Currently baring all on stage in the musical Calender Girls, the New Seekers singer is also about to bare all in her upcoming autobiography…
By Ian Woolley
The New Seekers (left to right) Marty Kristian-Lyn Paul-Peter Doyle-Eve Graham-Paul Layton)
It’s now been 50 years since they topped the UK charts with their first No.1 ‘I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing’ which everybody remembers as THAT Coca-Cola song. Selling millions of records worldwide, the New Seekers was never out of the charts in the first half of the 1970’s.
The group was formed in 1969 when Seekers member Keith Potger after the Australian group decided to split up. Along with Keith, were assembled members Laurie Heath, Chris Barrington, Marty Kristian, Eve and Sally Graham. Although not related to each other, it was Eve who invited Lyn Paul to join the group.
Eve and Lyn had started out as the Nocturnes and after Sally Graham left the group after just one album (and a TV series flop). Lyn takes up the story. “We were in the Nocturnes together in Manchester and I joined a year after Eve did.”
“It’s quite a long story around that but all will be revealed in my autobiography when I get around to writing about it.”
Their first hit was ‘What Have They Done To My Song Ma’, a Melanie cover which did well in the US. “We had great management at the time in David Joseph and his big thing was getting us over there and he worked damn hard in getting it done.”
Their next song (Never Ending Song Of Love) almost topped the charts but then came that TV commercial. “Our song sold 28 million records all over the world and it’s something to be proud of. To this day, that advert is in the top 50 or maybe even the top 10 most popular commercials of all time as well as being the first advert to come out to have a song attached to it.” ‘I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing’ was a success story for both Coca-Cola and the New Seekers.”
Lyn has just started her autobiography. A warts-and-all story about her life as she explains,
“There are so many things that have happened in my life which have not necessarily been the nicest. If they read my story then perhaps they could cope with their own. I want it to be right.”
A long-time supporter of Alzheimer’s Society, in 2011 Paul and the Blood Brothers cast produced a calendar for the charity. Now some 20-odd years later she is back with a new all-star cast in the musical Calender Girls. Alongside other well-known singers like Maureen Nolan and Marti Webb, the musical written by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow casts Lyn as the character Jessie.
Read the exclusive interview we had with Lyn Paul in the October issue of the Beat magazine. Lyn talks about her musical career and working with Boy George, her affection for Liza Minelli, and being mobbed for the first time by fans at the Eurovision Song Contest. Order your copy today.
For tickets to see Calendar Girls, visit www.kenwright.com/portfolio/calendar-girls-the-musical