- published: 14 Sep 2014
- views: 92275
Alfred Giovanni Roncalli Boe, known professionally initially as Alf or Alfred Boe and now as Alfie Boe, (born September 29, 1973) is an English tenor.
Boe, the youngest in a family of 9 children, was born in Blackpool, Lancashire, and brought up in nearby Fleetwood. He attended St Wulstan's and St Edmund's School and Cardinal Allen Roman Catholic High School in Fleetwood.[citation needed] His earliest musical memories were of listening to his father's Richard Tauber records and at the age of 11 he discovered Puccini's La bohème for the first time.[citation needed]
Alfie's first public performance, aged 14, was at Fleetwood's Marine Hall in a "Songs from the Shows" presentation organised by inspirational local singing teacher Lottie Dawson. He states that although he sang only a couple of lines he was extremely nervous.
At the age of 17, Boe became an apprentice mechanic at the TVR factory in Bispham, Blackpool. He enjoyed entertaining his colleagues by singing opera arias while he polished the cars, and one day was overheard by a client with connections in the music industry who was so impressed, he suggested Boe should go to London and audition for the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company. His audition was a success and he gave up polishing cars to embark on a singing career. Boe has never been able to trace the customer who suggested he go for the audition, having lost the man's business card.
[Alfie]
I see his face.
I hear his heartbeat.
I look in those eyes.
How wise they seem.
Well, when he is old enough
I will show him America
And he will ride
On the wheels of a dream.
We'll go down South
And see your people
Won't they take to him
Like cats to cream!
Then we'll travel on from there.
California or who knows where!
And we will ride
On the wheels of a dream.
Yes, the wheels are turning for us, girl.
And the times are starting to roll.
Any man can get where he wants to
If he's got some fire in his soul.
We'll see justice, Sarah,
And plenty of men
Who will stand up
And give us our due.
Oh, Sarah, it's more that promises.
Sarah, it must be true.
A country that let's a man like me
Own a car, raise a child, build a life with you...
With you...
Beyond that road,
Beyond this lifetime
That care full of hope
Will always gleam!
With the promise of happiness
And the freedom he'll live to know.
He'll travle with head held high,
Just as far as his heart can go
And he will ride-
Our son will ride-