AUDIO: Vulcan launch for Eliot Kennedy's charity album by daughter of tragic Jimi Heselden

Yorkshire song king Eliot Kennedy today announced his next all-star charity concert is ready for take off - it will be at the Vulcan hanger at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
Songwriter and producer Eliot KennedySongwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy
Songwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy

The gig will raise funds for Hidden Wounds, a division of Help For Heroes, and launch the debut album and singing career of Jo Heselden-Edwards in memory of her father, Yorkshire's famed and tragic entrepreneur Jimi Heselden.

AUDIO: Listen to Graham Walker's exclusive chat with Eliot Kennedy and Jo Heselden-Edwards - CLICK HERE.

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BUY TICKETS: Tickets or the Hidden Wounds album launch, including three course meal, on Saturday, November 12, 2016, 7pm to late, are £100, with VIP tickets £200. For tickets and more details visit hiddenwoundsconcert.com

Jimi Heselden saved thousands of lives after developing the Concertainer ‘blast wall’ used to build military defences, including Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.

The former miner, who grew up on a Leeds council estate, became a millionaire and gave millions to charities, including Help For Heroes, but the 62-year-old died in a freak accident in 2010 riding a Segway, after buying the company.

Now daughter Jo, aged 45, is about to sing his praises and honour his lifelong wish for her to become a singer with the album and concert on Saturday, November 12, 2016.

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Sheffield's famed Grammy Award winning Eliot Kennedy - who has written for and worked with the likes of The Spice Girls, Take That, Bryan Adams, Donny Osmond, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, has recorded and produced the album.

Songwriter and producer Eliot KennedySongwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy
Songwriter and producer Eliot Kennedy

It's called Hidden Wounds, after a the charity which helps ex-soldiers and those still serving who are living with anxiety, depression, stress, mental illnesses and post-traumatic stress disorder PTSD.

The concert, to include some of Eliot's star name pals, will also feature Jo showcasing songs from the album with a 17-piece swing band.

In keeping with the military theme the launch will see them playing beneath the iconic Vulcan bomber at the The Vulcan to the Sky hanger at Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

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Eliot, who has written the likes of Everything Changes, Picture Of You, Say You’ll Be There and When You’re Gone,will perform some of his own greatest hits and today revealed the night will include a reunion with John Parr and John Reilly to sing their Women Of Steel song, a tribute to the women who kept the steel mills working during two world wars.

Jimi Heselden's Concertainer blast wall used to build military defences, including Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.Jimi Heselden's Concertainer blast wall used to build military defences, including Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.
Jimi Heselden's Concertainer blast wall used to build military defences, including Camp Bastion, in Afghanistan.

VIDEO: Watch Eliot Kennedy, John Parr and John Reilly's live debut performance of Women Of Steel - CLICK HERE.

Guest already confirmed include The Puppini Sisters, an Andrews Sisters style close harmony vocal trio, who have appeared on TV shows from Loose Women to Strictly Come Dancing, performed at Glastonbury and recorded Jingle Bells and Frosty the Snowman with Michael Bublé for his Christmas album.

Superstars like rock legend Bryan Adams and comedy great Peter Kay have turned up as surprise guests for his previous charity shows, at Sheffield City Hall.

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He said: "It's always best to leave a few surprises until the night - you never know who is going to be there but we've had some pretty amazing ones before, so I plan on doing exactly the same again this time.

Jimi HeseldenJimi Heselden
Jimi Heselden

"The whole event is based around Jo, in memory of her father Jimi, who invented the Bastion, that Camp Bastion was named after.

"I went there to perform for the troops with Gary Barlow so I have first hand experience.

"Jimi left this incredible legacy for his family ands Jo wanted to do something that would honour her father, who would always ask her to sing his favourite songs at karaokes.

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"The Vulcan is also going to be the star of the show. It's absolutely magnificent - enormous. I can't describe how big this thing is. It's like a passenger jet. It's going to be front and centre of the show...and underneath it will be the big band.

"So the whole night will have a wartime feel about it. That's why I wanted to bring in a swing band and have that almost kind of pre-war activity going on, a military theme with a lot of dancing, great food, drink and brilliant entertainment.

"The intention of course is to raise as much money and profile for such an amazing charity."

Leeds born Jo, of Wetherby, is excited to be singing in front of husband Justin, 47, daughter Jessica, seven, other family, friends and supporters.

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The album will reveal favourite songs like Anyone Who Had A Heart, All Cried Out and Living Years, plus a new song she's written with Eliot called Hidden Wounds.

She said "Living Years, one of the songs on the album, includes the line 'I wasn't there that morning when my father passed away'.

"It brought tears to my eyes when I heard it. I kept listening to the song and the words had special meaning.I loved the song, so decided to put it on my album."

Jo added: "It's something I've wanted to do since I was a child. I think my dad would be really proud of me.

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"He was fun, outgoing, very ambitious and a grafter. Just before he past away he was still always the first one up with his work boots on. He was just one in a million, a hero.

"The charity is special to my dad - he gave money to it on a yearly basis, that's why I've chosen Help For Heroes and the Hidden Wounds side of it, the mental health side of it that has never been helped like this before."

She said: "Eliot is an absolutely lovely person. It's a really big opportunity for me. He's a really wonderful guy to work for, I've learned quite a lot from him."

* Tickets or the Hidden Wounds event, including three course meal, on Saturday, November 12, 2016, 7pm to late, are £100, with VIP tickets £200. To buy tickets and for full details visit hiddenwoundsconcert.com

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