ANDY Howells chats to American singing star and Masterchef finalist Jimmy Osmond about his personal tribute to American singing legend, Andy Williams.

Jimmy Osmond, visits St David’s Hall next week with his show A Tribute To Andy Williams, a combination of music, nostalgic footage and Jimmy Osmond’s personal memories of Andy.

Jimmy’s own long association with the American singing star began at the age of three, when he made his performance debut on TV in The Andy Williams Show.

“This production is done with a lot of love, rather than it just been entertaining, it comes from a personal place.” Jimmy tells Andy Howells.

“Andy Williams was the pioneer, the Simon Cowell of the day and to have grown up like we did, to be a featured act on his show, be the background singers and work with him was just an amazing thing. People want to know you have that connectivity.”

Jimmy will perform many of Andy Williams hits including Music to Watch Girls By, Can’t Take My Eyes off You and Almost There and emphasises that the show really is a special event. “I’m so grateful for this opportunity because everybody loved Andy Williams,” he says.

“It was really a pet project of his before he passed away and I produced this show at his theatre, which is my theatre now and people loved it so much. I was been called by people all over the world to bring it to different places and I was like 'Okay lets do some shows in the UK' and the next thing we know we’re doing 27!”

The Moon River Band will accompany Jimmy on the songs but he emphasises he won’t be impersonating Andy Williams. “Nobody sings like Andy and nobody tries to,” he says, “A great song is a great song. Everyone’s heard these songs but you don’t hear them often and when you do, it just takes you back. If I never do another album or whatever, it’s a great way to bookend your life, I started out working with Andy and now here I am doing this. Its just surreal in that it’s all come together the way it has.”

Jimmy, who was recently seen on TV’s Celebrity Masterchef, will also be performing several of the hits that made both he and his brothers famous back in the 1970s, just as they did on The Andy Williams Show while support will be provided by Charlie Green and Emily Penny.

Jimmy Osmond will appear at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall on October 3. For booking details visit stdavidshall.co.uk or call 02920 878 444