My Week on tour backing for Stevie Wonder, (Part 1).

I can imagine the 101 questions running through your head after seeing the title of this blog, none more interesting than "How did Gavin Holligan end up backing for Stevie Wonder, especially when he is supposed to be away working in Italy until October?!"


Well the story goes something like this..


I am dismounting my keyboard and mic stand after what has been a fairly good gig with my friends of the 'Six in the City' band, and decide that I really should give my mother a phone call to say hi, and more importantly happy birthday! Stefano, the drummer of the band,  being the kind gentleman that he is, is always giving me the pleasure of using up the remaining few minutes of his free call time at the end of each day, but as i pull away off the stage I realise that I have left my own mobile phone behind at home and I don't know my Mother's number off by heart! So I call my sister Emily, who's number I have managed to memorise, knowing that both her and my mum would be a matter of feet away from each other.


I was glad to hear Emily scream for joy as she answered the call, as we spoke for the first time since my departure to Italy. But what I wasn't expecting was her million dollar question moments later. "What you doing this weekend G?". After declaring that I had a wedding appointment to play for, she casually sighed, "oh, I was going to ask you if you were up for doing some backing vocals for Stevie Wonder." I was like, what are you talking about? She explained she was asked to form a choral for a couple of Stevie Wonder dates, including Hyde Park and Glastonbury, and thought of me! By now I was blown away by the sheer magnitude of this type of engagement, and of course very proud to hear my younger sibling placed in such an honourable post, by any vocalist or vocal directors standards!


Immediately I realised that this call was no ordinary call!!


I was only calling my Mother to share my congrats on reaching another year, and happened to have to call my sister, who happened to be putting a choral for perhaps the greatest singer-songwriter alive, who happens to be my greatest musical inspiration and influence, and happens to be doing some live UK tour dates, within the same week that I happen to be scheduled back in the UK in preparation for my birthday celebration!!


There are sometimes in life, when you are carefully reminded, and not in a subtle way, that someone else actually writes the script of our lives, even when we like to think we know the plot best! 


There was of course only one major issue. I quickly remembered the night before, and me reading the  text that came through on my mobile, which made the whole situation quite complicated, and stopped me in my tracks daydreaming of singing behind one of the most respected musicians of all time!


Text from a good friend and talented musician 'Andre Brown', who had requested my availability from early 2010, reads, "Hi Gav, hope your cool, just reminding you about the wedding we were booked to do is next week (Saturday), the bride and groom have also confirmed that they have hired a Grand Piano for you to play! look forward to seeing you, speak soon bro!"


What would you do next if you were me?


Find out how things transpired, and why I nearly walked away from the chance of a life time..  in part 2, coming very soon!