This week’s news and gossip

Main photo by Graham Franks

This week started with a good interview about her police work from Penny in Saturday’s Daily Mail

With her fee donated to the great COPS charity

Rod and Brighton’s Singing Barber

Rod was in Brighton on Saturday night on a mission from BBC’s The One Show to surprise Brighton’s Singing Barber Peter Joannou

While Peter was singing ‘A Stranger In Paradise’ on his iconic balcony Rod sneeked up and joined in.

Peter is well known in the local community for raising money for charity and his incredible singing performances on the last Sunday of every month, which he has done from his window on The Lanes for nine years now. He sings hits from the Great American Songbook,

Somebody close to Peter nominated him for The One Show’s One Big Thank You, which ultimately resulted in Rod’s visit.

Speaking to SMILER this week Peter said “What a lovely total surprise, I thought I was seeing things when he stood next to me while I was singing “A Stranger In Paradise “, Rod is a real British legend and a true gentleman, very warm and friendly it was like seeing an old mate of mine “

The results of Rod’s visit were show on The One Show on Thursday

Dionne Benn had a chat and a photo taken with Rod while he was sat in his Rolls Royce and told SMILER this week ‘Rod was a true gent. Such a beautiful man, as is his wife and all She does’

Photos thanks to Peter Joannou from shots captured by Steve Taplin.

You can catch The One Show on BBC i Player

Our great main photo was taken by photographer Graham Franks who told SMILER this week ‘As a freelance photographer I am always ready for the unexpected. I was entering the Brighton Metropole on the way to photographing a Starr Trust event. I noticed people staring at a white Rolls Royce parked on the Metropole concourse at the front of the hotel. The rear window lowered and sitting inside was Rod. I approached the car to take a pic and a security man said, “sorry, no big cameras”. I explained that I only wanted to say hello. “Ok no probs” said the security man. I walked to the Rolls and said through the open window, “Hi Rod, I know I Can’t take your photo but I just wanted to say hello”. He replied, “Hello, of course you can take my picture” He posed as you can see then said jokingly “Send it to your Brighton newspaper”. We both chuckled, I said thanks very much. He seemed to enjoy the encounter. He was a true gent’.

This weeks Rod Art

Last week we featured a great grafhite pencil drawing from artist Paula Howe who told how she had been taught by her husband Gerard, so this week it’s over to Gerard from Gerard Howe Art & Design and his amazing drawing of Rod also from the mid 80’s

Gerard from Derbyshire told SMILER this week ‘I’ve been drawing since school. Always been interested in The Arts and concentrated on drawing portraits about 5/6 years ago. My preferred subject being movie and music stars and as seeing as Rod is one of our favourite artists I had to draw him’.

To see more artwork from Gerard go to https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063482197396

Jerry Lee Lewis

After the sad news of the passing of Rock ‘n’ Roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis Rod paid the following tribute

‘This great man had an extraordinary influence on all us early British rockers.
Bless you, Jerry. Rest in peace. We will never ever forget you.
Sir Rod Stewart CBE’

Ronnie Wood added ‘R.I.P. JLL the Killer- What a man.’

Rod recorded a superb version of ‘What’s Made Milwaukee Famous’ on Jerry’s 2006 album ‘Last Man Standing’ the album also featured Ronnie Wood playing on the track ‘Evening Gown’ with vocals by Mick Jagger.

Specsavers Outstanding Achievement in Music Award

Rod is set to be honoured at the prestigious Scottish Music Awards this weekend and wishes his ‘dear old dad’ were here to see it.

Rod is one of the stars being celebrated at Glasgow’s iconic Barrowland Ballroom this weekend for the Nordoff Robbins fundraiser. He is joined by the likes of Paolo Nutini, Gerry Cinnamon, Wet Leg, Craig Logan and Rhianne Downey in being nominated for an accolade.

The awards celebrate the best of home-grown Scottish talent and Rod will recieve the Specsavers Outstanding Achievement in Music Award.

On hearing the news Rod paid an emotional tribute to his late Scottish father saying, “In all my days I never ever dreamt I’d be receiving an award from the land of my Father. This will be undoubtedly an emotional evening for me, I just wish my dear old Dad (a Hibs supporter by the way) was here to enjoy it. Thank you so much everyone.”

And finally ..

Not long now until the start of Rod’s UK tour, Speaking to Rod a couple of weeks ago he told us [SMILER‘s] to make ourselves known, so banners, T-shirts, Celtic shirts and plenty of singing and dancing are in order for Rod’s parties and to keep you going here is a brilliant shot of a dacing Rod starting the party from Jim Pietryga.

See you next week