Pictures of special events -------------"Radio Station Campaign #playfair" blog has been created to get radio stations to play Susan's songs. The campaign to contact radio stations started on the forum on November 27, 2011. Many stations have been contacted and still no air time for Susan. Therefore, if you are interested in helping out, join this site, leave a comment and get in touch with radio stations. Let's see if this will bring it about.
Susan singing "River Deep, Mountain High" at one of her Concerts in July 2013. II saw her in Glasgow, and will see her again in London on the 6th April....oh am I exceitet or what....!!!
Susan and Lance Ellington. He has a great Voice, and is so nice wiht Susan
Susan Boyle will be in concert from March 22, 2014 though April 17, 2014. Dates are listed in poster below. There are 19 dates (7 performances in March and 12 in April).
Locations of the UK concert halls
Liverpool Empire is the location for the first concert date, Sat., March 22, 2014
Three decades into his sparkling career as a top entertainer, Daniel’s star is still shining bright. His popularity among people of all ages, creeds and walks of life hasn’t diminished with the passing of time. For fans like Susan Boyle, who was a regular at his concerts in Scotland before shooting to massive international fame herself and who joined him on stage while holidaying in Ireland, Daniel still has the magic to light up their lives.
Not that there is any magic or mystery involved in Daniel’s success as a singer and entertainer. Fans simply love his easy-listening vocal style and his songs of life, love and inspiration that he sings with genuine warmth and passion. Most of all, they love Daniel the man, his charm and his great sense of humour.
“It has always been a thrill to perform in the great venues that are household names or have a wonderful history,” Daniel admits. “But, to be honest, it’s the people rather than the places I play in that really make the show for me. When I think back over my time on stage since the eighties, it’s the response from the audience every night that is exciting to recall.”
Daniel has sold millions of his recordings worldwide and is the only artist in the world to claim at least one hit album every year since 1988, earning him a place in the Guinness World Records. His music DVDs have all been No 1 best-sellers ahead of some of the greatest stars from around the globe. He is the most successful easy listening-country singer in the UK and Ireland; and is officially one of the UK’s Top 60 Best Selling Albums Artists of the 21st Century.
Tickets available online at www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk or at the box office on 029 2087 8444.
It's been five years today (January 21, 2014) since Susan took those six buses to audition for Britain's Got Talent at the SECC in Glasgow ~ the journey began...
Susan arose in the early, dark hours of a cold, wet January morning, dressed in her best, endured a long bus ride changing buses 6 times, spent a long day waiting, then took a deep breath, strutted onto the stage and grabbed her dream. Her life changed for the better that day and so did ours. The video of her singing 'I Dreamed A Dream' at the audition is still amazing and inspiring people and Susan has had more dreams come true than she could have ever imagined. So many achievements in such a short time!
Thank you, Susan. We are very proud of you, both then and now, and love you. Someone on twitter once said your heart is as pure as your voice and that remains so true. Happy Anniversary!
Today January 21st, 2014 Susan Boyle is getting ready for 19 Concert dates: Five Years Ago January 21st, 2009 Susan Boyle Auditioned on Britain's Got Talent
Susan Boyle’s Story
January 21st, 2009 is not a date that Susan Boyle is ever likely to forget. “I will never forget it,” she clarifies in her unmistakably Celtic brogue. It was the day that the shy, devout 47-year-old stepped onto the stage of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow for an audition on Britain’s Got Talent. Or to put it another way, the day her world turned 360 degrees on its head. In front of the three-strong panel of judges charged with divining which of this year’s British hopefuls really did have talent, the singing voice of Susan Boyle turned out to be a watershed moment neither she nor anyone involved in the show could possibly have foreseen. It is now both her and the show’s defining moment.
In her own haphazard fashion, during three-and-a-half minutes of television airtime, later aired to slack-jawed intakes of breath in May of this year, Susan Boyle fashioned a new kind of fame. She elicited a moment of pure, molten zeitgeist. She broke every rule of the talent show book and tore up a considerable number of the pages of popular music marketing into the bargain. She symbolized an astonishing variety of the little-people’s revenge, quite by accident. Ms. Boyle describes her own astonishing 2009 in refreshingly frank and simple terms. “All I did was to apply for a talent show. I was lucky enough to be chosen. That’s it in a nutshell.” But something deeper was going on in the collective public consciousness. If the two watchwords of the 21st century have been “reality” and “celebrity,” Susan Boyle had accidentally located a brand new point on the graph where they both intersected. One of Britain’s forgotten characters had rarely, if ever, been so memorable.
After her one audition for Britain’s Got Talent, in which she confounded the judges, the audience and then anyone with access to YouTube’s expectations by dazzling her way through a version of the song, “I Dreamed A Dream,” from the musical Les Miserables, a tornado of opinionated column inches, speculation, rumination and conjecture around Susan Boyle grew feverishly. 300 million YouTube hits and counting. She became the subject of op-ed newspaper columns, a front cover sensation in her own right. This unlikely candidate for the melting pot of the new star machine in 21st century Britain caused computer crashes, miles of newsprint and the sophisticated approval of Hollywood’s well-heeled and super-groomed A-list. Though the content differed wildly, everyone proffering their thoughts on the self-confessed “wee wifey” seemed agreed on one point. That in 2009, to be free of an opinion on Susan Boyle was to be free of opinion itself.
For one brief moment, vanity itself collapsed. As that ancient old maxim, “never judge a book by its cover,” clanked around the globe with speedy viral intensity, it was as if the world was about to offer its first unspoken apology for prizing beauty above all else. Perhaps it would temporarily forget its grotesquely accentuated new heights of judgment. Or perhaps Susan Boyle was just a fleeting icon by which a microscope was shone on our more fickle presumptions. Whatever history gifts the Susan Boyle story in the long term, it is now her time to prove that there is more to this incredible woman than being the symbol for a moment of international reflection. She will do it in the exact same way she entered our consciousness in the first place. With the raw combination of strength and fragility, beauty and solitude that is her singing voice.
In some ways, Ms. Boyle’s story is just the same as any woman with a voice in any choir up and down the UK. In her home town of Blackburn, she had been schooled in singing in churches and choral societies. She says now that, as a shy young woman with some learning difficulties, being hidden in the blanket of a collective singing arrangement offered her comfort. So in one other, crucial way, her story is entirely her own. The most unlikely chorister in the sea of voices stepped out of line and put her head above the parapet to be noticed. For Susan Boyle, though she would never deign to say so much herself, this was an act of personal heroism, the like of which she had never contemplated before.
The speed with which reaction to her performance picked up gravitas proved an incendiary media hotbed. But it was most surprising for the woman at the center of it. “It started off with the [Scottish newspaper]Daily Record visiting my door. And it ended up with TV stations from all over the world camping out on my street waiting for interviews and stories. I’d peak behind the curtains in the house, saying ‘what in God’s name is going on here?’ Then the phone calls started. My number was still in the book at that particular time, so anybody could get it and the phone was ringing 24 hours a day. It was constant. People were ringing me who I couldn’t understand because of their accents. All sorts of nationalities. Lots of Americans. It was absolutely unbelievable if I’m being honest.” She is self-deprecating about why she should have caused such a furor. “A woman who went on with mad hair, bushy eyebrows and the frock I was wearing had to be noticed. Come on!”
Such is the quick nature of today’s star system, in September, just four months after her TV debut, Susan Boyle made her live TV comeback. She performed a rarefied take on the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses,” re-orchestrated to gently clasp the exact timbre of her natural talent, on the show’s US cousin, America’s Got Talent. An unprompted standing ovation followed. Outside of the unruly cyclone of her fame, there is something within the voice of Susan Boyle that is absolutely perfect for our times. At a moment when Dame Vera Lynn and Barbra Streisand are topping the album charts, there is something peculiarly modern about her improbably status as holding the international record for most pre-ordered album of all time. As the dust settles on the sheer wattage of conversation that she has prompted, it is time – as they say – to face the music.
Ms. Boyle’s debut album was put together during the summer of this year. She first entered a recording studio in July in Edinburgh, to test how her vocals would respond to tape. The results shocked both her and veteran producer Steve Mac. Decamping to London, she fashioned the record over two months, picking songs that resonated with her, that pricked something within that she felt ready to unleash through music. “It was important that I could feel everything I was singing,” she says, cutting straight to the core of why music can be such a useful release, an escape valve from the everyday.
A disarming mix of the sacred (“My faith is my backbone,” she says) and the secular, there is not a moment on it that is not moving. It is pitched exactly within the framework of the year she has enjoyed and, at well-documented times, endured. It is a collection of covers and original material that cuts a swathe into the interior life of the woman who is arguably the most intriguing, not to mention instantly recognizable character yet to be produced by the reality talent medium, the decade’s defining TV genre.
When she hurts, it hurts. Her rousing rendition of Madonna’s “You’ll See” is a riposte to the children that picked on her in the playground. The new composition “Who I Was Born To Be” is an astonishing testament to self-belief against some startling odds. Yet when she dreams, we dream too. Because of her uncanny knack of picking a song so perfect for her tale at that very first audition, Ms. Boyle has become synonymous with the word “dream.” Her flawless album rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream” may come as no surprise, but it still manages to pick every individual hair from the back of your neck and yank them to attention. A country ballad version of “Daydream Believer” delicately seals the deal of her being synonymous with the concept of dreaming.
For this is Susan Boyle’s tale. The fearlessness to dream about something other than the lot life has handed you. The chance to escape. The pivotal role of music as a conduit to go to another place, sometimes lodged at the outer recesses of your imagination, and to allow that new place to blossom. Yes, this is Susan Boyle’s tale. It is why it connected with so many unsuspecting people across the world. In another nutshell? If she can dare to dream, so can you.
Susan’s debut album, I Dreamed A Dream, was the most pre-ordered album worldwide of all time at Amazon before its global release on November 23rd.
BIOGRAPHY BY: Paul Flynn - leading writer on popular culture for prestigious magazines including i-D, Love and Grazia
A combined 4.8 million viewers watched the broadcast and its immediate encore Sunday. That reflected record growth among the network's key demographics, and a triple-digit percentage increase among adults 25-to-54.
I shot this interview, edited it together and conducted the interview on April 14, 2009. This was done for westlothiancourier.co.uk, Susan Boyle's local newspaper.
This video topped the list of YouTube's Most Memorable Videos of 2009 and has so far at over 5 million views.
Asperger Syndrome: What Is It And Why Is It So Hard To Diagnose?
The Huffington Post UK | By Poorna BellPosted: 10/12/2013 09:41 GMT | Updated: 16/01/2014 08:47 GMT
With the revelation that Susan Boyle has Asperger Syndrome, the question for many is why it took so long for her condition to be diagnosed.
The singer said it was a 'relief' to finally understand what her condition was, but when it comes to Asperger's, it's not unusual for it to be misdiagnosed in adults, and it's especially tricky to correctly diagnose it in women, says Carol Povey, director of The Centre For Autism, part of the National Autistic Society.
What is Asperger's? It's part of the autism spectrum, says Carol, "but is used to describe the more able group of people who may have high IQs and good language ability but who still struggle with relating to people."
Dr Paul Zollinger-Read, chief medical officer for Bupa and HuffPost UK blogger says: "Unfortunately, there is no cure for Asperger’s syndrome, therefore, it’s a lifelong disability. It affects how you make sense of the world, understand and interpret information, and relate to other people. It affects people in many different ways and can range from mild to severe. This is why it is often referred to as a 'spectrum disorder'."
But how does the condition manifest?
Talking to HuffPost UK Lifestyle, Povey added: "They have trouble with interpersonal skills, still struggle to make sense of the world around them and because of that, they have high levels of stress and anxiety brought about because of the difficulties of dealing in a non-autism friendly world."
Boyle said in an interview with The Observer: "I would say I have relationship difficulties, communicative difficulties, which lead to a lot of frustration. If people were a bit more patient, that would help."
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF ASPERGER'S?
have difficulty understanding gestures, facial expressions or tone of voice
have difficulty knowing when to start or end a conversation and choosing topics to talk about
use complex words and phrases but may not fully understand what they mean
be very literal in what they say and can have difficulty understanding jokes, metaphor and sarcasm. For example, a person with Asperger syndrome may be confused by the phrase 'That's cool' when people use it to say something is good.
"Asperger's doesn't define me. It's a condition that I have to live with and work through, but I feel more relaxed about myself. People will have a much greater understanding of who I am and why I do the things I do."
Certainly the advice about how to deal with people who have Asperger's is to talk in clear, concise sentences.
When Povey talks about a 'non-autism friendly world', she refers to two things. The first is that despite our increasing awareness of autism, there are still a lot of myths and second, that more needs to be done to accommodate such people.
With regards to the first point, she says: "One myth that has been highlighted is that it is a childhood condition. Of course it isn’t – children with autism grow up into adults – they struggle and don’t have a proper diagnosis. What doctors may be looking at is the depression or a personality disorder that occurs as a result of not being able to cope with the world, not realising that the underlying condition may be Asperger's."
Small steps that could be taken is for more support within families for children and adults who have Asperger's as well as within the work place. "Only 15% of people with Asperger's have employment," Povey adds, "but far more than that can contribute and lead a full life. All it takes is for the person interviewing to make a slight adjustment. Isolated individuals may need more coaxing and be supported to socialise and link up with others."
But why is it so notoriously hard to diagnose?
Dr Zollinger-Read says: "Unlike autism, which is normally spotted in children around 18 to 30 months old, Asperger's syndrome is diagnosed later, usually when the child starts school. But as we’ve seen with Susan Boyle, it can sometimes be diagnosed later in life. This is because it can be a ‘hidden disability’. By this I mean people with Asperger’s learn to hide or cover up their associated problems and therefore people can’t tell that they have the condition."
Older adults can be particularly difficult, says Povey because "the diagnosis is dependent on looking at someone's early developmental history – for someone in their early 50s or 60s, they may not have family members around to look at early milestones."
For women, it can be even harder. "Women present autism in a different way - they are better at masking the more obvious autism characteristics and are good at copying the way other people act. The traits aren't quite as obvious," Povey says.
Dr Zollinger-Read concludes: "Although there is no cure, with the right support and treatment plan, those with Asperger’s syndrome can lead independent, normal lives. Look at Susan Boyle’s success for a start! Treatment is usually a combination of speech, physical, or occupational therapy, social skills therapy and behavioural modification. But this will differ for each person depending on how it affects you and the degree of severity.”
In the early hours of Sunday morning I lay awake, having been woken up my youngest little boy. I groped for my IPhone to scan through the latest news stories. One story in particular caught my eye, the 'revelation' in the online Guardian newspaper about Susan Boyle and how she has finally gained a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. I have to say though that I was not particularly surprised.
This poor woman, I thought, she has lived through 52 years of doubt and misdiagnosis, now she can finally get the help and support that she needs. What must it be like to go through life not being understood or not even understanding yourself? But while reading the article I found myself thinking about the thousands of other women out there who are also misdiagnosed or who cannot gain a diagnosis of Autism. Susan states that she had to go and seek a diagnosis for herself, nobody helped her.
"I went to seek a diagnosis from a Scottish specialist...Nobody told me to. I thought I had a more serious illness and couldn't function properly." The Guardian
Now is the time for the Government to listen and act. There needs to be better diagnostic criteria for women and girls with Asperger's Syndrome, the system at the moment is failing young women and girls.
Autism campaigner and advocate Monique Blakemore who has Asperger's Syndrome is at present campaigning on this matter. She has recently submitted a survey which contains the opinions of 100 women with Asperger's Syndrome entitled 'Asperger Women UK, Autism Strategy Review', to the Department of Education to use in its review of the Adult Autism Strategy. Monique was not diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome until she was 39.
"My own diagnosis was at 39 years and only when I began to research the feminine expressions of autism could I begin to relate to Asperger."
Her Review also contains startling facts about the women who are on the Autistic spectrum. "Only 63.49% were able to obtain a diagnosis through the NHS and 27.55% receive no support and feel no one understands their family and needs."
Monique is also going to be discussing Susan Boyle and how women are referred for diagnosis ten times less than males on BBC Manchester this week.
Olley Edwards, another female Autism campaigner and author/film maker is also campaigning for better diagnostic criteria; she herself has undiagnosed Asperger's and has daughters who are on the Autistic Spectrum. She recently set up an online petition 'Awareness of Asperger's Symptoms in Females', where she states that there needs to be female only criteria for diagnosis of young women. At the moment for every five males that are supported with Asperger's Syndrome, four females remain unsupported.
I now think that there has never been a better time than the present to raise these issues. Susan Boyle by talking openly about her diagnosis and the length of time that it has taken to eventually be diagnosed have most certainly opened the floodgates for other women to come forwards and share their experiences as well as petitioning and raising awareness for better diagnostic criteria for women and girls.
I’ve posted the daily news for this past week, January 12–18, in the “Susan Boyle World” in the Susa-News Summary Thread, at the forum at Susan-Boyle.com – January 12–18: As Chieftain, helped launch the British Pipe Band Championship to be held in Bathgate, May 31 http://forum.susan-boyle.com/threads/19627-January-12-18-Susa-News-Summary
Susan singing "River Deep, Mountain High" at one of her Concerts in July 2013. II saw her in Glasgow, and will see her again in London on the 6th April....oh am I exceitet or what....!!!
Susan and Lance Ellington. He has a great Voice, and is so nice wiht Susan
![CHRISTMAS CANDLE FANS! EchoLight Studios will be announcing the DVD release of @[362230287205737:274:The Christmas Candle] next Monday! Stay tuned!!
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