2017-04-10 15:12:00
Songwriter Albert Hammond is looking for lady who inspired Hollies’ 70s hit
Albert Hammond, who has written more than 30 chart-topping hits for artists such as Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Leo Sayer and Starship, is looking for the lady who inspired The Hollies’ hit The Air That I Breathe.
The song, originally featured on Albert’s 1972 album It Never Rains In California, was an international hit for The Hollies two years later, and was also covered by Cilla Black, The Everly Brothers, Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John and Simply Red.
Having moved to Los Angeles with his songwriting partner Mike Hazlewood in 1970 in search of a record deal, Albert relied on new friends. One was Linda, a secretary of Polish descent at a record label, who let him stay at her LA flat and borrow her car.
Speaking at the launch of his album ‘In Symphony’ in London, Albert said: “She was one of the wonderful people who gave me a helping hand. She said, ‘Listen, I have a two bedroom place. You can stay in a bedroom and if you take me to work you can use my car. She had a Karmann Ghia convertible. I used to take her to work every day and then I’d use the car so I could go around the record companies and publishers.”
“One day I said to her ‘Take the car – I just feel like I want to stay here. I was in a ‘writing mood’ and I wrote this song thing for her. I never saw her again after leaving her flat. I always think of her. I think her surname was Koscy, but I’m not sure of the spelling.”
“It would be lovely to find her again, after all these years… I really owe it all to the girl with the heart of gold who gave me a place to stay and a car to drive.”
A new orchestral version of The Air That I Breathe features on Albert’s album ‘In Symphony’. Due to be released in June on BMG, the record is a collection of his most essential songs hits including Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, One Moment In Time and When I Need You recorded at Abbey Road Studio with an orchestra.
Albert will be performing a rare UK symphonic concert, joined on stage by Germany’s Leipzig Orchestra (led by conductor Wolfgang Rögner) at London’s Cadogan Hall on 19th September 2017.
‘In Symphony’ is released June 16th 2017 via BMG. Pre-order ‘In Symphony’: Amazon | iTunes
Tickets for the concert are on general sale from AEG Presents