classical charts being in 2004.
“Since then I haven’t been firing on all cylinders, I’ve had one throat operation and two brain tumours and that’s enough for anybody I think in life,” he says.
“That combined with the side effects and the illness generated through that, plus a slapping for good measure of 25 treatments of radiotherapy as well it’s been a heck of a tough time.
“I’ve not really had the mind set, the infrastructure, the stamina or the personal physical strength to be singing classical musical so this really is a pinnacle moment for me career-wise.”
Looking back, Watson never imagined he’d be where he his today. Born in Salford, he’d have preferred to make it playing football - the trouble was however much he played, he never got any better.
Watson hated losing and that he was no good at the thing he loved; so he found something else to be the best at.
His mum would play Mario Lanza and Tchaikovsky, Mantovani, Chopin, Schubert, even The James Last Orchestra in the house. Her own father was a concert-level pianist.
“My grandfather was amazing,” he says. “I’d sit on his lap and listen to him for hours.”
Watson learnt to play the piano aged seven and while good, he never had a flair for it.
“There was no joy there,” he remembers. “When I started singing there was. I started playing guitar as a teenager and started singing along with the Beatles and Jam records I loved.”
He even formed a band called The Crowd - “We weren’t very good,” he laughs - and his band mates would tell him he sounded just like McCartney or Weller.
“I’m a natural mimic,” Watson smiles. “I still do it now. I can do my A&R man, my manager and I can always do other singers. An old compere at this club in Stockport used to joke ‘Russell Watson, 1001 voices – all of them crap’.”
Those clubs were extremely hard work. People were more interested in talking about what was on Coronation Street than what the singer was doing. But the factory work Watson did for £90 a week was so “mind-numbing” singing became his escape.
“I’ve walked out on stage in some of the biggest venues in the world - The Vatican, Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, Old Trafford - but nothing is as daunting as a Friday night at a serious working men’s club.
“If I ever start to feel sorry for myself I go back and remember where I’ve been, singing through a fog of Woodbine smoke.”
One night, a concert secretary appeared out of the fog in front of Watson. He had grey hair with a yellow streak and yellow, tar-stained fingers. Watson had just sung The Music of The Night.
“He just looked at me and said ‘you have a smashing voice, have you ever tried any of that Pavarooty [sic] stuff’.”
Determined as ever, he went off and learnt Nessun Dorma phonetically; gaining a standing ovation the first time he sang it live.
A whole new life soon beckoned and a few short years later that standing ovation was at Old Trafford just before Manchester United won the Premiership.
Since then Watson has sung for American presidents, Japanese emperors, British royalty, an array of European prime ministers, Middle-Eastern sultans, even the late Pope John Paul II who requested a private audience at the Vatican.
Every album since has garnered more praise; this latest, believes Watson, is special.
“My best friend, The Colonel, listened to it and he said ‘they’re all bloody good tunes, lad!’ and that’s it, La Voce has only great tracks on it.
“I’ve learnt more in the last ten years about music, life, performance and singing than you could ever learn at any music college. There’s no one on the planet that I worry about being stood in front of. No one is as genuinely impassioned about this music as I am now.”
Watson knows you don’t step off a factory on to a stage with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra without having something beyond talent. You need drive and desire, a need to make your mark, to make your voice heard.
“I’m a stubborn b*****d,” he laughs. “My music is about making a connection. Put me in front of 90,000 in a football stadium and I feel all their energy. It’s what I live for, that and my kids. There’s nothing bigger than that feeling.”
The tenor, who practically invented the classical crossover genre, fans include former Guns ‘n’ Roses guitarist Slash who invited him to audition for lead singer of his new band a few years back.
“My career was just starting to ignite in the US and I was asked to do all kinds of different programmes. One of them was a programme with regards to rock music and classical music and the similarities if there were any between the two - the passion that both evoke and so on.
“I did all these different interviews with various different rock stars from Paul Stanley from KISS, Meatloaf and Slash was one of the people I met.
“We met in a bar in Los Angeles on Sunset Boulevard called the Viper Lounge, quite a renowned place and he was sat in this bar with a pint of Guinness, a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
“I walked in and,” remembers Russell, adopting a thick American drawl, “he went ‘hey how you doing man’. I said ’yeah I’m good’ and he said ’listen, I got one of your records what a voice, what a voice; you ever tried the Guinness’
“I said no and he says ‘it’s good for the chords man, try some’. I had a pint, we got chatting and he says ‘we’re doing auditions for my band. Man you’d be able to sing the s**t out of that stuff. You should come along and join us, have a sing with us’.
“I said ‘uh I’m busy meself [sic], I’m at the Royal Albert Hall this weekend Slash,” he laughs.
He’s also the only person to record a theme song for one of the Star Trek TV shows, Enterprise.
“In all fairness, when you listen to he track you’d probably think Rod Stewart would have been better suited,” Watson laughs. “But it was a career defining moment, nobody before had ever sung a Star Trek theme tune. That was kind of the focus for a lot of discussion with all the Trekkies.”
Controversary at the time aside - personally I liked it - Faith of the Heart has become a much-loved, inspirational tune which crops up at weddings quite a bit.
It was penned by friend and renowned songwriter Diane Warren.
“She rang me up and said ‘we’ve got this beautiful track for you and we’re looking at pitching it to get it as the theme tune for Star Trek would you be interested’
“I was like ‘yeah, what do you think’,” he laughs. “I just went into the studio, recorded it and the next thing you know it’s a piece of history. Long after I’m gone they’ll be showing re-runs and that song will be playing; that’s the legacy that as an artist you have the opportunity to leave behind - music never dies.
“That’s the great thing about being an artist and an artist that’s been around for a long time and has got a bit of a story; these days success seems to come then disappear so quickly. If you look at male solo vocalists in the UK, you probably wouldn’t need much more than two hands to count solo, male artists that have lasted for the last ten years.
“My success has come at a cost, it’s a hard fight but I’ve always said achieving success is relatively easy, maintaining success impossible.”
Watson is looking forward to wrapping up his current UK tour at the Ipswich Regent on May 7.
“It always feels good to get through a tour in one piece with no colds, flu, sore throats or hiccups along the way. I think Ipswich was the first of the concert dates to sell out so it’s really good.”
Perhaps he could do a second night, I suggest.
“That might be an idea,” he laughs. “I always have a good time there and it’s a nice place to work. It’s one of those places that feels quite intimate which is one of the appealing factors to me.
“My fans much prefer me in the more intimate venues, 1,500 up to 2,000 and 3,000 seater venues as opposed to the 10,000 seater venues where they get lost at the back and they don’t feel that sense of connection with me that they get in the more intimate venues which is really what I love as well.
“That’s what it’s all about for me, it’s not just about striding on stage and singing a few notes. I like to entertain my audience and have a chat with them, get to know them a bit.”
2010
13th Dec. 2010
From the Daily Mail.
Dec 7th
From the Daily Mirror.
Dec. 4th From THE TIMES
Nov 29th.
From the STAR and the MIRROR Daily Express
Nov16th.
From The Mirror
Nov.
From the Manchester Evening News
6th Nov,
The DAILY EXPRESS..Travel
20th October.
From THE TELEGRAPH
Russell Watson interview for La Voce
By Neil McCormick
Published: 5:47PM BST 20 Oct 2010
17th Oct.
From THE NATTER.co.uk (Manchester
FIGHTER RUSSELL'S A BORN SURVIVOR
By Dean Gate
RUSSELL Watson has cheated death not once but twice in his life and has lived to tell the tale.
He now survives on a cocktail of drugs after having undergone treatment for two cancerous brain tumours.
As a child, Russell even had a premonition that he would die before his 40th birthday.
And he admitted that there were days when he felt like giving up.
“I
remember standing on the balcony of the Beverly Hills Wilshire hotel
thinking, ‘I’ve had enough, I can’t take this’,” he said.
“For one
horrible moment I felt like jumping. I could not understand the idea of
anyone wanting to take their own life up to that point.
“But I’ve
always been a fighter and I think it was that fighting instinct that
said, ‘Get on with it Watson, everything’s going to be all right’. I
just took a deep breath,
threw myself on the bed and had a cry for half an hour.”
Russell’s interview with Piers Morgan on Saturday night was one of the most moving TV exchanges in a long time because of his amazing recovery from the brink.
This was no trumped-up, ‘rollercoaster journey’ from a soap star – it was a real human story of courage through adversity.
From the DAILY TIMES 16th Oct.
BODY AND SOUL.
From the Daily Express .. October 14th
From The Daily Mail ...Oct 12th
10th October
HIS FIELD OF DREAMS as printed in The Sunday Times.
6th October.
From the Manchester evening News
From THE BLACKPOOL GAZETTE
From theMANX INDEPENDANT dated 17th Sept 2010.
A review of the concert in the Isle of Man.
From THE WEEKLY NEWS dated 31st July
23rd Sept.
From CONTACT MUSIC.com
22 September 2010 09:45:03 AM
Russell Watson - Russell Watson's Liability Worry
Russell Watson worried he'd become ''a liability'' after he was being treated for two brain tumours, and is grateful he has been given the opportunity to record new album 'La Voce'.
The tenor thanked fans for standing by him during his long battle with health problems - which saw him have two pituitary tumours removed in 2006 and 2007 - and praised his new record company, Sony, for giving him the chance to record again now he back to full health, with his new album, 'La Voce'.
Speaking at the launch of the record last night (21.09.10) Russell said: "It's a thrill to still be here and singing and also it's a great thrill to be here with Sony who have shown such
faith in me when other people might have thought, 'Russell Watson is a liability'. Genuinely, thank you so much.
It's such a genuine thrill, I know artists say that all the time at these sorts of events, but I genuinely, genuinely mean - particularly after the health problems I've had over the last four years
- it is a genuine, true and real thrill to still see the support of the industry that I love and who have supported me for such a long time."
Russell then performed selections from 'La Voce' including 'Parla Piu Piano' - better known as the theme from film 'The Godfather' and 'Lo Che Non Vivo (Senza Te)', which was a hit for
Dusty Springfield when she recorded it in English under the title 'You Don't Have to Say You Love Me'
Russell recorded eight albums for Decca records, before signing with Sony at the end of 2009, and recording 'La Voce' earlier this year with the Roma Sinfonietta orchestra,
who have previously worked with composer Ennio Morricone.
'La Voce' will be released on November 29
17th Sept.
From Isle of Man.com
RUSSELL WATSON PROVES WHY HE IS CALLED "THE VOICE"
Singer
Russell Watson returned to the Villa Marina last night (Wednesday) and
more than proved why fans have dubbed him "The Voice".
The tenor
took to the Manx stage accompanied by the National Symphony Orchestra,
conducted by Sir William Haywood, and local choir Musicale.
Looking dapper in a navy suit and matching tie, Russell was welcomed with rapturous applause and a standing ovation by fans.
Opening
the show with O Sole Mio, he set the tone of the night as his booming
voice filled the venue and made the audience sit up and take notice.
He was obviously pleased to be performing here as he said: "What a thrill to be back in the Isle Of Man."
The
singer oozed character, confidence and personality stopping mid song to
joke with the crowd about flash photography and to pose for photographs.
Continuing
the set with Panis Angelicus, Va Pensiero and Ave Maria, Russell
littered the set with informal chat as if he was addressing old friends.
Despite
singing in another language Russell easily kept the audience fixated on
him. Whilst they may not have understood the words they certainly
understood the power and the passion.
He seemed to feel every word he was singing, hardly pausing for breath, and most definitely making the hairs stand on end.
Mentioning
the two brain tumours he was diagnosed with in 2007 he said: "I’m so
thrilled to still be doing this. I’ve had a difficult four to five
years with health but I’m still here.
"I think about two years after I finished radiotherapy I didn’t think I’d be able to sing this type of music again."
A rendition of the theme tune from The Godfather led to yet another standing ovation for the singer.
For
the final song of the first half Russell easily switched between
languages to give a memorable performance of "the most requested song
that I’ve never recorded".
Singing Music Of The Night from
Phantom of the Opera the audience were transported to a West End stage
with Russell giving an emotive performance of the Andrew Lloyd Webber
classic.
It was clear that many in the audience had seen the
singer before and some die hard fans had travelled over especially for
the concert.
He was adorned with gifts throughout the performance including a pair of Manx cufflinks which he proudly put on.
17th Sept.
From Isle Of Man Today
STANDING OVATIONS FOR RUSSELL WATSON
I was sitting in a packed house at the Villa Marina as the lights dimmed.
I could feel the anticipation of the crowd as they waited for Russell Watson to grace the stage, and grace the stage he did.
The
show started with a full set-up of the National Symphony Orchestra
including grand piano and a harpist, backed by the fantastic Musicale
choir.
They got the crowd into the mood performing the Hornpipe Overture.
Then,
looking smart in his black suit and electric blue tie, and singing in
Italian, Russell, who has survived two brain tumours, started with such
moving classic songs as Panis Angelicus and Ave Maria and quickly into
the old Italian classic O Sole Mio – from the Cornetto ad.
Leaving
the stage to remove his tie, he left locals John Riley and Jennifer
Bird conducting the orchestra and playing the piano with a choral
version of We've Only Just Begun.
There was a 30 second delay
before the next song due to a microphone failure which didn't ruffle
Russell's feathers in the slightest, as calmly introducing the next
song, he revealed that he once sang that song to the Pope himself.
After
receiving many presents, cards and gifts on stage by the crowd, he sang
the popular I Left My Heart In San Francisco before raising the roof
with a fantastically strong performance of Phantom of the Opera's Music
Of The Night.
After the interval, he returned, looking very
smart in a tuxedo and 'dickie' as he called it, with beautifully
touching renditions of the songs Volare and Toreador.
He stopped
many times during the evening to talk with the audience, have a laugh
or two and to pose for photographs for the eager crowd, who were of all
ages and all walks of life.
It was evident from the smile on his face he was having a great time too.
One
of the gifts he received was a pair of Manx cufflinks which he
immediately fitted to his sleeves and wore for the rest of the evening,
before coming down from the stage and walking through the audience
singing, and receiving quite a few kisses from the ladies in the seats
closest to the walkways.
Receiving help to remove his bow tie
from a happy lady from the crowd, he sang a lovely melodic I Can't Help
Falling In Love by Elvis before proceeding to bring the house down with
his own moving version of Nessun Dorma containing a breath taking top
note which brought him his first standing ovation of the evening.
He finished with Jerusalem, Land Of Hope And Glory and You Raise Me Up.
After the show I managed to have a few private words with Russell.
He said: 'It was fantastic to return to the Isle of Man and receive such an amazing reception.
'The
Manx people are so warm and enthusiastic and it is always a joy to
visit the Island. I simply cannot wait to come back – and I will come
back. Thank you.'
24th August.
From the August 2nd edition of the Hampshire Daily Echo.
A review of the Muscular Dystropy concert at Beaulieu.
4th August.
Article from the MK Citizen, with thanks to the writer Sammy Jones.
24th July.
The article from the Grimsby Telegraph dated July 19th.
.(the text is below the article)
RUSSELL'S GLORIOUS NOISE DAZZLES THE CROWD
SINGING sensation Russell Watson thrilled the crowd with a stirring performance at Cleethorpes's Meridian Park on Saturday.
The Salford-born opera singer treated the audience to a mixture of
classical arias and Neapolitan love songs before closing the concert
with a rousing rendition of
Last Night Of The Prom favourites Land Of
Hope And Glory and Jerusalem.
The event, called That Glorious Noise, was one of a series of four
concerts being held around the country in aid of the Muscular Dystrophy
Campaign.
And before taking to the stage, Russell told the Grimsby Telegraph why he was so keen to support the charity.
He said: "The work charities like this do to support victims and their families is crucial.
"Most of the people who suffer with muscular dystrophy are young boys
who have a short life expectancy and for a parent to have to experience
that must be incredibly difficult."
Former factory worker Russell, who shot to fame in 1999, said he
received lots of requests to perform at charity concerts - partly, he
believes, because of his fight against a brain tumour in 2007.
He said: "People relate me to illness in certain respects because of the brain tumour that I had.
"I get a lot of people that come up to me in the street who say they
were ill or their mother was ill and that hearing about my illness had
been a big help."
Russell,
who has just recorded his latest studio album with Ennio Morricone's
orchestra in Rome, said he was enjoying performing more than ever
"I'm much more grateful to be here than I was before. I feel fortunate not only to be singing, but to still be here."
The audience at Meridian Park were certainly grateful that Russell had
made the trip to Cleethorpes, as they greeted his arrival on stage with
warm applause.
On a
gloriously sunny, but chilly, summer's evening, Russell opened with the
lively O Sole Mio, more commonly known as the "Just One Cornetto" song,
before striking a pose on stage
as he jokingly invited members of the
audience to snap him with their cameras.
Accompanied by the Orchestra d'Amici, conducted by William Hayward,
Russell was in fine form and his boyish charm was going down a storm
with the appreciative audience.
At the opening of Parla Piu Piano, the theme tune to The Godfather, one
woman stood and broke into a spontaneous round of applause, with a look
of wonder in her eyes.
22nd June.
From Muscular Dystrophy's publication Target MD.
Target MD is the charity's flagship publication.
Friday 18 June 2010
AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSSELL WATSON
Russell Watson, "The People's Tenor", underwent lifesaving surgery in 2007 following the regrowth of a brain tumour.
In this extract from an interview with TargetMD Russell shares his thoughts on his life-threatening illness and tells us why he’s supporting the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign at our summer concert series.
How did you keep yourself going through such a tough time recently?
It was always about focusing on each stage of the illness. When I was diagnosed with a brain tumour it was about staying alive and getting treatment. As I got better I focused on getting back to full fitness as I’d been unable to exercise for a very long time. Lastly was the hurdle of getting back into the performance saddle
Are you glad to be back in the spotlight?
It feels good. I struggled with my health for a good four and a half years. In the last few months I’ve felt like myself again as I’ve been able to focus on what makes me happy, rather than just staying alive. I can spend time with my friends and family – and think about my career which all makes me feel very grateful.
What’s on the horizon for you musically?
Besides my summer concerts in support of Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, I’ve just recorded an album with the Roma Sinfonietta, the orchestra which Ennio Morricone used in his spaghetti westerns. It’s given the music an amazing Mediterranean flavour that is totally different to any of the records I’ve done before.
You have performed in front of a lot of famous people. Who were you most excited to meet?
I met the Beckhams and they were great – but singing at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II has to top that! And performing on the West Lawn of the White House in front of millions of people was absolutely amazing. I met President Bush a couple of times and I can’t talk about him as a president, but as a human being he was pretty nice.
What can people expect from your summer concert series?
I like to sing songs that my audience want to hear. People always ask for “Nessun dorma”. Another one that gets people going is “You Raise Me Up”. Neapolitan songs like “O solo mio” suit me fine as I love to sing them. You might even hear “Jerusalem” at these concerts so the audience should come armed with flags!
How do you feel about doing these performances for the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign? Does it spur you on knowing that you’re raising money for people with muscle disease?
I support charities because too many people have to work too hard just to stay alive. The government doesn’t put enough funding into health care. I was aware that muscular dystrophy is a debilitating disease and that people don’t always have a great quality of life, so I was happy to think I could make a difference.
There are still a few tickets left to see Russell perform at venues across the UK this summer.
11th June.
From Sammy Jones,the leisure editor of the Milton Keynes Citizen.
article dated May 11th.
5th June
From the Manchester Evening News 14th May.
1st June.
The Newspaper edition of the recent article in the Telegraph...29th May
27th May.
From the TELEGRAPH
26th May.
From the YORKSHIRE POST..17th May
18th May.
From The YORKSHIRE POSTLife is a great gift. Perhaps I didn't appreciate that until I nearly lost it'
Published Date:
16 May 2010
Russell Watson is tired.
He's just arrived back from performing with a renowned Italian
orchestra in Rome. It was an exhausting trip and getting through
Gatwick took longer than it should, but he's not complaining. He's just
grateful to be working.
In
the space of decade, which began with him taking on the mantle of the
People's Tenor, Watson has undergone a career-threatening operation on
his throat and not once, but twice, battled back from a potentially
fatal brain tumour.
Life he admits has been nothing if not eventful.
"I've
always been the kind of person who likes to take things to the max,"
says the Salford-born singer as he heads back home to Lancashire. His
career may have taken him around the world, but his heart still belongs
very much in the North West. "It's all good, it's certainly a lot
better than it has been.
I'm on the road and that in itself is
something I am incredibly grateful for."
In 2006 when the headaches began, Watson already had five
bestselling albums under his belt and a trophy cabinet full of awards.
He still remembers the pain, which he describes as being "like a knife
being pressed into the bridge of my nose". Despite his obvious
discomfort, doctors initially put the
symptoms down to stress and keen
to keep an increasingly busy schedule of commitments Watson flew to Los
Angeles to record yet another album.
However, when his vision
began to deteriorate, he was taken to hospital and an MRI scan revealed
the tumour the size of two golf balls.
Alone in California, he
faced an anxious wait to hear if the growth was malignant. It wasn't,
but no one could guarantee he would survive the operation. Flying back
to the UK for five hours of surgery, he awoke grateful to be alive, but
barely able to walk and his hormone levels in freefall.
He admits the moodswings, a side-effect of the operation, often made him difficult to be around and worse was to
come. A little over a year later, just as he was getting his life
back
on track, Watson was told the tumour had returned and was bleeding into
his brain. It was, he says now, the ultimate wake-up call.
"I
remember early on in my career when doctors discovered the lump on my
vocal cord," says Watson, who had divorced his wife, with whom he had
two daughters, some years earlier. "I said to myself then that if my
voice survived I would never take anything for granted again. But I'm
human and a few
months later you find yourself slipping back into your
old ways.
"After surviving the second operation to remove the brain tumour, that
was it. I just thought, 'Right, Russell, how many chances do you want?'
"I
never want to have to sign another medical disclaimer again, but it
made me appreciate the importance of relationships, most importantly
with my two daughters.
"Being close to death has taught me that life is a great gift – maybe I didn't appreciate that fully until I nearly lost it.
"Selling
records is great, but my children's love and friendships are the most
important thing. I'm incredibly grateful that I'm still here."
If
Watson's priorities had been skewed it's easy to see why. Leaving
school at 16 with no qualifications, he found a job as a bolt cutter
earning £90 a week on a Youth Training Scheme. Life seemed destined to
be an endless round of long hours for little pay, until on a whim he
entered a talent competition on a local radio station.
He won,
and it suddenly dawned he might be able to supplement his factory wages
singing in working men's clubs. Having made a name for himself on the
circuit, he sang the national anthem at the 1999 Rugby League Challenge
Cup Final and found himself one step away from what would be his big
break.
That same year he went to Old Trafford on the day
Manchester United won the Premiership title. His performance of the
World Cup crowd pleaser Nessun Dorma won him a standing ovation and a
five album deal with Decca.
For five or six years I had been working 12-hour night shifts in the
kind of jobs no one really wants to do for a living," he says. "What
happened was completely unbelievable and I still have to pinch myself.
There was no way that I could have predicted 10 years on I would have
performed in front of the Pope and the Prince of Wales. Those kind of
things don't happen to a working class lad from Lancashire."
Except
they did. His debut album, The Voice, was released in 2001 with an
eclectic track listing which included the anthemic Barcelona alongside
collaborations with Happy Mondays' hellraiser Shaun Ryder and a duet
with Cleo from the girl group Cleopatra. The mix of operatic arias and
pop songs proved popular with the public, but his success inevitably
stuck in the throat of traditionalists.
When four more albums
followed in much the same vein, many said his voice fell well short of
operatic standards and when one critic called him a "karaoke crooner"
it summed up the thoughts of many. But Watson has never been short of
self-confidence and, while he admits some of the criticism was founded,
he has never felt any need to apologise to the establishment simply for
being successful.
"In some circles, popularity is seen as a
crime," he says. "I was always aware that I was doing something that
hadn't been done before. I knew there were some people who would think
it outrageous to put Nessun Dorma and vocals by Shaun Ryder on the same
disc. But it was about changing the landscape of classical music."
With tongue slightly in cheek, Watson now refers to himself as the
Godfather of the crossover artist. It might be overstating the point a
little, but those early albums did alert record labels to a previously
untapped and potentially lucrative market for mainstream classical
recordings.
"The classical world has to embrace acts like me or
it will fade and die, at least in terms of a mainstream audience," says
Watson. "Ten years ago, I kick-started something. I got some flack for
doing it. I admit I wasn't at the top of my game, but my vocal coach
William Haywood always says, 'Russell when you started out you weren't
on a par with a classically trained singer, but now you have surpassed
them'. That's good enough for me."
For all their squawking,
Watson's detractors have had little impact on his career. It's the
public who buy records and the singer has attracted a peculiarly loyal
fan base. On his website there are daily postings from fans checking on
his health and the lively online community is keen to promote the
Watson etiquette among those lucky enough to meet the star. The rules
go, if you have met him before, stand back and let others have a
chance. They don't say what the penalty is for breaking the guidance,
but they don't sound like women to be crossed.
"The fans have
been incredibly supportive and they've had to put up with a lot of
stuff over the years," says Watson, whose current album With Love From
is in part a thank you letter to those who have stood by
him. "I really hope this record will re-establish myself and draw a line under all the health problems."
His
own illness is also reason why he's keen to support other good causes
and this summer he will take part in a series of concerts organised on
behalf of the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, including one at Harewood
House, an event which is also being supported by the Yorkshire Post.
"The voice is working
well and I feel at the peak of my career. I love entertaining and if I
can help other people at the same time so much the better," he says.
"For me singing comes pretty close to therapy. I can walk on the stage
and feel rubbish, but then the adrenalin kicks in and I always walk off
with a smile on my face."
29th April
The Review for Russell's concert in Jersey from the JERSEY EVENING POST
16th April.
The Daily Express review for KRISTINA.
11th April.
From the SUNDAY EXPRESS
2nd December.09
The article from the WEEKLY NEWS
