Vera Lynn honored at the Classic BRITS

Dame Vera Lynn was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the recent Classic BRIT Awards.  Born on March 20, 1917, she is now 101 years old but remains very much present thanks to her charity work helping war veterans, disabled children and those stricken with breast cancer. And because her 100th year commemorative compilation album, We’ll Meet Again: The Very Best of Vera Lynn is now also available for streaming and downloading, curiosity about her music has led to several generations of new listeners.

A singer, songwriter and occasional actress, Vera Lynn gained massive popularity during World War II. She was known then as The Forces’ Sweetheart and she often visited troops stationed overseas where she would perform in outdoor concerts. Blessed with a light, very versatile crystal clear soprano voice, she made a lot of recordings that included ballads, show tunes, inspirational hymns, nursery rhymes, lullabyes and in recent times even covers of pop hits like Sailing by Christopher Cross.

Vera Lynn made her recording debut in 1935 with a song titled The General’s Fast Asleep. This was followed by her versions of current hits of the time like I’m In The Mood For Love, Red Sails In The Sunset, Long Ago And Far Away and You’ll Never Know. She is best known for the lovely waltz We’ll Meet Again. She also had hits with Auf Wie derseh’s Sweetheart, Forget Me Not, Yours (Quiereme Mucho), Again, If You Love Me (Really Love Me), A Nightingale Sang In Berkerley Square, You Can’t Be True Dear, The White Cliffs Of Dover and It Hurts To Say Goodbye.

Considered one of Britain’s national treasures, Vera Lynn’s last recording was I Love This Land in 1982. This was a composition by the famed Andre Previn to commemorate the end of The Falkland’s War. It was reminiscent of her There Will Always Be An England, that she recorded in honor of WWII heroes and which became one of her biggest sellers.

It was great to find out that the Classic BRIT Awards has returned. Created to honor classical and crossover record releases by the British music industry, the Classic BRITS was cancelled last 2014. The move was understandable, records were not selling as much as they used to. In fact, it was not just classical music that was not selling, the entire music business was in danger of going under worldwide.

But the Classic BRITS suddenly turned up again after being absent for five years. Why this development? This is because things are looking good for recorded music once again. And not just for the pop hits where the big money is, but also for classical music.  The explanation why is very simple.  Classical music is also being streamed and downloaded more times than ever before. Once the bane that almost killed classical recordings, streaming and downloading have helped bring new life to the genre.

Just think, during the time of LPs, cassettes and CDs, those interested in the music had to put out quite a sum of money to listen to a concerto or symphony. Not anymore. All that they have to do is stream or download the whole thing. If they are more specific, they can just get the particular movement or opera aria that they want without having to buy the entire album. As a result there are now more listeners of classical music among younger buyers. It is so easy to fall in love with classical music. And because it is no slave to changing trends, the resulting relationship is a lifelong one.

And so the Classic BRITS honored the following artists last June 13 during a ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Chosen Male Artist of the Year was Royal Wedding Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason who also got the Critics’ Choice Award. Michael Ball and Alfie Boe who won for Group of the Year as a duo and Album of the Year for their recording of Together Again. Tokio Myers was named PPL Classic BRITS Breakthrough Artist of the Year; Renee Fleming, Female Artist of the Year; Andrew Lloyd Webber got the Special Recognition Award for Musical Theatre and Education; Andrea Bocelli, the Classic BRITS Icon Award and then the Lifetime Achievement Award that went to the living legend Dame Vera Lynn.