Singing Leicestershire plumber lands record deal on job

Kev said he had built his own music studio during lockdown

A plumber has landed himself a recording deal after singing while he worked on a job fitting bathrooms for the owner of a record label.

Kev Crane, from Quorn, Leicestershire, spent six weeks fitting three bathrooms at the home of Paul Conneally, owner of New Reality Records in Loughborough.

Mr Conneally said he noticed his bathroom fitter had a "good voice" as he sang along to the radio.

Mr Crane has now released an 80s-influenced album under the label.

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Mr Conneally, 62, who launched the label during the first lockdown in 2020, said: "I heard Kev singing as he worked.

"He sings along to the radio all day as he tiles and plumbs in bathrooms. I told him he had a good voice and he mentioned he'd been writing and recording songs in his home studio.

"He sent me some songs and I was blown away by his songwriting and his attention to detail in producing a sound that is so 80s but so now at the same time."

Kev is now writing new material

Mr Crane, who has been a bathroom fitter for eight years, said he was blown away by his discovery.

"It just feels surreal. I never expected anything like this to happen. I love writing music. It's my hobby," he said.

"When I went round to give Paul a quote, he mentioned he owned a record label but I didn't really think much of it."

Mr Crane said he had built his own studio and taught himself how to mix music and use a mic for recording by watching YouTube videos during lockdown.

"I've always been into music. I used to be in a few bands when I was younger and have written a lot of my own music," he said.

He has now written and produced his debut album "Why Can't I Be You?"

The 49-year-old, who is now writing new material, added: "I'm just seeing where it leads. I don't have any expectations. I would love to be able to write songs for other artists but if nothing else happens, then it was fun while it lasted."

Mr Conneally said he started the label to bring together artists in the way early independent labels did in punk and new wave to try to create a local sound.