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Keep Calm and Carry On: The Vera Lynn Story

Episode 1

Duration: 1 hour

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 2Latest broadcast: on BBC Radio 2

In September 2009, at the tender age of 92, Dame Vera Lynn topped the UK album chart, beating Arctic Monkeys and The Beatles along the way. Keep Calm and Carry On is a celebration of the "Forces' Sweetheart" and her astonishing achievements.

Katherine Jenkins tells the story of a young singer who, in 1944, packed just one dress and a pair of khakis and went to the front line in Burma to entertain the troops. Dame Vera talks candidly about her life and legacy, whilst those that have worked with, or been inspired by her, provide further insights into her extraordinary accomplishments. Contributors include Curtis Stigers, Simon Weston, Val Doonican, June Whitfield, Lionel Blair, and a man whose job requires him to move pianos through the jungle.

The series will feature music from Dame Vera's enormous back catalogue of timeless classics, as well as the earliest recordings from her very first record label. It first broadcast on Radio 2 in May 2010. Show less

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