Gallery
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John D Hastings
Community
My wife Frankie and I grew up in places where people looked out for each other and connected through social activities.
We all thrive in a caring community. It’s important to share our success and talents, help build a fair and happy environment in which to live, work and play.
As a singer songwriter I craft songs and sing lead, harmonies and backing vocals. I set up my own music and fan site with Frankie to show music is universal no matter what your age or background. Please join our journey, buy and download directly from our website. We promise we will reinvest into making and sharing with you fantastic original music and more. From us and our music friends and collaborators: Thank you so much!
Music is truly universal. It brings joy, helps us express our emotions. Music connects people.
Community projects
♥ Pride in London 2021:
To celebrate Pride in London 2021 when the parade was cancelled, I performed at FEASTY FEST Surrey's biggest food and drink festival. In front of 5000+ people! My songs "Lions" and "The Unspoken Words" (November 2022 release) acknowledge the courage and dignity of people in the face of prejudice and persecution, who are simply trying to express their true selves and identities. Often our life choices remain hidden, so "Lions" is an opportunity to celebrate our diversity with pride when I sing "let's put the kind back in mankind"!
♥ "Ice and Fire" Eston Hills Yorkshire project:
My song “When It’s Gone” supports a rescue community project, North-East England by highlighting environmental issues.
I heard about Cleveland Archaeology Trust (CAT), formed by Spence Carter an archaeologist leading a rescue excavation called “Ice and Fire” on Eston Hills, with the Archaeological Society. It’s a “rescue project” due to the damage caused by fires, vandalism and quad bikers churning up the earth.
Frankie and I got in touch with Spence, to support CAT whose own funding streams have now been put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. We will make a donation from UK digital sales of “When It’s Gone” from this website, to the “Ice and Fire” Eston Hills project and community work.
Initially written about the Eston Hills' fires, the song's message became much bigger: worldwide arson attacks causing wild fires and bush fires in the US and Australia last year highlight the destruction of the natural habitat of wildlife. Climate change is a big part of the problem too: longer periods without rainfall create higher densities of dry land.
Yet the current world pandemic helped us rediscover our open spaces: the simple joy of sharing them with family and friends. We need to care for our natural landscapes for future generations to enjoy. As the song’s bridge says, “Together we must change it: You and I”
♥ Other projects include unpaid performances for Sutton Salvation Army Community Centre, and free-entry gigs to support the "Art For All" initiative, encouraging communities to support music venues and local independent musicians, singers and bands. Artists like me write and perform original self-penned songs, keeping the creativity within the music industry fresh and energised.
Keep track of events and news and please support our community activities! Contact us if you have a special cause which might benefit from our help.
This is how we give back. Especially when you, the fans support us, we will pass on that goodwill to our community and charity partners. Thank you!
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Supporting Acts
I could only achieve this website and continue my journey as a singer songwriter with “a little help from my friends”.
A big thank you to:
Frankie my wife, so talented in ways I can only dream of! For her spirit of adventure, courage and her boundless belief in me and the music. “You stand out in a crowd”, you really do.
Mel Gillman, an amazing graphic designer who designed our logos and gave us so many ideas on visuals and branding. He is so insightful and intuitive. Contact Mel on all things graphic design, branding and visual creation: www.letsimagine.co.uk
Mark Walford, our incredible tech guy! He digitally remastered the recordings ready for download. There’s a lot of them, what with different versions and mixes. No mean feat with family and volunteering commitments, and a job which takes him across the UK each week.
Mark Neal, a talented photographer who’s mad about music. He shot the fantastic photos of me and my guitars! He’s great for all types of shoots, I’m looking forward to working with him again on capturing my hometown landscape up North. Check out his portfolio: https://www.marknealphotography.co.uk
Yes we do websites, because yes they did do our website, interpreting our musical, creative and technical needs with patience and ingenuity. Thanks Eleanor!
We will spotlight other support acts further on, the people who help us on our journey to creative success!
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John
About John D Hastings
My Dad, Richard and Mam, Olive added me to the family in August 1952. I weighed a whopping 14 lbs and unknown ounces as the baby scales only went up that far!
I went to Eston Infant School, then Eston Junior School. I was creative and sporty and at Eston County Modern School I played for the school football, cricket, basketball and table tennis teams.
School simply interrupted the more important things in my life:
fishing, playing on Eston Hills and woods, building dens. My best friend Pete Rule and me would cycle to Ormesby station and catch a steam train to Glaisdale or Lealholm to fish on the River Esk. We took sandwiches and a bottle of pop and be out all day, coming home happy and hungry with a trout or grayling or two.
An apprenticeship with Head Wrightson in the shipbuilding industry followed when I left school at 16. I had started writing songs when I was about 15 and knew I was going to be a singer songwriter.
In my late teens
I joined Andy from Middlesbrough in a duo called Aces High. My singing skills evolved as we did the working men’s clubs and pubs, and I developed a thick skin from hecklers. The appreciation and applause were always far louder, giving me a real buzz from performing.
After going separate ways, I joined another band with three other local lads as lead singer and rhythm guitarist. We did the music circuit in North Yorkshire singing pop and rock covers. When we swapped to singing my songs the act caused a storm at gigs: The Stilettos were born!
Share my singer songwriter journey with me!
As was common in those days, I was born at home, a cosy council house in Nab Close, Eston. I joined my sister Joyce, age 5 and brother Pete, 2. Happy memories of days out on Saltburn and Redcar beaches; fish and chips in Whitby. I still visit every year, for a holiday with my wife, a family lunch with cousins and catching up with friends.
After singing in the barbers for a free haircut I joined the Sunday school choir.
There was always music playing in my house and Mam and Dad loved to go dancing. My Dad was a promising tenor singer as a teenager, but his family couldn’t afford professional singing lessons in those days. When he was older, friends and family would get him to sing at social gatherings as top entertainment. Guess that’s where I got my singing talent and love of public performance from!
I completed my 4 year apprenticeship with Head Wrightson as a fitter and turner.
The work was challenging and scary: huge machinery, hot, loud and dirty. There were some terrible (sometimes fatal) accidents on the shop floor long before health and safety rules had been properly thought out.
I learnt my trade whilst honing my creative side, singing and song writing.
Those years in the choir had been a great training for lead vocals and harmonies! Singing with Andy set me up for my next challenge. Joining as lead singer in a local band, we did the music circuit in North Yorkshire singing pop and rock covers.
When I suggested using my self-penned songs they were up for it
and thanks to Tommy, Alan and Cliff, The Stilettos began an exciting adventure full of tough times, good laughs and great music!
Global Day for Climate Justice
When It's Gone
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