Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind | Grande Prairie Singers

Performed by the Grande Prairie Singers on June 3, 2023.
One of the great jazz pianists of the 20th century, Shearing, the youngest of nine children, was born blind to working-class parents but by the age of three was playing the piano. Although he was offered several scholarships to continue his formal education, Shearing chose to perform on both the piano and accordion at a local pub, quickly gaining attention, which led to BBC broadcasts in the late 1930s.
Following World War II, he immigrated to the United States where His signature harmonic style of mixing swing, bop, and classical music gained him popularity. Shearing composed more than 300 pieces, including the jazz standards "Lullaby of Birdland" and "Conception,” and had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during his lifetime.
After he was knighted in 2007, Shearing noted later that "the poor, blind kid from Battersea became Sir George Shearing. Now that's a fairy tale come true.” Shearing died of heart failure in New York City, at the age of 91.
“Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind” was originally a song by William Shakespeare in his comedy “As You Like It.” In the song the harshness of the winter wind with the ungratefulness of human beings is compared, finding the latter to be much unkinder.