About me and what got me to here

Singing, that’s me. At nursery – ‘always singing Nursery Rhymes with a smile’ is written on my report. Nursery rhymes tape in my Dad’s van, my Mom’s car and at bedtime. That was me 15 years ago. That is still me know, 15 years on – not nursery rhymes but music influenced by my Dad and Mom.As I was growing up Dad always had music playing, in his van and at home. One of Moms memories of him – in the garden every weekend after a lads (boozy builders) Friday night out with his portable headphones on, lying on the grass looking at the stars singing his heart out. She had banned him from the house and brought him a pair of portable headphones as a Christmas present one year, as I was awoken many a night to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ by Guns‘n Roses, Oasis, Bon Jovi – ‘Livin on a Prayer’, David Bowie, Inxss to name but a few, poor neighbours they never complained!Now I am banned from the house most of the time and sent down the garden by my Mom where I sit on the trampoline playing my guitar and singing to my dog ‘Harry’ named after Harry Kewell who played for Leeds United, Dads football team. I constantly get moaned at by my sister ‘Alicia’, who shouts downstairs to me to tell me to be quiet when she is trying to get to sleep. I have been very lucky, my Infant School – Streetsbrook and my Primary School – Sharmans taught us very creatively. Solihull Music Service came in regularly and we had lots of opportunities to experience and play lots of genres of music.At 10, I was very lucky to be picked for a singing part, which I performed at The Birmingham Symphony Hall and this performance gained me the Music Award when I left Junior School. One of the many times I reduced my Dad to tears.So music is me, what I love – listening to music, keeps the memories alive of my Dad for us all. Memories of parties, karaoke’s – both Mom and Dad made us laugh when they changed the lyrics of songs – Mom still does in the car, – normally about boys we both like. How embarrassing really but parents hey!Pretty much every night Mom unravels my ipod from around me as I have fallen asleep and forgotten to turn off my music. Just like my Dad – not that mad to go into the garden though– to cold – rather have my duvet!Music became me – I used to be in a soul band called Overcrowded, but how now moved on to Soul Matters =), and I know do all my acoustic stuff, I’m so lucky to have a fantastic Music Service in Solihull, an inspirational music teacher – who loves his music and inspires us at our Rock and Pop concerts. (Have a look on My Music Page www.charlinolan.com )
My Dad died suddenly of skin cancer, in March 2007. Suddenly to me and my sister, family and friends.Not suddenly for my Mom she knew in 2006 that my Dad would not survive the skin cancer he had. Dad never wanted to know, he wanted his life, our life not to be affected by cancer. So everything carried on as normal – holidays, work, school and we were just aware that he had some time off for an operation to remove some skin – his shark bite he would call it. He always thought he was an Australian surfer ……… with his long curly wavy hair, which my sister has now gained. We were in Center Parcs in December 2006 and Dad was Dad, we went to Ireland in Febuary, 2007. When we got back they broke the news to me that the cancer was terminal and their was no cure. Mom really tried to look after Dad at home – we all laughed when Dad forgot to shut doors, forgot what he was doing – he was still our Dad and they both joked that a few beers caused the same symptoms, but this was the spreading cancer.In March 2007 , Dad went into the Marie Curie Hospice in Solihull to give Mom a rest from caring for him. He wasn’t well, on the way back to the hospice from The Music Service, Alicia asked if Dad would take her ice skating when he got better and came home. Mom hadn’t found the right words to tell Alicia yet, The Family Care Team helped Mom to explain to my sister that Dad was dying.The Nurses gave him his own room, so we could watch TV with Dad, play music – friends brought music DVDs for him, and we would get into bed and fall asleep next to him – they were brilliant, always smiling, new our names, got to know Dad and most importantly made him smile and shared their memories with him of the music they liked, it was amazing what they new so much about him in such a short time. Later in March, my Dad passed away and it felt like my world had fallen apart, didn’t seem real at all.With my Dad gone, my music was what got me through and the words seemed so easy to write down – (I know) you’ll be there was written 3 weeks later.

In October 2007, my mum gave my the opportunity for my 15th Birthday to go the Carling Academy to watch the woman that inspired me from the beginning with my music, mainly with my song writing and acoustic sets, KT Tunstall was amazing, I took along my friend Sarah, who also had a strong passion for KT Tunstall, it was a very memorable experience, Mum, Sarah and me singing along to all the songs, I new that song writing and performing was what I wanted to do. It was a big eye opener at the Carling academy as it was so squashed in, but prepared me for when I was to be going on my own.
Later in October I played at the Library theatre in Solihull, with the Music Service. A Rock and Pop evening of local young bands.
In November I went to see Little Shop of Horrors, performed by one of the local amateur dramatics groups in Solihull at the Library theatre, I started becoming a very regular customer at the Solihull Library theatre. On the 26th November I performed in my School concert at Tudor Grange, with Sarah doing one of our duets.

In early March, I got the opportunity to perform at Bushall Hall which is in Solihull School, with my Soul band of the time Over’crowded, it was the first ever concert that me and my sister performed on the same night, it was such a thrill being on stage, I loved it =) My sister Alicia, also did a fantastic performance with her little choir, she is turning into budding musician as I speak, fantastic voice she has got =) 12th March, 2008 was nearly upon us, a year on – not an easy year for us all. We all got through in our own way, I had the support of my mom, two wonderful music teachers and my friends. It’s not easy to lose someone you love, but it’s really important to try to talk, as things do get tough, one week you feel ok and then another week is difficult and it is good to have someone who understands how you feel.Then Steve, a family friend came along and asked if I would like to record my song, and Mom suggested selling the CDs to family and friends and donating the money raised to the hospice in my Dads memory, £1000 was my target. This is how the £3,500 was raised, thanks to everyone that bought the CD, everyone that helped me, Mom, Mr Jones, Miss Sanders, my family and Dads friends. I will always keep fundraising for Marie curie, as they made a huge impact in my life.

In April that year, I got the opportunity to go and watch two of my very close friends Joey and Olly (amazing musicians) perform in the regional finals of battle of the bands, it was a thrill to be watching, and they were amazing, there was a group of 6 of us who went along to watch and we all had a great evening and the boys did amazingly.

June 2008 was a busy month for me, I went to one of the most fantastic nights I’d had in a long time at the Marie Curie 60’s disco and danced the night away with my Mum, Emily, Julie and Sue and met a good friend called Callum there who helped me along the way, as his Mum worked for the fundraising team at Marie Curie. Thinking about I haven’t spoken to him for a while.
On 24th June, Mum and Me paid our second visit to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry to go and see a band my Dad worshipped, Bon Jovi, they have by far been the best band I have seen live and also another one of the people who inspire me, there music is just phenomenal. Hearing them play sent a shiver down my spine and brought tears to my eyes as this was one of my memories of my Dad, but I new he’d be up above watching cause he wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Also, in June I started my moc GCSE’s.

In July I started doing my work experience at the NEC, as part of the Solihull Music Service’s National Rock and Pop Festival, I also got the opportunity to perform there with my amazing friends, Laura, Claire and Meg and we all had the times of our lives up on stage performing together for the last time. It was sad to be saying goodbye to our little unit together.
On the 14th July Emily, one of my best friends, abseiled down the side of the Dunlop Building, raising money, In memory of my Dad for Marie Curie – I decided that I am way too much of a wimp to try it, so I off supported her at the bottom =). She did it a good job of it, but Emily loves her climbing and scary activities, as she’s training with air Cadets, so she’s up for anything, which mean’s I can leave all the scary activities to Em =).

On the 5th November a very busy night for me, bonfire night, Jimbob’s Birthday and prize giving evening at school where I won the Citizenship prize for my fundraising, which was a real honour to me.

In December, a group of us went to another Marie Curie fundraising night, to see The Jam. This night wasn’t as good as the 60’s on, I thought as there was a few drunk men around singing there hearts out so there wasn’t as much dancing, which was a shame and I didn’t really know many of the Songs, should of done my research really.

2009 was another new year again, to get better as it went along and make me stronger and my last year of senior school so it involved some hard work.
January 2009 I went on a trip to Dunfield house with Over’Crowded and one of my best friends Ellie and we had a fantastic weekend, with some very embarrassing moments thanks to Neil. It was a music filled weekend and was a good laugh with everyone together.

March 2009 and two years had passed but we haven’t forgotten Dad, time really does fly by but it still only feels like yesterday. On the anniversary our family and all of the long line of friends my Dad had spent the night in the Sharmans pub (a Friday night favourite for the builders after work) and remembered him, all the builders having a good few beers for him.

In April, Me and Laura had a great opportunity to provide acoustic music, for Solihull Councils Annual meeting held at the Renewal centre in Solihull, it was really good experience for us and we really enjoyed it and geez was I nervous about it.

22nd May was my last full day at Tudor Grange before study leave and we had an amazing day, I performed with a numerous amount of acts in the leavers concert and at 11am we were escorted off school grounds and a lot of us spent the afternoon in Monkspath park, wearing our outfits of the day, having a laugh. I remember just how tough I came down on myself and said that I couldn’t do it and I was going fail. On the night I had my last concert with Over’Crowded which was a sad moment as I had spent many years with the band and made some amazing friends, especially Ellie and bless her made me have a meal at Pizza Hut to say goodbye, I do love her.

Yet again June was another busy month for me, GCSE exams =s. I also got the opportunity to go again to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry to go and watch Take That, at first I was like okay take that interesting, but I came out on the biggest high ever, it was amazing, the whole show was just like wow, the fireworks and there songs and the crowd’s reaction. I had so many of my friends who had wished they had gone, as the feedback from the three days, was huge!
A few days after Take That, I did one of my first few gig’s with Soul Matters and I loved it, we did the Greswold PTA do at Nailcote Hall and it was such a fantastic night, I can’t help laughing to myself at the mad dancing of drunk people in front of us, and smiling away to Claire all the time.
I then did my very nerve racking Grade 5 exam, I luckily passed just, I will definitely try a lot harder at my next exam as I no I could of done a lot better.
On the 19th June I then had the experience of my Prom, getting ready was so exiting and getting into my dress, which I had fallen in love with, I arrived at Grace’s in Earlswood and met everyone there including Jack my very lovely prom date and good friend, who look very lovely in his suit and red tie =). Everyone looked amazing for prom and the limp ride was so exciting, we arrived at the Forest of Arden and went into the venue where we danced the night away. I spent the night a few roads behind, having about half an hours sleep which was a killer, It was night I will never forget =).
On 26th June Soul Matters and me acoustically helped at the Shirley Centre for Helen’s fundraising night to raise money to take out the young children who were not very well and there parents couldn’t afford to take them on for Heartlands Hospital, Soul Matters ended the night and I did 2 sets of 2 songs each firstly I played ‘I want to hold your hand’ and ‘Jolene’ for Olly’s Nan on my guitar and then I did ‘Big Lie’ and ‘Greatest Day’ with the piano, we had a really good night and ended it walking home with chips from big john’s with Mum, Tim and Chris.

In July 2009, Me and mum went to another gig at the Ricoh Arena to see Oasis another of Dad’s favourite bands, I was very upset when I heard they’d split up a few weeks ago =/ it was big eye opener as the crowd was a lot different from the crowd at Bon Jovi and Take That as there were drugs being taking loads of Alcohol being thrown around, it was really quite scary as it was packed solid and there were some people, who got aggressive, but the crowd’s reaction to wonderwall was just breathtaking, everyone singing along, knowing every word, it was amazing, I new Dad was there singing along.
10th – 12th July I did another set of work experience at the NIA, with the Music services, National Rock and Pop Festival, I walked in and to think I was going to be performing there, made me so excited, at the workshop soul matters performed and I got on stage and I was so scared the place was huge full of children and students, but everyone’s reaction was really good, everyone was up at the front dancing along. The NIA was such and amazing experience, we were all so lucky to get the opportunity.
Later In July Soul Matters were asked to play at The Masons, in Solihull, to be the first band in 25years which was a huge opportunity, it was so exciting, but all the customers seemed to really enjoy themselves, we even got the men helping us carry all the big equipment to the Van.
We also played at Nick’s sisters wedding at the Forest in Dorridge, which was a really lovely experience, yet again we had the great drunken dancing, which always makes me laugh so I probably look really silly laughing to myself lol, a family Emily was working there that night and she has decided to book us for her 18th birthday party which is good =) and I made friends with a waiter as well =)

At the end of July had the most amazing opportunity of my life and I will never forget, Soul Matters and Jazz Matters went of Tour, to Lake Garda in Italy. I loved it, I’ve decided I want to go back there someday, we did three open air concerts over week and the Italians really appreciated the Music, it gave me this buzz and it really made me decide it’s what I wanted to do.
We left Lyndon School at 7am on the 23rd July, ready for our 30 hour coach journey. It was a killer, I couldn’t sleep even though Nick bless him was my foot rest lol The ferry Journey was horrible as I don’t like the movement so me and Meg and Sarah chilled on the top deck for a while.
On the 24th I felt like such a tramp it was horrible =/ we arrived in Lake Garda technically a good 6 hours early so we sat at a café on the Lake until we could check into our hotel and it was warm. When we got into the Hotel it was so nice and I was in a room with Laura (L). After we’d unpacked and had lunch we down to find a beach and went swimming in the Lake it was beautiful we all ended up jumping off the pier. Dinner was lovely except for the 3 course meal and we were all stuffed, we had our first gig at ‘ ‘, which was amazing, the only problem was all the nats and insects around they were all attract to the lights so there were millions of them flying into your hair and on you, as the lake was behind us we ended has gushes of wind at us, so excluding having to hold my dress down and getting eaten by insects, I loved it. We went back to the hotel bar and chilled for the night.
The next day we had a later breakfast because we were all shattered completely, so we got to sleep in =)