Hyde Park Crooner

The last place that I ever expected to see Tom Hanks was in Hyde Park, London but just last sunday evening there he was, larger than life and right in front of me.

That was an unexpected surprise but even more so when Elton John and the remaining survivors of Crosby, Stills and Nash loomed up out of the haze and addressed me, well and about 50,000 others gathered in that idyllic setting for the rarity of a Carole King concert.

Those particular celebrities paid a fully justified and perhaps long overdue tribute to the singer songwriter, now 74 years old and who last performed in public in her own right some 25 years ago.

For those under, say, 35 years old the name of Carole King may not be familiar and indeed in an informal poll that I conducted amongst acquaintances of that generation there were either blank looks in response to my query or vague references to the lead singer of T'Pau and the former hostess of ITV's Countdown programme.

Of course those of my age group, that is just on the other side of fifty, would number the back catalogue of Carole King as figuring in their own collections of vinyl or replacement CD's and specifically the 1971 released "Tapestry" album.

In any top 100 or even top 10 of all time great records this definitive work which captured the mood and tone of the early 1970's stands its ground with character and credibility in the company of Led Zeppelin 4, Thriller, Ziggy Stardust, the output of The Beatles, the tone poems of Pink Floyd and the melodic rock of The Eagles.

The event of last weekend, under the British Summer Time series saw Carole King follow on from an Eagles Fest by one of the founder members, Don Henley and a previous two days where Massive Attack, Florence the Machine and guests entertained a heaving capacity crowd in the picturesque setting of that Central London Royal Park.

It is a current trend for performers to dedicate a concert to an entire album from their repertoire although only at a notable anniversary of say 25, 30 or 50 years since release which in the music industry is an achievement in itself.

This latest Party in the Park had sold out well before the date.

My motivation to attend was as a devotee of the album which,as they say, was a bit of a soundtrack for my own life.

I should clarify that statement.

It was playing on the car CD player when I got my first speeding fine after 25 years of holding a clean licence but is also very much a  part of the courtship mix-type tape in my longstanding marriage to my wife, Allison.

It appears that one or more of the tracks played that evening held a similar special role in the lives of most of the 50,000 attendees based on my observations of couples and friends holding tightly onto each other and openly weeping and crying.

I can appreciate the emotions engendered by Carole King's most well known songs of "You've got a friend", "Will you love me tomorrow?" and "It's too late" in any close relationship or deeply founded friendship.

From the 100 metre or so distance from the stage where I had managed to win a foothold for my wife and myself the diminuitive blond  figure could just be seen at the grand piano. A series of huge TV screens on gantry towers through the human tide of the audience gave the type of close up view that those just at the foot of the stage had paid a small mortgage for. At least there, unlike in our position they were less likely to stumble over discarded wine bottles and abandoned travel rugs from the day-long party on what turned out to be a beautiful summer evening, as rare indeed as a Carole King concert.

In a sequined little black number she hardly appeared to have changed in recent decades and seemed humbled and a bit overawed by the reception of the crowd and the quiet and respectful accompaniment of every skilfully crafted and delivered song.

Carole King has written for many great performers of the modern era giving them major hit success over and above her own.

In a writing duo with former and recently deceased husband Gerry Goffin they achieved a prolific output of ballads and pop songs which still receive regular airplay on a global basis. The co-written "You make me feel like a natural woman" with Goffin and Wexler became an iconic anthem for great female artistes, pre-eminently Aretha Franklin in 1967.

The second half of the concert was homage to Goffin's work in a medley that seemed so familiar to me even though I had not realised that the songs had come from such a talented source.

It was a great performance with King herself expressing surprise at her getting through it without throwing out a hip or having a senior moment that comes to the best of us. I feel privileged at having been there, witnessing a little bit of history and being able to tick off another iconic artist on my list before they die.

Well, it does seem to be a bit of a recent trend doesn't it.