Wakeman in Christmas collaboration

Keyboard icon Rick Wakeman has teamed up with 15 year old soprano Emmie Beckitt for a Christmas single.

The song entitled Welcome A Star will be released via Hope Records on December 4, with a percentage of profits from sales going to the Kids ’N’ Cancer charity.

The teenager is a member of her school’s orchestra and jazz band and also plays tenor saxophone, violin and piano. In 2013, Beckitt appeared at Roy Wood’s show at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall and sang Wakeman and Tim Rice’s composition The Hymn at The Sage, Gateshead as part of the Tim Rice Concert Series.

Welcome A Star is available for pre-order.

Wakeman will headline TeamRock’s Stone Free festival at London’s O2 Arena on June 19 next year. He’ll perform his 1975 album The Myths And Legends Of King Arthur & The Knights Of The Round Table in full for the first time in 41 years.

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