Singers in Hartlepool and South Africa join together to raise a Smile in uplifting lockdown video

Shirley Rowbotham in Hartlepool and Sissy McGurk in South Africa performed the song Smile with their renditions being edited together by Shirley’s husband Derrick Rowbotham.

With its lyrics about smiling through fear and sorrow and the sun shining tomorrow, they felt it perfectly summed up the situation many of us are in with the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.

It had been watched hundreds times within hours of the video being put on YouTube.

Derrick, 72, and Sissy’s husband Barry McGurk are old school friends and who played in Hartlepool bands in the Sixties.

Derrick said: “Barry and I keep in touch and we decided between ourselves to do something while we all locked in.

“It was done to unite the two towns together as well as the countries.

“We wanted to do something to try to lift spirits because a lot of people are still in lockdown.”

The video also features Barry on keyboards from his home in the town of Oudtshoorn.

All four of have been professionally involved in music in some way for most of their lives, and in retirement raise money for various good causes in both countries.

Shirley fell for Derrick while he played in a band more than 55 years ago, and 10 years ago Barry fell in love with Sissy while she was sang in South Africa.

Shirley and Derrick are both performers with the fundraising Phoenix Variety Showgroup who have been unable to perform since the lockdown.

The couple have also been shielding at their home in Park Road for almost three months due to health reasons.

Derrick added: “The video has had lots of reaction. It had nearly 500 views within the first 36 hours.

“A lot of people commented saying how good it is.”

Derrick has also shared it on Facebook and in South Africa Barry has got it played on a radio station that has 250,000 listeners.

Barry, a retired forensic psychologist, and Derrick first met at Hartlepool Technical Day School before both playing in local bands.

Click here to watch the video

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