The magically musical Marshall family continue to do Oldham proud

New Year’s Eve revellers may have enjoyed seeing in 2023 by watching Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny, and the solo singing of “Auld Lang Syne” live at midnight, but many viewers may not have appreciated the connection with Glodwick, Oldham and the Marshall family, one of the town’s most esteemed musical performing families.

The soloist in question was Oldham-born Louise Marshall, who has toured as a singer with Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and has also worked with the likes of Robbie Williams, Bryan Ferry, Bryan Adams, Van Morrison and Michael Buble over her illustrious career.

Louise is the youngest of the three children of John and Costella Marshall, who initially lived in Glodwick after moving from Barbados in the 1950s and eventually settling in Westwood and Clarksfield.

She and her elder brother and sister were all born in the Parish of Northmoor and have made their musical mark nationally and internationally in so many different ways.

Louise’s brother Dr Wayne Marshall OBE is the eldest and was born in January 1961.

Originally a student at Chetham’s School of Music, he then won a Foundation Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music whilst holding the post of Organ Scholar at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

He became the Organist in Residence at the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, before performing for BBC Proms, and throughout the world including with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

His performances as conductor include principal guest conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, chief conductor of the WDR Funkhausorchester 2014-2020 and he also conducted the first concert of the Chinkel Orchestra, Europe’s first professional black and ethnic minority orchestra.

He was appointed an OBE in the 2021 New Year Honours list for services to music.

Her elder sister, Melanie Marshall, was born in 1962 and is an accomplished singer who won a Foundation Scholarship to study Singing and Piano at the Royal College of Music and has appeared in many stage productions, including Porgy and Bess, Fame and Simply Heavenly in London’s West End, Guys and Dolls, Kiss Me Kate and, for the National Theatre, Jane Eyre and Fela.

Her film credits include Florence Foster Jenkins.

Melanie also enjoys singing the music of John Rutter who has written many songs and arrangements for her, including ‘Feel The Spirit’, which she premiered at Carnegie Hall.

Melanie is currently appearing in ‘Only Fools and Horses – the Musical’ at London’s Haymarket Theatre.

Louise, the youngest of the trio, often described as having a ‘smoky voice’ and is well known to Jools Holland fans over the years.

She claims to have started crooning aged just 15 months!

She was a member of Oldham Girls’ choir at seven and was taught by the esteemed local celebrity Dr Ellen Bentley.

She started conducting her father John’s Oldham International Choir as a young teenager before studying piano at Chetham’s.

She went on to join the National Youth Choir and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama before touring with the likes of Roxy Music.

In 2017, the three siblings held a concert at St Mark’s, Glodwick, alongside the Oldham International Choir and Louise’s daughter Alicia in memory of their mum Costella, who sadly passed away in December, 2016.

Aside from leading the singing on ‘Auld Lang Syne’ live on television to see in the New Year, Louise also sang a live rendition of ‘Afraid to Feel’ on the BBC 2 show, which held the position of No1 in the Official Dance Charts of 2022 for eight weeks.

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