I have been a Corrie fan since the early 1960’s when Ken Barlow was still in University and Emily Bishop was the very young, shy and nervous Miss Nugent. Many years and many memories of what is probably the best and longest running show in British TV history. However, my blog is not about Corrie, its about the late Alma Cogan. I bet the name stirs a few old memories out there. Who was Alma Cogan you ask???? She was a popular singer in the 1950’s-60’s. She had connections with the Beatles long before they were well known. It was rumoured she and John Lennon had something going??. Alma was born in 1932 of Russian parents, she died of cancer in 1966. My special memory of her happened in 1955. I was home on leave from HMS Ganges I was just sixteen. Along with a shipmate we went to the Opera House in Belfast to see and hear Alma sing. My shipmate, a hard and fast fan made me wait with him out side the stage door after the show. Finally Alma appeared, she was very gracious stopping to talk with us and giving my friend an autograph. It made his day, and for me a lasting if somewhat faded memory.
I haven’t thought about her in years. But just the other night on Coronation Street her name was mentioned and the memories came flooding back. I wonder how many of my readers will remember Alma singing the “Tennessee Waltz” in her beautiful voice? Rest in Peace Alma, Gone but not Forgotten.
God Bless and keep reading
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We must, up to a point, think alike Ben, I watched that same program and immediately afterward Googled Alma Cogan and listened to a number of her records on You Tube. I remember her well in the late fifties an early sixties. I guess she died of cancer at the age of 34. The other coincidence is that a friend and I, stood outside the stage door of the Coventry Hippodrome to meet up with Eve Boswell, a similar style of singer. (Pickin a Chicken) she also was very gracious and gave us an autograph and took time to have a chat while we both sat in her DS19. Cannot see Madonna doing that, Eh!
Hi Tony that is quite a coincidence!! it must be our Ganges heritage???I doubt I would wait out side the stage door for Madonna either!!