Aled Jones

Aled Jones shot to fame at the tender age of 12 with a cover version of ‘Walking in the Air’, from the film ‘The Snowman’. Throughout the following years popularity and voice has continued to grow. Born in the Welsh valleys, his talents know no bounds; he’s a singer, TV presenter and more importantly a real family man. He has an obvious love of the North, probably due to the fact that he married Keighley lass, evidently a man of impeccable taste. I managed to grab a coffee and a chat with Aled at The Lowry in Manchester where he’s starring in the yuletide spectacular, White Christmas.

You’re playing Bob Wallis in the Lowry’s production of White Christmas, what’s his character like?
He’s lovely; he’s got a heart of gold. Bob finds it difficult to be open, he just wants to find someone and settle down, a very kind and gentle character.

Bit like yourself then Aled...
Well maybe! That’s why I was cast in it, you know! (Laughs) It’s a great part to play because I get to sing some amazing songs.

You get to sing White Christmas don’t you?
Yeah, twice and also one of my favourite ballads, ‘Count Your Blessings‘, it’s gorgeous, it’s amazing. There’s one scene with a massive house in the back ground, and a girl who can’t sleep, so he sings this song and she falls asleep, it’s beautiful.

Do you get goose pimples when you sing White Christmas?
Of course. I think the whole idea of it is to make people feel good. And the music is the best you know, Irving Berlin makes use of this really beautiful music; I’m finding it impossible to learn it.

In what way?
The harmonies are really hard, especially the duets. It’s not like your normal ‘run of the mill’ music. It’s got real heart and substance to it.

How long have you been rehearsing?
Oh, I haven’t started yet.

Best get a ‘move on’ then, Aled. Are there any special effects in the show?
I don’t want to give too much away, but at the end, it snows all over the auditorium. So everyone gets covered in snow whilst singing White Christmas. It will make you feel Christmassy and make you feel good about life and we all need that.

Is there a lot of dancing involved in White Christmas?
Yes, unfortunately. The singing I won’t have to work so hard for, but, the dancing I will.

So, am I to presume you sing better than you dance.
Definitely.

You’ve been at it for 25 years haven’t you? Where has the time gone?
I wish I knew it’s scary. Old age, it’s caught me!

Now we’re nearly exactly the same age, your birthday is the 29th December 1970 and mine is the 1st January 1971. How does it feel to be approaching 40?
I’ve got two years! No wait, I’m 39 in December, oh, which means I’m 40 next year. How depressing. Thanks for that Karen!

I believe you’re releasing a second Christmas album with Terry Wogan?
We are yes, it’s called ‘Bandaged Again’, and we’re singing the Jim Reeves version of ‘Silver Bells’. It’s going to be released the week he leaves Radio 2.

How do you feel about him leaving?
I’m gutted because he’s my hero, I love him massively, I’ve learnt a lot from him, I call him my illegitimate radio dad, he’s great.

Who encouraged you as a child musically, was it your parents?
My dad just likes music and my mum plays the guitar and piano. As a child I just sang all the time, my son’s a bit like that now. My daughter loves acting and dancing, she’s more in to theatre, she just loves it.

Now, I’m going to share with you some Welsh speaking... ‘Bore da’ (Good morning) and Nos Da (Goodnight)
That’s right! That’s all you need to know. However, there are other essential phrases you need to know are ‘beint chan bir’ which means pint of beer, or, if you prefer wine ‘gwydr chan gwin’!

So, ‘Songs of Praise’ how’s it going? You’ve been doing that quite a while now...
Nine years. I do 26 a year now, which is a big commitment. I’ve just started presenting ‘Escape to the Country’ and ‘Cash in the Attic’ and I’ve already managed to sell two houses!

Do you get the commission?
No, the BBC isn’t that generous!

What has been your defining moment?
The birth of my kids.

Have you plans for more?
Oh, gosh, no. I’m not even practicing! Two’s fine, two fit in the car beautifully. I don’t want to tempt fate because they’re both healthy and they’re both happy.

Now, like me, I believe your wife Claire is also a Keighley lass.
Claire was in Joseph with me on the North Pier in Blackpool that’s how I met her. I proposed to her at Northcote Manor near Blackburn.

So, how will you be spending Christmas Day?
It’s usually a time where I love to close the door, and just spend time with the family. Eating and drinking too much. This year I’ll be working Christmas morning on Radio 2, from Manchester, but it’ll be fun.

What do you like to eat?
We usually go for goose or something like that. And you know Lancashire’s got some of the best goose.

Favourite place in the North?
Blackpool, I just love it massively. One of the highlights of my life was when they put my name on the board at the Winter Gardens where you see the likes of Les Dawson. I think Blackpool gets really bad press and I was part of the campaign to bring Strictly back to the Tower ballroom and we did it. That was another highlight of my life, dancing to Tom Jones singing ‘It’s Not Unusual’ in the Tower.

So, favourite hymn or carol?
Well, I’ve got an album of carols coming out next year. I’ve just written a book of hymns, which is out now ‘Aled Jones Forty Favourite Hymns’, and some of the stories behind them with some antidotes of singing them, but my number one would be ‘How Great Thou Art.’

Now I had that one at my children’s baptism...
It’s number one in Britain...

I thought it would have been ‘Jerusalem’.
No, that’s only about 8 or 9th.You see, Welsh people don’t like it, because they think it’s too English.

Funny characters, you Welsh...
Yeah, we need ‘How Great Thou Art’ to redeem us!

Interview from issue 29 Dec/Jan 2010. To order this issue go to the Northern Life online store.