Albert Hammond, Durham Gala Theatre
ALBERT Hammond, like Jimmy Webb who last week performed at the Gala, is a living legend of popular music. Again, like Webb, the name may not be familiar (although Hammond's son, Albert junior, found international fame with indie favourites The Strokes), but the classic The Free Electric Band from 1973 is the song that brought him to popular attention. It, however, remains the only UK hit in Hammond's own name, reaching number 19.
Almost 71, and looking every inch a rock and roll star, he bounded on stage supported by a young, four-strong band. A guitar-wielding troubadour (the voice is still amazing), he covered the early years: Little Arrows (Leapy Lee, 1969), Gimme Dat Ding (The Pipkins, 1970), Good Morning Freedom ( Blue Mink), Freedom Come, Freedom Go ( The Fortunes), both from1971
A move to Los Angeles in 1971 and later signing to CBS, alongside Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen, he spent the next two hours introducing songs he wrote for and with the great and good: Cash, Roy Orbison, Tom Jones, Hal David and many others. Spellbinding.
He ended the set with a double header: When You Tell Me That You Love Me, a 1991 hit for Dianna Ross (she later recorded it in 2005 with Westlife), and then segued into One Moment in Time (Whitney Houston, 1988).
He rounded off a brilliant show with The Free Electric Band and It Never Rains in Southern California. By any standard, that's an impressive back catalogue, but when you add his Spanish work (he was brought up in Gibraltar), this man deserves the accolades, and a standing ovation.
Ed Waugh
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