Musical nostalgia in new series

Press, 14 September 1976, Page 19

Musical nostalgia in new series

The singer Vince Hill stars with the dance group, the Young Generation in “Thev Sold a Million,” a spectacular series of popular music shows. They re-create the great million-selling hits from the first published song sheets through shows, films and records to pop stars. Each week there are two famous guests who “have sold a million" — they include Sacha Distel, Neil Sedaka. the Drifters and Gigliola Cinquetti. "They Sold a Million” will be presented by TV2 on Sunday nights. The numbers range from Gilbert and Sullivan to the Philadelphia sound, performed by the Three Degrees. In between come songs from films like

"Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. "Hullo Dolly” and "Paint Your Wagon", Singles include compositions by Simon and Garfunkel, Rod McKuen and Jim Stafford, who is one of the guests. Lesley Duncan sings her own "Love Song" and Joshua Rifkin plats Scott Joplin's rag “The Entertainer' (otherwise known as the theme from "The Sting”). The Hollies recall "the Air that I Breathe", and the Jacques Loussier Trio bring their own particular gold disc sound to Bach's “Air on a G String". Vince Hill, is himself one of Britain’s top male vocalists. He hosts his own successful TV series every year, is a box office draw in theatres and clubs, and as a recording artist has had many hit singles and albums.

“They Sold A Million” has proved popular in many countries including Spain and Australia and his newest TV series. "The Musical Time Machine," has gone into a second series in Britain. Apart from television, Vince is kept busy with appearances in theatres and clubs, which in 1976 included a three-week season at the London Palladium with Shirley Maclaine. and a tour of New Zealand and Australia. In the light of his success it seems ironical that Vince might never have become a singer had it not been for a holiday in Margate. He was 15 at the time and his parents persuaded him to enter a pub talent contest. He did not win but the experience was sufficient to decide

him on a career in show business. Home in Coventry, his mother insisted on singing, lessons for him and it was in this way that young Vince took his first steps on the ladder that was to bring him eventual stardom. But success did not come quickly. In between the singing lessons VinCe had to earn a living, so he tried his hand at various jobs, including bakery and coal mining His first professional step on the road to a singing career came when he auditioned for the role >f soloist to the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals. He was successful and in his new capacity as operatic baritone with the band, he toured the world and made two appearances ai the Edinburgh Festival.