By Geoffrey Rowlands


Some people seem to have much more than their fair share of talent. American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor Josh Groban certainly falls into this category.
He is currently enjoying the success of his third US chart-topping album, All That Echoes. It has also become his first to crack the Top 10 on Britain’s LP chart. But while Los Angeles-born Josh’s music and acting careers move from strength to strength, he would like to combine both through a role in a Broadway musical.
“This is my ultimate ambition,” smiled the affable 32-year-old. “It would be a little frightening in that I’d really have to work hard if I was in a Broadway show. I feel very comfortable with what I do now whether it be singing or acting. Appearing on Broadway would definitely take me out of my comfort zone.
“I would like to take up the challenge though. People seem to like what I do at the moment so it would be a risk to try something new. But I think it would probably be more risky not to take the risk. I want my career to always be in the process of developing rather than stagnating.”
Stagnation is not a word which could possibly be applied to Josh’s career. The son of non-professional but musically talented parents, he credits them for introducing him to a wide range of musical styles.
“I’ve never just enjoyed one type of music. I idolised people like Luciano Pavarotti, Paul Simon and the musical theatre star Mandy Patinkin. Despite this, acting was really my first love. I didn’t take a vocal class until I was in junior high school and that was only because my friends were doing it so I joined them.”
A highly impressed teacher selected Josh to perform in the school variety show. His superb rendition of George and Ira Gershwin’s 1927 classic, S’wonderful, delighted everyone except his schoolmates.
“It’s not the coolest song to sing when you’re in seventh grade and all the other kids are listening to rap. But the response from people who understood vocal ability made me realise I had a degree of genuine talent.”
Josh was accepted into the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts where he studied musical theatre. When Grammy-winning producer/composer David Foster contacted vocal coach Seth Riggs looking for a quality singer to perform at some celebrity events, it was Josh’s voice which clearly stood out from his contemporaries.
The opportunity then came for Josh to perform The Prayer in a duet with Celine Dion at the 1999 Grammy Awards show.
“Andrea Bocelli was supposed to sing with Celine but he was taken ill. At first, I didn’t want to perform because I wasn’t properly prepared. But I was talked into doing the show and that performance effectively kick-started my professional career.”
Singing spots on numerous television shows, a duet with Sarah Brightman on her La Luna world tour and playing a character in the Ally McBeal TV series established Josh in the public consciousness. Having signed to 143/Reprise Records, his self-titled debut album was released in November, 2001. It proved to be a worldwide success selling nearly 6mn copies.
“I consider myself to have been blessed both in my career and in life. I’ve been able to earn my living doing things I enjoy. It doesn’t seem like work.
“That’s one of the reasons why I try to do as much as I can for charity. In addition to working with other organizations, I established my own foundation which helps children in need through education, healthcare and the arts. It’s one way to give back at least some of the blessings I’ve received.”


in
brief

New posthumous album by Hendrix
 
People, Hell and Angels, the 12th posthumous studio album from guitar legend Jimi Hendrix has become his biggest hit since 1968 when Electric Ladyland spent two weeks at No.1 on the US Top LPs chart.
The new album features 12 recordings completed by Jimi between 1968 and his death on September 18, 1970. Although some tracks have been heard elsewhere in different forms, each song as presented on the album has never previously been released.
The entire album can be heard at www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT33Cjjq0Mc. How long it may remain there is another matter. The Hendrix family are notoriously litigious about any unauthorised use of Jimi’s material.
Individual songs have found their way on to YouTube in various postings. If the full LP has been removed, type Jimi’s name and the album title in the YouTube search box. This should provide links to whatever tracks may still be available.
 
Abba’s Agnetha back in business
 
Abba fans may be interested to hear a new album from singer Agnetha Faltskog.
With no new material from her since My Colouring Book made the UK Top 10 in 2004, it had been assumed that the reclusive Agnetha, now 62, had retired from show business. Indeed, she admits she never expected to sing again. But Agnetha was tempted back to the studio after hearing the quality of the first three songs offered to her by Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Jorgen Elofsson.
“We wanted to make the album as if Agnetha had never been in Abba,” Jorgen stated. “It was important that she came across as we remember her but also to explore how she might have sounded if she hadn’t been in the group.”
Agnetha’s album, A, will not be released until May. But the video for lead single, When You Really Loved Someone, can be seen now. It is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=w95WdpE6QAI. Links to numerous other solo songs by Agnetha can also be found on this webpage.
 
Bonnie Tyler to croon for UK
 
Veteran singer Bonnie Tyler has been chosen to represent the UK at the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, on May 18.
Bonnie’s song, Believe in Me, is the lead single from her forthcoming 16th studio album, Rocks and Honey. Just over a year younger than Agnetha Faltskog, it is quite some time since Bonnie had a major hit in Britain. But she remains popular in Europe, a factor which BBC Eurovision bosses hope will lead to a rather better showing than in recent times for the UK entry.
The video for Believe in Me can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqXk_FRw62Q. Videos for two of Bonnie’s old hit singles are among the links posted on this webpage. Also here are links to more 2013 Eurovision Song Contest entries.
 
Online concert by Diane Birch
 
Diane Birch will promote her forthcoming album by performing some of the new songs during an online concert direct from her own living room.
The 30-minute show is scheduled for 11pm Qatar time on Sunday, March 24. It will be webcast via StageIt, a relatively new website through which artists can be paid for their performances. The concerts are neither free nor archived so the online shows effectively become the equivalent of any unfilmed performance in a theatre.
Details of Diane’s concert can be found at www.stageit.com/diane_birch/live_from_my_living_room/18720. Tickets are pay whatever price you like with a minimum of 1 USD.
The first two videos posted at www.youtube.com/user/dianebirchmusic are tracks from her new album. Other postings are of older songs plus a behind the scenes look at the making of her video for Valentino.