These are the tales of Michael Parkinson, YouTuber extraordinaire. Michael has posted hundreds of videos to YouTube and has thousands of hits on them every day. In this book he tells the stories of how the videos came to be: behind the scenes when promoting Billy Fury dance shows with 300 amateur performers, and a show with professional dancers in London; Michael’s biography of Billy Fury and an explanation of his graveside tribute to Britain’s first rock ’n’ roll star. Some highlights from Michael’s YouTube adventures: A pretty Italian pianist and how she influenced his YouTube Channel X Factor finalist Saara Aalto singing for him in Leicester Square Walking the Thames Path, he did not video the copulating couple but did capture the giggly girls and the horses Thursford Christmas Spectacular – bandleaders and penguins Blackpool Tower ballroom and Scarborough Spa precede Brighton and boobette Joanna Forest with an emotional farewell appearance from Judith Durham and the Seekers at Nottingham Disneyland Paris, the Royal Academy of Music, a biography of Eric Coates, a story of Notts and England cricket. Read Michael’s hints on where to attend free or inexpensive London concerts; find out how he captured Scottish Football fans invading Trafalgar Square, and fell in love with the Chamber Choir from Drake University, Iowa USA. It can get personal: exam nerves, childhood memories and his National Service. And emotional: The Gardener and Alzheimers Lady and the Tuneless Choir.

This hugely different biography starts with the Amazing Audition that propelled Billy Fury from unknown to pop star. Marty Wilde discloses new poignant information, Michael Parkinson describes promoting Billy Fury Shows with 200 dancers and narrators. Robert worked with young Ronald Wycherley who showed songs that he was writing. Ann used her artistic ability to become a friend. Avril accommodated Billy, Marty and other performers at no charge because they were so badly paid. Christine watched filming of ‘Ive Gotta Horse’. Colin Paul is a tribute singer with a big story. Billy visited Marion in hospital leading to a lifelong friendship. Myra writes a heart wrenching story of male jealousy. Pauline became a dedicated fan club worker. Peter has produced a guitar instrumental tribute to Billy. Sandra describes meeting Billy Fury when she was 15 and wrote about his shyness. One hundred and twenty pictures accompany the stories to make this a very interesting compilation.

I walked the Thames Path in 30 sections over three years. Every section was a single day outing starting and finishing from my home near Nottingham. It was an enjoyable experience except ... perhaps I should have heeded the Bull in Field sign near Cricklade.

This is a nostalgic story about Pat Stacey and friends who joined The League of Ovaltineys in 1941. In 1945 they formed their own club, initially growing and selling garden produce to raise funds. From humble beginnings of camping, cooking and meetings in the back garden they progressed to hiking, camping, ice skating, swimming, youth hosteling and more. They put concerts on and sold handcrafted items made by themselves making donations to Dr Barnardo’s Homes. The accent was on hard work and fun. Pat Stacey compiled log books with hand written essays by the girls so the story is written by them. Michael Parkinson has completed the picture by researching and writing histories of Ovaltine, Barnardo’s and the Youth Hostel Association – all important to Pat and the girls.

‘Adult Reactions to Popular Music and Inter-generational Relations in Britain, 1955–1975’ challenges stereotypes concerning a post-war ‘generation gap’, exacerbated by rebellion-inducing popular music styles, by demonstrating the considerable variety which frequently characterized adult responses to the music, whilst also highlighting that the impact of the music on inter-generational relations was more complex than is often assumed. [NP] Utilizing extensive primary evidence, from first-person accounts to newspapers, television programmes, surveys and archive collections, the book adopts a thematic approach, identifying three key arenas of British society in which adult responses to popular music, and the impact of such reactions upon relations between generations, seem particularly revealing and significant. The book examines in detail the place of popular music within family life and Christian churches and their engagement with popular music, particularly within youth clubs. It also explores ‘encounters’ between the worlds of traditional Variety entertainment and popular music while providing broader perspectives on this most dynamic and turbulent of periods.