Pimlico plumber releases White Christmas charity single
A chance encounter has led to mild mannered Pimlico plumber Greg McGrath being discovered as a man blessed with golden pipes and releasing a charity version of the yuletide classic White Christmas to raise money for a homeless charity.
While some people whistle while they work, Greg has always preferred crooning his way through the best of Frank Sinatra, show tunes and his karaoke tune of choice, the Simple Minds classic (Don’t You) Forget About Me.
After being overheard by Pimlico’s Chairman and founder, Charlie Mullins, the silken voiced vocalist was cast as the lead performer in the company’s 2020 Christmas advert.
Dartford born Greg has now achieved a life-long dream and issued the recording to raise money for the homeless charity, The Passage, which provides a range of services to help homeless people or those experiencing a housing crisis in the capital transform their own lives and counts the Duke of Cambridge, HRH Prince William as one its supporters.
The 52-year-old grandfather of four is featured in the opening shots of Pimlico’s Christmas commercial, which features the song and is being screened regularly on digital TV channel, London Live throughout December and across social media.
Greg proved such a hit that it was quickly decided to whisk him off to a studio to record a full version of the Bing Crosby classic and is backed up by colleagues from the central London business who have formed the ‘Pimlico Choir’.
The former labourer and sometime football coach said: “I have been singing all my life, so I guess you could say it’s a dream come true. It was just my big mouth that made it happen. Charlie overheard me singing while I was around our Head Office in Lambeth and it all happened quickly after that. Recording it was great fun and a real eye opener and I just hope that I have done Bing Crosby proud.”
“I don’t think I’ll be taking the stage at the Palladium or joining Michael Bublé at the 02 anytime soon, but I am glad that I am able to do help such an important organisation as The Passage by doing something I love.
Greg added: “I have never done anything like it. I have been thrown out of a couple of boozers on the Old Kent Road for singing too loudly before but that’s about it. I saw it as a challenge. I’m up for anything really but I never thought I would get to the point where I was recording a song.
“Obviously, there was a fear factor, nobody really wants to stand up in front of everybody and perform and there was a feeling like you want to get it over with, but I’m really happy with it and I would do it again like a shot. It makes life an adventure doesn’t it?”
White Christmas by Greg McGrath and the Pimlico Choir is available to download from Amazon and iTunes with all proceeds going to The Passage.
To purchase the single Click Here
Or to find out more about the charity Passage.org.uk
Arts & Culture
Lambeth