PENSIONER Steve Simpson has become a 70s singing sensation in 2007!

The Darwen vocalist has marked entering his 72nd year by recording his debut CD - and raised £500 for charity.

The idea for a charity CD came when Mr Simpson finally gave into the nagging of his eldest daughter Margaret, 47, of Southport.

"The whole family have been getting onto me for years about recording something," said Mr Simpson, "but one day Margaret said Dad, if you don't' make a CD before you pop your clogs, I'll kill you'.

"She said I've got all these bits and pieces that you've done but no proper disc to listen to.

"It's about time you made one'. So last March I went into the studio and started recording."

Mr Simpson's CD, entitled A Life of Song, has 13 tracks, including classics Amazing Grace, Mandalay, Floral Dance and Some Enchanted Evening.

His first batch of 100 copies were snapped up, and have raised £500 for The Schools and Water Project in Africa, organised by Preston City Mission.

"They're sinking water wells," said Mr Simpson.

"At the moment women have to walk 10 miles with great big urns on their heads to collect water that nine times out of 10 will be contaminated anyway.

"I'm over the moon to have been able to help."

Mr Simpson, of Ross Street, a former sales rep for Roachbridge Paper Mill, Samlesbury, isn't new to singing - he began aged just six as a boy soprano in his local church choir at St Barnabas CE Church, Watery Lane, Darwen.

After serving with the Royal Artillery in South Korea Steve joined Darwen-based musical group, the Margaret Davis group, and sang with them for the next 36 years.

For the last seven years Mr Simpson has been part of Darwen choir The Ashleigh Singers, led by former Blackburn College head of music Michael Greenhalgh.

It was with the help of old friend Michael and fellow choir singer Seamus Heffernan, 50, who runs Shamrock Studios, Balderstone, that Mr Simpson recorded his first CD.

"I came across Steve a few years ago when I joined the Ashleigh Singers," said Mr Heffernan.

"He keeps everybody's spirits up in the choir, he's a great psychological boost for us all and his voice is fantastic.

"It was great working with someone so professional; what you hear on the CD is what he sang - there's no effects or fancy trickery."

Singing has helped Mr Simpson through some difficult times in his life, including the death of his wife Brenda almost two years ago from liver failure.

"Music solves an awful lot of problems in the world," said Mr Simpson.

"It's a wonderful gift. I think if we played more music we'd have fewer problems."

To buy Steve's CD (he requests a donation of minimum £5), call him on 01254 701958.