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Lesley Garrett

Lesley Garret was born in Waterside, a little hamlet just outside the town of Thorne in South Yorkshire, not just to a musical family, but rather a musical community.

Yorkshire is an industrial region, where coal, steelworks and railways employed thousands. The work was often backbreaking, but when the days toil was done, it gave way to music, whether it be playing in the colliery brass band or singing in the local choir.

And when all that was finished, they went to the pubs and working men's clubs and sang and played some more.

With such an upbringing, it was no surprise that Lesley Garrett chose a career in music, a career that has seen her rise to the very top of the profession, to become Britain's best known and best loved opera singer.

It is very easy for those who have achieved "Stardom" to forget that it is the ordinary people, you and me, who made them stars in the first place. Lesley Garrett is, without doubt, a star, but she is still a "real" person, funny, charming and down to earth, as anyone who has had the privilege of meeting her will confirm.

She believes fervently, that music belongs to the people, all the people. She has no time for elitism or snobbery.

" I'm absolutely against elitism, ignorance and the patronising of audiences. I'm very pro presenting the best music I can to the widest audience possible. I suppose anything that limits the audience - that includes elitism, ticket prices, a misguided idea that you've got to have a degree in classical music to enjoy it - I'm firmly against."

I hope you enjoy my tribute to Lesley Garrett. If you have any comments or new pics, please let me know by clicking the "Email" button.

And finally, a huge "HELLO" to Ian. As big a fan as I am, well ALMOST!

Please visit his "Lesley Garrett Adoration Page" site, http://home.freeuk.net/iananthony

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