Blog | Richard Keeling | Professional Keyboard Player

Another Great Week

Thu, 03 May 2012 22:20:32 +0100

Many thanks once again to the Managers and staff at the Victoria Hotel Torquay for looking after our Dancing group last week. Our dancers helped create such a wonderful atmosphere and the rain did not stop us all having a great week. We had no choice but to dance every evening and morning and play snooker in the afternoons!

The evening at the Blackpool Tower ballroom will be here before we know it- something we are very much looking forward to.

We are currently looking at a new venue for a UK Dancing holiday in 2013 and details of this will be confirmed in the next few weeks, and we are also visiting a hotel in Portugal where we expect to do a Dancing holiday in April 2013. Details to follow.

Summary forms for the 2013 holidays are now available and we will be updating the website with the holiday details shortly.

Finally may I thank again all the guys (and ladies) who help me with setting up at dances.

New CD

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:10:13 +0100

The new CD "Dance with me" is now available and we hope that you will enjoy dancing and listening to our latest collection of songs which will actually be my 18th CD for Maestro. I honestly thought that my first CD "From me to you" in May 2004, would be the only one I would do. A lot has happened since then!

For some time up to 2004 many of our dancing friends had been suggesting that I send a demo disc to Maestro however demands on my time from my then full time job had made it very difficult. I finally sent off the demo and subsequently recorded" From me to you".

We really do enjoy the challenge of choosing tracks and then recording a new CD. Our "ideas list" is still very much full and the tracks for the next sequence CD are already chosen from ones we nearly did this time. First job however is to finish the Ballroom CD which we started before my illness.

Charity Dances

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 17:17:21 +0000

We have been working hard on the new CD which is now just about finished. Hopefully it will be out at Easter. What's on it perhaps you're wondering but it wouldn't be fair to spoil the surprise would it (or should that be "shock"!!) However anyone who has recently attended a dance where I have played will have heard many of the tracks already. If I have my glasses on it is usually a new track as I have to concentrate!!

We are also looking to hold two Charity dances this year and have been checking venues and availability. We wish to raise funds for the Coronary units at Derby Royal and Nottingham City hospitals. It is our intention to hold one dance in the Derby area and one in Nottingham. Further details of these will follow as soon as dates and venues are firmly in place.

Rehab

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:28:55 +0000

How time flies.

We are recently back from another great holiday at the Victoria in Torquay. Many thanks to the Managers and staff who always look after our groups so well. Thanks also of course to the dancers who helped create such a great atmosphere for the week.

The new CD is underway!! Hopefully ready for Easter. A second CD - which will be Ballroom - and which was put on hold due to illness, will then be completed soon afterwards.

I am now attending a very good Cardiac Rehab course. The staff are brilliant. The exercise warm up is a bit like a cross between gentle aerobics and line dancing. I keep putting my left leg in instead of right leg out. That's what its all about, apparently. Never was very good at dancing, best stick to playing keyboard I think.

Finally, thanks to all at Calow for my Welcome back card and to the teams of "roadies" who help me set up on my travels.

No Time To Get Bored

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:34:06 +0000

Many thanks to all the dancers who attended our recent Dancing Holiday at the Victoria Hotel, Torquay.

They made it such an enjoyable week for us and a great way of "getting back in the old routine".

My operation has not effected my playing, however my snooker seems to have got worse!!

I was discharged by the hospital last week - how I'll miss wearing those surgical stockings! - and have been given the OK to drive again so another step in the right direction.

We are now working on the tracks for a new CD so there is certainly no time to get bored at the moment.

Getting Back To Normal

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:30:08 +0000

It felt good to return to playing this week following a five week "enforced" break and it was great to see so many at the first Gresley tea dance of 2012.

The aim now, as with anyone recovering from a period of ill health, is to get "back to normality" and do the things we enjoy, including for me of course, playing.

Thanks also go to our very good friends, Andrew and Pauline, and their dancers at Calow Community Centre who have raised and forwarded £270 to the Coronary Care Unit at the Nottingham City Hospital, where I received such outstanding care in December.

Thank You

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 11:46:39 +0000

I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the hundreds of get well cards and wishes from dancing friends across the UK, following my recent stay in hospital.

It has been a very humbling experience to know that so many people have taken the time to write to me with such kind and inspirational words, this has made me even more determined to return to playing in the New Year once I am fully fit and have medical clearance to do so.

All our dancing holidays for 2012 will go ahead as planned and Carole and I look forward to playing for and being with you again very soon.

The Gresley tea dance on the 12th January will be my return to playing live.

Thank you.