Singer’s second chance at stardom

Interview by Dawn Bond

A singer/songwriter, who is making a name for herself with the release of her debut album, takes the stage at Lincoln Theatre Royal.

Mim Grey, who has performed with such music luminaires as Sir Paul McCartney, Dave Stewart, Michael Ball and ABC, will perform on Thursday, September 2 at 7.30pm.

Mim has already had a top ten single with Mantronix and a club hit with Lee Cabrera. She also co-wrote a track for Kylie Minogue, and her cover version of What A Difference A Day Makes spearheaded Thomas Cook’s Christmas ad campaign.

Mim, who released the album Grey Matters through Right Track Records in May, will perform the 12 tracks, written with songwriting partner Cori Josias.

Mim said she was looking forward to performing in Lincoln as some of her nieces and nephews played football in the city.

She said: “I will be bringing my seven-piece band with me and they are very talented musicians, performing on drums, bass, piano, electric guitar, mandolin, violin and percussion.

“I had wanted to be an actress but after getting into music, I decided being a singer was what I really wanted to do.

“I used to spend a lot of time writing and recording my songs on tapes and everything took off after musician brothers, Paul and John Williams, found one of the tapes and Paul liked what he heard.”

Mim and Paul went on to be an item for the next six years both on and off stage. Tragically, just when Mim’s career started to take off, Paul was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Six months later he was dead.

She then got involved with drink and drugs and her career took a dive.

However, a chance meeting with Cori Josias on a London-bound flight sorted her out and the two women soon began writing songs together.

Mim began singing at weddings and met drummer Steve Vintner and he encouraged her to record her own album.

She said one of her highlights was performing for Sir Paul McCartney at a Christmas party.

“Someone I knew gave him one of my CDs and he asked me to play at one of his parties when his daughter, Beatrice, was only about four or five months old.

“While I was singing he got up on stage and started doing backing vocals for me which was quite surreal but a great experience for me.”