ONE of the world’s greatest songwriters will make his return to North Wales with a visit to Theatr Colwyn next year.

With his band Heart Full of Songs, 10cc’s Graham Gouldman will head to Colwyn Bay in March to coincide with the release of his first solo album in eight years.

With the new album - with soon to be revealed title - on the Horizon on March 20 next year, what better way to enjoy this incredible composer’s work in a set-up formed formed purely for the pleasure of playing his songs in their simplest form - acoustically.

North Wales Chronicle:

10cc composer Graham Goudlman releases his yet untitled fifth solo album next March

A Heart Full of Songs concert is truly an exquisite experience, featuring 10cc classics such as I’m Not In Love, Dreadlock Holiday and The Things We Do For Love, Bus Stop – a hit for The Hollies, For Your Love for The Yardbirds and Bridge To Your Heart for Wax, along with some new material.

Gouldman said, “I always love taking my Heart Full Of Songs show on tour.

Acoustic performances always create a very intimate atmosphere where every song – which is what it’s all about - can truly be heard.

It also gives me a chance to explain how the songs came about and something of the writing process. We’ll see you there.”

Gouldman’s songwriting status was acknowledged in 2014 with his induction into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame – an arm of America’s National Academy of Music. Previous inductees include Noel Coward, Irving Berlin, Burt Bacharach, Neil Sedaka, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Leonard Cohen and Sting.

That was followed in 2015 by Broadcast Music Incorporated in the US anointed him an Icon of the Industry at a special ceremony in London, where he wowed the audience with an acoustic rendition of I’m Not In Love, accompanied by Lisa Stansfield on vocals.

Around that time, Gouldman got another unexpected lift. It happened backstage at the UK’s Cropredy Festival when Robert Plant walked up and thanked him for writing one of the songs. that got him through the audition to join Led Zeppelin. The song was For Your Love.

With 10cc tours enjoying ever-increasing success around the world, in 2018 Gouldman was invited by The Beatles’ Ringo Starr to join his All Starr Band for tours of Europe and the USA, a relationship which continues onto the new record with the legendary drummer making a very special guest appearance on a song called Standing Next To Me.

Gouldman said, “Playing with Ringo Starr and The All Starr Band was absolutely brilliant, and having Ringo play drums on one of my new album’s songs was the icing on the cake. The song is about how I came to be asked to join his band, and about my experience of being on the road with Ringo alongside Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Gregg Rolie, Warren Ham and Gregg Bissonette, who also plays drums on three of the album’s tracks.”

Graham Gouldman will be at Theatr Colwyn on Sunday, March 29.

Tickets are £29, and are on sale now, available from theatrcolwyn.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01492 556677.