Some months after Di and Paul came to live in Alcester I was asked by Charlotte (Charlie) to meet her mum and dad as she thought our mutual love of music would be of interest. So one morning I knocked on their door with a handful of my own compositions, only to be shown upstairs;(Where are you taking me I thought?) it was to a room with a grand piano.

After some conversation and a cup of coffee, I explained that my life's hobby had been composing music and that I had written a musical called "Vendetta" based upon the life of an international secret agent with a name the same as my middle name BOND. I asked Di if she would like to sing one of the songs and gave her the music to a song called 'Blue', which in the musical is a song sung by the female Russian double agent.

Originally I composed the song in the key of A minor, the key I always play it in. However when it was recorded the female singer transposed it into the key of F# minor, not an easy key to play in (ask any guitar player). The published version, the version I gave to Diane to sing was in this key. F# minor. When I started to play I realised I was playing in one key and Diane was singing in another. Not exactly a brilliant idea. I was so used to playing it in the key I had composed it in I would have great difficulty in playing it in any other.

No problem for Diane, however, "Oh don't worry John" said Di "I'll transpose it into the key you're playing as we go along", Well, to my utter amazement she sang my song perfectly. A song she had never heard before, transposing as she went along. I was so impressed Not too many people in the world can do that with such ease and confidence.

Paul and Charlie have asked me to play piano at the town hall after the funeral so I'll be playing "BLUE" again for you Di... in the key of Am, the only one I know.

John Bond Evans