Tess
TESS DALEY
All lyrics on album BENEATH MY SHADE (apart from An Irish Blessing).
I was born in North Shields, Nth Tyneside. I now live in Newcastle, and have lived and worked in Cramlington, Northumberland. So it has given me great pleasure returning there to record. I first began song-writing when Peter Carey, the new choirmaster at St Paul’s church, Cramlington, handed me a melody. City of Praise was recorded in the late 1970s by Peter, then later by Bob Watson. Ann Liddell has included it more recently on her first album Friend Move up Higher I found writing lyrics all-absorbing. It gave me a sense of journeying, of the spiritual quest.
Peter Carey
In the early 80s Pete Kennedy offered me melodies. Beneath My Shade was the first to be completed and became the most popular. Also recorded by Peter Carey, then Bob, it has since been chosen for a variety of liturgical occasions.Sadly I was denied opportunity to develop the other songs as Pete Kennedy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. When he died in 1984 I lost interest in song-writing. Wanting to understand the healing process I pursued studies in complementary therapies. Still I played the simple tunes in my head for another 25 years or so.
Pete, Tess & Pat
It seemed a waste. In 2009 I felt it was time to re-visit them. Aaron, Ann and Anna were producing their own albums and so my interest revived. Re-connecting with that era, late 70s/early 80s, when both Peter Carey and Pete Kennedy were seriously ill, was challenging. As I worked on individual songs memories returned with some sadness. As everyone faces hardship at some point in their lives I decided to work with the sadness, and bring it to a healthy conclusion.
There is more depth and maturity to the songs now, in the light of life-experience and testing of faith. I’ve added a chorus here and there, changed keys and tempo where necessary to suit the singers. But the original themes remain the same, showing the nurturing, consoling and compassionate nature of God. Pete’s tunes and their strong beats were always the inspiration. This gave me confidence to write my own melodies. Find me Sanctuary, Broken Man on a Tree, The Man who is my Destiny complete the story. Never Ending Stream/ An Irish Blessing (written with Bob Watson and Jim Gray) give a feel of lightness, abundance and recovery.
Graham Wood has been magnificent in arranging classical backings, better than I ever imagined. Our local country musician, Jim Hornsby was a barrel of laughs with his dry humour and superb dobro-playing. Anthony Constantine brought depth of feeling with his violin. And Sean Taylor’s excellent fine-tuning provided the finishing touches, adding bass, guitar, tambourine and shakers whenever the mood took him over!
Pete’s last words to me were ”Beneath My Shade is my favourite.” Now we can all benefit from a taste of his music. We’ve also brought some of his gentleness and spirituality to you through this collection of songs. I’m not a singer nor an accomplished musician so I’m in awe when certain people with these skills take one-dimensional black notes and transform them lovingly into something beautiful that stirs emotion. It’s also very humbling. Artists such as these express this language of the soul in a way that is vital for our health and well-being. To me they are like a mantle of purple and crimson wild heather draping an otherwise austere landscape with colour, warmth and soul. If you are willing and able, why not take some time out for yourself. Relax and enjoy the view!
PETER KENNEDY 1937-1984
Pete was married to Pat Kennedy, a hard-working figure in the Hexham/Newcastle Diocese. He was a popular Maths teacher at St Cuthbert’s High School, Newcastle. He taught Sting, (the young Gordon Sumner), and is remembered fondly in Jim Berryman’s book “Sting and I” (John Blake Pub. Ltd, ISBN 1 84454 107 x www.blake.co.uk) For A-level Maths, Peter Kennedy had the doubtful privilege of teaching a dozen others and me part of our A-level course, the less demanding branch of Statistics …(p119); Some years later, Peter Kennedy, another Maths teacher and a good one at that, who sadly died prematurely … (p80)
1963 … The only Kennedy who meant anything to Frank was Peter Kennedy, the Maths master, a much-liked figure at the school … Sting and I looked at each other in disbelief, not yet realising that daft Frank thought it was our Maths master who had been gunned down (from ch 11, The Man who Shot Kennedy).
Peter also played the piano at the school. In the 1980s he joined the musicians at St Mary’s prayer group. He then discovered a flair for writing music and had a creative flourish, writing the basis of 9 tunes. Beneath My Shade was recorded first by Peter Carey, and then by Bob Watson and has been chosen for a variety of liturgical settings ever since. Peter’s spirituality also impressed people. He was a gentle and deeply prayerful man. He welcomed a steady stream of visitors during the weeks before he died and his contentment and wisdom were visible and contagious.
BOB WATSON and Jim Gray Music for An Irish Blessing and Never ending Stream (originally written with Jim Gray)
Bob lives in Cramlington, Northumberland. He has been choirmaster at St Paul’s RC Church since 1978. Jim Gray joined in 1981. Together they have written, produced and performed their own music, with Jim Gray writing lyrics. Their first album of liturgical songs was written for the choir in 1984. By 2001 five albums were recorded, including My Room is Prepared/And a Light Shone. Bob was inspired to write a melody to the well known words of An Irish Blessing, which were sent to him on a card when he was ill. It was first recorded on their album Come and Praise Jesus.Jim wrote the original lyrics to Never Ending Stream. He very kindly gave me permission to develop the theme, but his was the first inspiration. Thanks Jim!