Shropshire Star

Macy, 14, records Ukraine charity single at Abbey Road

Highley singer song writer Macy O'Neill hasn't hung around in her music career - not only does she have a date to play at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool but she has released a charity single for the Ukraine appeal recorded at Abbey Road

Published
Macy with her backing musicians

Macy, 14, put out a 'wanted call' for a band to back her after she was offered a spot at the club, where The Beatles performed.

She has now got the band together and secured a date and has been busy recording a new single, 'No Home', which is dedicated to refugees from the war in Ukraine. It was recorded at the London studio with a band of professional session musicians, including one of the Bootleg Beatles and one who flew in from LA especially to help her record it.

Irish singing superstar Chris De Burgh has personally endorsed the single with a message sent to the talented teenager, who attends Concord College in Shrewsbury, and regularly attends open mic nights in Newport.

Macy in the Abbey Road studio

The date at the Cavern Club is set for Wednesday, April 20, and Macy will be backed by young musicians found at open auditions in Kidderminster earlier this month.

Her mother Naomi Waterson said everything had happened at once for her daughter since the appeal went out.

She said: "The management at The Cavern have been as good as their word in offering a slot for Macy to play and we found a great band to play with her.

Macy with her backing musicians

"But since then she has recorded a single after seeing footage of a woman in Ukraine playing piano in the cellar of a house which had obviously been damaged by shelling and deciding she wanted to do something about it.

"She has always written her own songs, and Joe from the Bootleg Beatles put out a call for some musicians to come and help her record it - amazingly one of them flew in from LA and the others put themselves out as well.

"We are hoping it will pick up national airplay when it is released; already Chris De Burgh has heard it and sent Macy a personal message endorsing it."

It's not the first time kind-hearted Macy has helped people out - she has busked for the homeless before and proceeds from her last single,You Showed Me, went to the Martin Schellenberg Trust to help disadvantaged pupils access music tuition.

She has also appeared on stage in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, on television on Voice Kids and has received airplay on BBC Radio Shropshire and Hereford and Worcester.

The proceeds from that song are going to the Martin Schellenberg Trust to help disadvantaged pupils access music tuition.