"The entertainer Val Doonican, who has died aged 88, had a string of middle-of-the-road hits and was at the heart of family weekend television viewing in the 1960s and 70s. With an easygoing, homely charm that enchanted middle England, he sang and played through two decades of his own TV show and more than 60 years in show business. "Behind the scenes a perfectionist who knew his limitations but always aimed to be “the best Val Doonican possible”, he radiated ease and relaxation. His most famous prop, the rocking chair in which he swayed almost sleepily as he accompanied himself on the guitar, was not a calculated gimmick, but came about by accident. On a show in which he was due to sing early in his career was a young singing/guitar-playing nun. The producer suggested that she use the chair from the studio props department, but the experiment failed, and so Doonican tried it instead." http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/jul/02/val-doonican #RIP #ValDoonican

RIP 3 Jul 2015