Following is a Q&A with O�Donnell:
Q. What prompted you to do a show featuring rock and
roll songs of the 1950s and �60s?
A. I suppose it�s unusual to see me doing songs from
the �50s and �60s, but a few years ago we did an
album called Daniel in Blue Jeans and that
featured songs from that era, because I felt
comfortable singing many of the songs from that
musical time.
Q. What are your favourite rock �n roll songs?
A. I love You�re Sixteen, You�re Beautiful and
You�re Mine. I think that�s fantastic and
Only Sixteen is another one that I just love
singing. Words and The 12th of Never
are such great songs. There are so many, it�s
impossible to pick one above another.
Q. Any thoughts about the king of Rock & Roll, Elvis
Presley?
A. When we were putting this show together, I wanted
to pay tribute to some people I felt were very
influential in the time of rock �n roll and, of
course, Elvis was number one that we had to pay
tribute to.
I�ve sung many of his songs over the years and I
think it�s true to say that nobody has ever had more
impact on the world as Elvis did with his music.
Q. How has coming to the United States affected your
already established global popularity?
A. When we started coming to the U.S. and Canada, I
suppose I never imagined that things would turn out
the way they have and that is thanks to public
television and all the people who have pledged,
making possible our return shows.
Q. Why do you think you�re so popular with public
television audiences?
A. It�s difficult from my point of view to say why
people enjoy what I do. I think that the music
certainly is the key factor � the type of songs that
I�ve chosen to sing. And I chose those songs because
I enjoy them. I�ve never chosen a song because I
thought it was the right thing to do. I really have
to love the song.