Post by carol on Jul 13, 2013 9:08:10 GMT
Hi everyone, am still a bit bleary eyed from the party last night, but had to share this great article from This is Cornwall with you.
love Carol xxx
Living with a stammer can't be easy but Gareth Gates has managed to find a release through singing and is now reaping the benefits.
The performer, who has topped the charts and has sold more than three millions records in the UK, shot to fame after coming second on Pop Idol ten years ago.
?Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates hopes to combine a singing career with musical theatre
Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates hopes to combine a singing career with musical theatre
.
During his audition for the show, he shocked the nation when he had trouble talking to the judges because of his speech impediment, which disappears when he sings.
He has now improved the speech issue thanks to the McGuire Programme, but still finds it difficult to chat without constant coaching and help.
"It's changed my life hugely, I should work harder on it," said Gareth, who is appearing at the Princess Theatre, Torquay, in Momentous Musicals. "I go through ups and downs with my speech, recently more downs as I'm too busy. It can go well when I put the work in."
Gareth, who turns 29 today, was just eight when he realised his stutter disappears when he sings, when he appeared in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at school.
"I've had a terrible stammer all my life and was never really able to express myself or say anything, so singing has let me express myself and since then music has been my one true passion," he said. "To then, finally, play Joseph in the West End was a real honour and meant a lot to me."
The singer has carved out a successful career in some of the country's top musicals, appearing in Les Miserables and playing Warner in Legally Blonde. He's now teamed up with his Les Mis co-star John Owen Jones to appear in Momentous Musicals which features new arrangements of classic and recent musical theatre songs including Let Me Be Your Star from Smash, What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line) and One Day More (Les Miserables).
"The show got a really good reaction in Wimbledon last year and the response and feedback was quite incredible and we decided to put in more dates and bring it down to sunny Torquay," says Gareth who is no stranger to the Westcountry, having played in Plymouth while in Legally Blonde and Boogie Nights.
After coming second to Will Young on Pop Idol, Gareth's first single, a cover of Unchained Melody, entered the UK singles chart at number one. The single went double-platinum in the UK, and was voted 2002's Record of the Year by ITV viewers.
Like Will (shortly to reprise his role as Emcee in a tour of Cabaret), Gareth is hoping to combine both a music and stage career.
"I'm currently working on a new album, I'm writing it with my band at the moment and I'm also in the middle of an acoustic tour and playing to sell-out crowds."
As well as juggling his already busy career, he's also teamed up with Robbie Williams' best mate Jonathan Wilkes to open performing arts schools for youngsters.
They set up the Gates and Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts for young people from five to 18 in his home town of Bradford. They've since opened many more across the country.
"It's my way of giving something back and teaching the youngsters what I've learnt. We teach them singing, dancing and acting and if they learn a little of those three disciplines it stands them in good stead."
He also hopes his pre-school-age daughter, Missy, will follow in his footsteps.
"She's already singing and dancing. She comes to all my gigs and she comes up on stage. She'll certainly be a singer and dancer," he said.
Momentous Musicals is at the Princess Theatre, Torquay, on Friday, July 19.
love Carol xxx
Living with a stammer can't be easy but Gareth Gates has managed to find a release through singing and is now reaping the benefits.
The performer, who has topped the charts and has sold more than three millions records in the UK, shot to fame after coming second on Pop Idol ten years ago.
?Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates hopes to combine a singing career with musical theatre
Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates hopes to combine a singing career with musical theatre
.
During his audition for the show, he shocked the nation when he had trouble talking to the judges because of his speech impediment, which disappears when he sings.
He has now improved the speech issue thanks to the McGuire Programme, but still finds it difficult to chat without constant coaching and help.
"It's changed my life hugely, I should work harder on it," said Gareth, who is appearing at the Princess Theatre, Torquay, in Momentous Musicals. "I go through ups and downs with my speech, recently more downs as I'm too busy. It can go well when I put the work in."
Gareth, who turns 29 today, was just eight when he realised his stutter disappears when he sings, when he appeared in Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at school.
"I've had a terrible stammer all my life and was never really able to express myself or say anything, so singing has let me express myself and since then music has been my one true passion," he said. "To then, finally, play Joseph in the West End was a real honour and meant a lot to me."
The singer has carved out a successful career in some of the country's top musicals, appearing in Les Miserables and playing Warner in Legally Blonde. He's now teamed up with his Les Mis co-star John Owen Jones to appear in Momentous Musicals which features new arrangements of classic and recent musical theatre songs including Let Me Be Your Star from Smash, What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line) and One Day More (Les Miserables).
"The show got a really good reaction in Wimbledon last year and the response and feedback was quite incredible and we decided to put in more dates and bring it down to sunny Torquay," says Gareth who is no stranger to the Westcountry, having played in Plymouth while in Legally Blonde and Boogie Nights.
After coming second to Will Young on Pop Idol, Gareth's first single, a cover of Unchained Melody, entered the UK singles chart at number one. The single went double-platinum in the UK, and was voted 2002's Record of the Year by ITV viewers.
Like Will (shortly to reprise his role as Emcee in a tour of Cabaret), Gareth is hoping to combine both a music and stage career.
"I'm currently working on a new album, I'm writing it with my band at the moment and I'm also in the middle of an acoustic tour and playing to sell-out crowds."
As well as juggling his already busy career, he's also teamed up with Robbie Williams' best mate Jonathan Wilkes to open performing arts schools for youngsters.
They set up the Gates and Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts for young people from five to 18 in his home town of Bradford. They've since opened many more across the country.
"It's my way of giving something back and teaching the youngsters what I've learnt. We teach them singing, dancing and acting and if they learn a little of those three disciplines it stands them in good stead."
He also hopes his pre-school-age daughter, Missy, will follow in his footsteps.
"She's already singing and dancing. She comes to all my gigs and she comes up on stage. She'll certainly be a singer and dancer," he said.
Momentous Musicals is at the Princess Theatre, Torquay, on Friday, July 19.
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