A trio of the UK’s most celebrated female singer-songwriters are set to release a single this festive season in aid of deaf children’s charity, Auditory Verbal UK (AVUK).
‘Gal Pals’ Beverley Craven, Judie Tzuke and Julia Fordham have resumed their Woman to Woman collaboration on a new song, to be released on November 29, (downloads, hard copies will be dispatched on December 9 and raise more for the charity) entitled ‘Christmas Day’.
Touring twice, as Woman to Woman (selling over 35,000 tickets and 15,000 albums), over the past twelve months, Beverley, Judie and Julia became understandably very close to each other, so, when the former received a call asking about a possible song for AVUK she was in no doubt as to what to do next.
Best known for her 1991, top three hit single, Promise Me, the multi-million album selling musician said: “My partner received a phone call from a relative a few months ago asking if I’d be interested in writing a Christmas song for the children to sing at AVUK.
“So, I sat down at the piano, with a long list of Christmassy words, and tried to come up with something simple and easy to learn.
“It soon became obvious that we could raise more awareness of the charity by making it a Woman to Woman production and then have the kids involved as a children’s choir too.”
As with the old adage, ‘great oaks grow from little acorns,’ similar can be attributed the ‘Christmas Day’ single, Bev realising her ‘gal pals’ could bring more to it, adding: “So, what had started off as something quite small, this is now going to be our new Woman to Woman song because, when I was writing it, and it only took me a couple of hours, I started thinking that Jude and Jules’ harmonies would sound really great.
“And with all the proceeds from sales of the single going to AVUK, I’m actually really, really excited about it.”
The challenge of putting something of this magnitude together was overcome by the involvement of producer/arranger Grant Mitchell, whose vision it was to create a production reminiscent of something that you might find in a Disney film.
“Actually, the song reminds me of Julie Andrews’ My Favourite Things!” says Beverley, whilst her ‘Gal Pals’ Julia and Judie, are just as excited.
“Beverley has written an absolute cracker of a Christmas song,” added Julia.
“I love it and I am so delighted that the blend of our Woman To Woman voices are being put to such good use.
“AVUK is doing extraordinary work for profoundly deaf children helping them get the best from their cochlear implants and hearing aids and you can hear just what a great job they are doing by how splendidly the children sound singing along on this magical track.”
Judie meanwhile said: “I am so excited to be able to support this amazing charity.
“The children that I met were so confident and happy and my granddaughter, who joined them in the choir, could not believe that the children were deaf and yet their performance and speech was incredible – and she loved the flashing light of the head piece that some of the children were wearing!”
The children’s choir were recorded on a Saturday afternoon in September at Beverley’s home studio, suitably decorated for the occasion. Giggling she added: “Yes, I had over sixty parents and children round to my place, we had a thoroughly enjoyable sing-a-long and the result is really quite moving”.
“Granted some were a little shy, and others, with the treats my partner provided, were a bit hyper but you know what, it was fun and their part on the track really does sound marvellous.”
Eleven profoundly deaf children and their siblings appear singing on the track; the children are all currently on, or have previously been on, AVUK’s specialist early intervention programme.
The charity as a whole teaches deaf children under the age of five to learn to listen and speak through highly specialised Auditory Verbal therapy.
The AVUK children were also joined by pupils from Brushwood Junior School and Newtown Infants School based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.
Looking ahead to the festive release, Anita Grover, Chief Executive of AVUK added: “We are so pleased to have had the opportunity to have worked with Beverley, Judie and Julia and are incredibly grateful for their support in helping more deaf children learn to listen and speak.”
A festive number with a difference, the release also includes a special sing-a-long bonus track, and it comes in a wonderfully decorated Christmas card – just don’t be fooled by those smiling faces on the front!
Christmas Day will be available via AVUK https://www.avuk.org/
‘Christmas Day’ will be released on November 29 (downloads) and December 9 (hard copies will be dispatched) with the video going live on November 22, proceeds from all sales and downloads going to AVUK; further information via https://www.wtwlive.com/