A rare find - Dame Vera Lynn's audition recordings released for first time

Dame Vera Lynn would have surely been delighted to know that she's still making musical history five years after her death.

Previously unheard audition tapes were found at the wartime singer's East Sussex home by her daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones, who donated them to the British Library along with her vast record collection.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, record label Decca released the 'simple but nostalgic recording' of What a Difference a Day Makes. Other tracks will feature on a new album called Hidden Treasures to be released on 7 November. Virginia described it as wonderful to hear her mother's young underdeveloped voice 'from the early days'.

These never-before-heard tracks will not only enrich Dame Vera’s musical legacy but also offer new insights into the journey of the woman who became known as the “Forces’ Sweetheart.”

Dame Vera Lynn became a household name during the Second World War, lifting the spirits of soldiers and civilians alike with powerful and emotional songs such as We’ll Meet Again, (There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover, and There’ll Always Be An England. Her voice became a symbol of hope and unity in one of history’s darkest times.

Her last studio album, Unforgettable, was released in 2010, and even in her later years, she continued to set records.

In May 2020, just one month before her death at the age of 103, Dame Vera became the oldest artist ever to have a Top 40 album in the UK with her 100 greatest hits collection.

This remarkable milestone added yet another chapter to her extraordinary career, which continues to inspire generations.