A BRAVE attempt to turn singing talents into a successful career has seen Lydney man Ian Lilley overwhelmed with bookings – and he has just made his first disc.
Ian, who sings under the stage title I.M.L. (his initials), said: "I only started out at Christmas – a gig at Awre went really well – and since then things haven't really looked back."
Singing Neil Diamond and similar numbers, he soon found local pub and club bookings building up as the word got around.
"Now I'm fully booked to the end of the year," he said.
"Eventually I hope to be able to do some of the bigger venues and places like holiday camps. But I'm really glad I made the move to try it."
He still works for Dupont in Gloucester while the singing business builds up and has to weigh up a good point to consider 'giving up the day job' (although he does nights at Dupont too!).
So at the moment it's a mixture of both for the family man – he has two daughters, Rachel, 16, and Katy, 13 – with a quick change from work clothes to the casual look he employs for his act.
"I'm not a suit," he grins. "I like to sing in an open neck shirt, with a relaxed approach."
Wife Carole helps out on the gigs with the backing music and setting up the sound system.
"It hasn't been cheap to start – the sound gear and the outfits are expensive. But I really like doing it – I wouldn't go so far as to say I would do it for nothing but it really is something I love."
His disc, which has been made with John David's Berry Hill Studio, contains some of his favourite numbers and he plans to sell it initially at his own gigs.
"I will also be able to send it out to some of the other venues to attract more business," he said.