Choir hopes to be the last one standing (From Swindon Advertiser)

Choir hopes to be the last one standing

5:41pm Wednesday 13th August 2008 in News

Grenville Jones and the City of Bath Choir with show presenter Nick Knowles

A SWINDON-BORN choir leader is holding his breath as he prepares to lead his troops into the semi-finals of the BBC’s Last Choir Standing series.

Grenville Jones, who was born in Purton and lived in Swindon for 20 years, is hoping his City of Bath Male Choir can make it through for a place in the final of the BBC1 show on Saturday.

Grenville was brought up in a strong Methodist family.

His father, the late Harry Jones, was a Methodist preacher and he and Grenville’s mother Lillian were the driving force at the Playclose Methodist Church, in Purton, in the 1950s.

Grenville’s choir will go head-to-head with four other choirs for a place in the final after being voted through by BBC viewers on Saturday.

Their rendition of the Eagles’ hit, Desperado, which was arranged by Grenville, won praise from two of the three judges, Sharon D Clarke and Suzi Digby.

Grenville said: “I have to keep pinching myself. It is a surreal experience but the boys are working hard every night of this week as we have to sing two songs this Saturday and also learn the big group opening number.

“I think the question on many people’s lips is ‘what is a choir?’ “There seems to be quite a lot of discussion about the fact that the other groups concentrate on pop songs and the Cardiff-based group Only Men Aloud are quite simply a stunning troupe.

“They are all highly talented and experienced singers and a great bunch of lads.

When I saw their dance routine last week I thought the best thing we could all do was get on the coach and head for Bath.

“But I think the viewers recognise that we are the boys next door, a traditional choir who do our very best to sing from the heart and entertain our audience.

“We don’t dance, but this Saturday watch out for a few slick moves from the boys from Bath, but not a cane in sight!”

The Bath Male Choir is the newest Male Choir in the UK. It was started by Grenville only two and a half years ago.

Included in the choir are two of Grenville’s sons, Daniel and Laurie, who featured as soloist on one of the choir’s items last Saturday night.

Grenville said: “One thing is for sure, this Saturday we will sing our socks off and I hope the people of Swindon and Wiltshire will support the boys from Bath and help us through to next week.”