Bert’s Christmas single

A note from Bert Newton (1994)

Variety Today 1994

Dear Shirley - It was great to hear from you. I hope life is good for you Shirley and the magazine is still looking fantastic! My best wishes always.

Bert Newton

Is there anything Bert hasn't done?

Bert Newton on the set of New Faces in 1993

2012 UPDATE by Shirley Broun: Bert Newton's latest visit to hospital for quadruple heart surgery has generated plenty of well wishes from around the world. This wonderful showbusiness icon has touched so many lives during his life-long career which has encompassed Australian television, radio, film, stage as well as also being an author.

Bert also made a Christmas record back in 1979 called `Bring Back the Spirit of Christmas' with the Debney Park High School Band. It was recorded on the Fable Records label and was a 45rpm format ... remember those?

Bert is blessed with an easy listening, smooth vocal delivery which gave this recording a professional warmth and appeal. I first heard the track this morning on Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast-based community radio station 4CRB 89.3 FM and thought `wow, those words are beautiful - sounds like Bert Newton'. Sure enough it was ... so as soon as I arrived home I looked it up on the internet. What a helpful tool.

I found it all over the internet which made me think `How come I hadn't heard it before' but I'm a fan now. The beautiful Christmas song which Bert narrated was available for download on itunes for $1.69 and copies of the original record were up for auction, starting price of $10.

When I heard `Bring Back the Spirit of Christmas' I thought the words were so appropriate in today's society. Somehow, over time, many of us have forgotton the true meaning of Christmas and it would be a great thing if somehow we could recapture the Christmas spirit of yesteryear. Take a listen to the track if you can ... it's well worth it.

The single's flipside was by Melbourne radio DJ Keith McGowan called `A Little Boys Christmas Prayer'.

And, for those who have asked for information about when Bert (Albert Watson `Bert' Newton, AM, MBE) married his lovely and talented wife, Patti McGrath ... the couple were married in 1974 and had two children, Matthew and Lauren.

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