Support the Poppy Appeal through music

The Royal British Legion has always had a keen association with music. Whether it is the traditional marching bands of the Legion, the annual Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall or more recently the pop industry, the Legion has always used the medium of music to appeal to generation of supporters.

In 2009 there's a wide variety of ways to support the Poppy Appeal through music.

Special recording for Remembrance

Singers including the Bee Gees Robin Gibb, Michael Bolton, Mica Paris and ex-Atomic Kittens Natasha Hamilton and Liz McLarnon joined with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios on Sunday 1 November to produce a song for the Poppy Appeal. 

The song, entitled "We Will Remember Them", has available for download from iTunes and other sites for a number of weeks.

Now a special package of an extended three track CD (the original anthem "We will Remember Them" plus "Your Love Lives On" and "You Hurt as Much As Love Someone") and a DVD of the day's recording has been released and is available from HMV stores or Amazon for online sales.

Visit www.wewillrememberthem.net for details.

Jamie Cullum's tribute to Vera Lynn

Jamie Cullum performed the Dame Vera Lynn classic "Land of Begin Again" at the Legion's Festival of Remembrance in the Albert Hall on Saturday 7 November. He is now offering a download of this track in support of the Poppy Appeal exclusively via the Daily Telegraph. Visit www.telegraph.co.uk/culture for details.

Songs that won the war

"Songs that won the War" is a new CD commemorating the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II. It has 25 songs from the 1930s and 1940s, including original recordings by artists such as Dame Vera Lynn, Glen Miller and Bing Crosby.  Also included is a bonus DVD containing rare archive newsreel footage, presented by Dame Vera Lynn. A donation goes to the Poppy Appeal from every copy sold.

Call the Poppy Shop on 0300 123 9110 for your copy or you can order from www.amazon.co.uk.

"Black Swan Song" by Athlete

Proceeds from the sale of Athlete's new single "Black Swan Song" will be donated to The Royal British Legion.

The single is released on 9 November 2009 from Polydor and the video can be previewed on our YouTube channel.

Athlete will perform "Black Swan Song" live during our Silence in the Square event at Trafalgar Square to mark Armistice Day, 11 November 2009.

On Monday 9 November, you can view a documentary about Joel from the band going to Arnhem with his Dad, on the band's website (www.athlete.mu/live) as well as on their Facebook page and Myspace page. There are two screenings – at 1.00pm and 8.00pm.

Mark Knopfler

All proceeds from the single of "Remembrance Day" and "Piper To The End" from Mark Knopfler's new album "Get Lucky" are being donated to The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. Mark will also be appearing at our Silence in the Square event at Trafalgar Square on 11 November 2009.

Available in all major music stores.

Support from "The Soldiers"

Three serving soldiers have formed a pop group and will raise funds for Service and ex-Service charities including The Royal British Legion through the sale of their music. They are X Factor hopeful L/Cpl Ryan Idzi of Caerphilly, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, Sgt Gary Chilton, who served in the Gulf War, and Sgt Richie Maddocks from Greater Manchester, who also has the Gulf Medal.

The group, aptly named The Soldiers, released their debut album Coming Home in late October 2009. As at 2 November 2009, it had reached Number Six on the overall Amazon music chart.

The Soldiers will perform songs from the album during the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 7 November. Visit www.the-soldiers.co.uk.

Heroes - the Band of the Coldstream Guards

The Band of the Coldstream Guards has been in existence for over 200 years of continuous Service, which makes it one of the oldest Military Bands in the world. They have a new recording called Heroes which has 15 stirring and inspiring anthems including Nimrod, Dambusters, The Great Escape, 633 Squadron and Gladiator.

On sale 30 November 2009 with pre-orders available at hmv.com, part of the proceeds will be donated to the Poppy Appeal. 

Only Men Aloud

Only Men Aloud are the Welsh male voice choir which won the BBC's Last Choir Standing and are now Number One in the UK classical charts with their second album, "Band of Brothers".

They are donating proceeds from the theme of "Band of Brothers" to the Poppy Appeal and will be performing at the Legion's Silence in the Square in Trafalgar Square on 11 November.

Visit www.onlymenaloud.com.

Morpheus Rising

This band descibes itself as New Wave British Heavy Metal - The Next Generation and have recorded a tune called "Fighting Man" with proceeds to the Poppy Appeal and Help for Heroes.

As at 2 November, "Fighting Man" has topped Amazon’s pre-release chart for CD singles. For a band formed only last year that's a meteoric rise! Morpheus Rising front man S/Sgt Graeme Tennick is a member of 2 Signal Regiment, based at Imphal Barracks in York. He said he was "flabbergasted" at how well Fighting Man was doing.

"I'm really pleased, because the main purpose of the song is to raise money for the charities and we couldn't ask for any more than that kind of exposure," he said. "It's really, really great."

S/Sgt Tennick, who wrote the lyrics, said it's his way of letting people who aren't in the Armed Forces know what it’s like on operations. It's on sale now and can be previewed at www.morpheusrising.co.uk.

Radiohead tribute to Harry Patch

Dedicated 'to peace and understanding', the song is available for download for £1. Visit www.radiohead.com.

X Factor in 2008