Record deal for rock choir

A Dorking choir has signed a record deal with the same company which signed Take That and the Rolling Stones.

The Dorking Rock Choir, a pop, gospel, and Motown performance choir for all ages has signed a multi-album record deal with Universal.

The non-profit album has been recorded with other rock choirs from around Surrey.

The Dorking group went to Cranleigh to record two tracks for the album, 'Can't Hurry Love' and 'Dancing in the Street'.

Sam Enser, who leads the choir, said: "We started in January 2009 with about 60 members and we now have 130.

"Our members come from all over Mole Valley. Anyone can come along, there are no auditions or anything. The main thing we strive for is to have fun.

"The record is non-profit, it's for the members to feel like they are rock stars."

Hedley Greatbatch, 63, from Effingham has been with the choir for 12 months.

He said: "I have always enjoyed singing, usually to myself, but I never really felt confident enough to join a traditional choir.

"It is brilliant fun and it has been a brilliant experience recording an album."

Natalie Ashwood, a 26-year-old nurse from Dorking has been in the choir since last spring. She said: "It's an escape. It is something you can go and do and forget about everything else.

"Recording the album was amazing. I never dreamed that we would get the opportunity to do something like that. It has such a communal feel."

And the record company is confident the album will be a hit. Tom Lewis, head of A&R for Decca Records, the Universal label releasing the album said: "Rock Choir is a phenomenon. When you hear them sing, it makes you feel fantastic. With the recording, we really wanted to somehow bottle up the energy, joy, enthusiasm and vitality of the choir so that it could be shared with as many people as possible.

"Decca is proud to be working with Rock Choir and to release what I believe is the feel-good album of the year."

Dorking Rock Choir has had several big performances over the past year including a charity concert for the Brigitte Trust at Denbies last November.

The group will next be performing at the Dorking Halls on Saturday July 3 and Sunday July 11, and the Leatherhead Theatre on Saturday July 17.