The Recording Studio: May 14

There are three singers who enter The Recording Studio tonight on ABC.

88-year-old crooner Noel O’Brien who has Dementia, records a Rat Pack classic; a lasting homage to a father; and expectant parents Chloe and Torry record a lullaby for their unborn child.

Noel O’Brien
88-year-old Noel is an old school crooner who loves to sing all the old greats from Sinatra to Dean Martin. Noel was diagnosed with Dementia 5 years ago and his condition means he no longer remembers the names of the songs, but he can remember the words and sing along to the music. With the help of pop producer extraordinaire Charles Fisher, Noel and his family want him to record ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’ as a joyful gift he can share with his family. Noel has five children – Kim, 64, Lea, 63), Peta, 61, Steve, 54 and Sven, 38. He also has 13 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, so this is truly a gift for all the family. For Charles, having never produced someone with Dementia, this gift is a unique challenge with a heartfelt reward at the end, as Noel’s family are blown away with his musical talent.

Tony Smith
Tony’s father made Tony promise he’d write a song for him before he died. Tony, with the help of ARIA Award winning producer Matt Fell, now wants to record this personal tribute to his father, with his sisters singing harmonies, as a lasting homage to his Dad, and a gift for their Mum. The family want to lay a memorial plaque on the Murray Darling for their dad on their sacred site and want to play this song for him. A story delving into Australian farmer’s struggles to talk about their feelings, this is a true Australian tale about bringing a family together through music and its power to heal.

Chloe and Torry
Chloe and Torry are a married musical couple expecting their first baby. They met six years ago and have been married for two years. This recording is to be a lullaby for their child that they hope to play to her for many years to come. In their day jobs, Torry is an arborist, Chloe teaches music at the local youth centre. They gig in local pubs and markets on the weekends. In this story, they get to work with one of their heroes, country music producer Shane Nicholson. Shane is blown away by Chloe’s beautiful voice and with the barest of instrumentation he, music producer Scott Aplin, and the couple create a paired back and beautiful lullaby for their unborn baby.

8pm tonight on ABC.