Tenor Alfie Boe tunes in to back The Gazette’s music appeal

Give Us A Tune is The Gazette’s campaign to help leave a lasting musical legacy in the resort.

We want readers to donate 50 instruments and £20,000 to subsidise lessons for students at Blackpool Music Academy in Waterloo Road.

Famous names including singer Little Boots, DJ Danny Howard and stage star Jodie Prenger have already backed the appeal – with tenor Alfie Boe now pledging his support.

The 41-year-old, from Fleetwood, said: “My first connection with music, my mother tells me this all the time, was when she was expecting me and the radio came on and started playing and I kicked to the music.

“I play guitar a little bit.

“I have been trying to teach myself for a few years and my guitarist friends have helped me along the way.

“This sounds like a fantastic thing to get people into music at a young age.”

For close to a decade Blackpool Music Academy has been helping children, teenagers, the disabled and the elderly learn to play musical instruments.

Thousands of pounds have been raised to support the academy as its tutors give students the chance to develop their creative talents.

But a decade on from opening, the academy needs help to continue teaching others.

Music academy boss John Shaw, 67, wants to give a new generation of people the chance to develop their untapped musical talents.

And as stars including punk rocker John Robb and entertainer Bobby Ball backed the appeal last week, Alfie, who is returning to rock with his classical re-working of The Who’s Quadrophenia soundtrack, explained his passion – and why readers should back the campaign.

He added: “What is music to me? That’s not easy to say.

“I live and breathe it, it’s everything. I use music to make a living, and for my own entertainment.

“Music is part of me. It’s not just something I get out of a case and put away at the end of the night. I’m a singer, it’s in my body all the time.

“It’s spiritual, emotional and physical. Music creates these feelings and can give you the confidence to go out and play.”

To donate to the academy go to www.blackpoolmusicacademy.com or to provide a musical instrument call (01253) 695398.

How you can get involved...

Anyone interested in supporting our Give Us A Tune campaign can drop instruments off at the Academy in Waterloo Road, Blackpool

The academy can collect items from homes if required

To donate money to the academy, visit the website www.blackpoolmusicacademy.com. For more information contact (01253) 695398.

Gazette reporter Gareth Vickers will be covering the campaign – so get in touch with your music stories or how you can help by calling (01253) 361879.