Stars head for Cornbury (From Witney Gazette)

Stars head for Cornbury

3:13pm Tuesday 1st July 2008 in Witney By Reg Little

NEVER mind Graceland, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Mrs Robinson.

When Paul Simon walks on stage at the Cornbury Festival on Saturday, July 5, Hugh Phillimore, the man behind the event, will probably be waiting for one of Simon's more recent classics Father and Daughter.

With his biggest music extravaganza in the Oxfordshire countryside just days away, Hugh and his wife, the artist Nicola Grellier, have celebrated the birth of a baby girl, named Rose.

Becoming a father for the first time after signing up one of the biggest names in the history of popular music for his festival, means it is proving quite a summer.

Until now, he had come to regard Cornbury Festival as his 'baby', although over the last four years, Poshstock, as the event has been dubbed, has certainly cost him far more than your average offspring.

And even by his own impressive standards, he reckons to have really pushed the boat out with this summer's Cornbury line-up.

Bringing Paul Simon to Cornbury has involved his biggest single investment yet. The event taking place this weekend is going to cost £400,000 more to stage than last year's festival, which starred Blondie and David Gray.

Still crazy after all these years? Well, Hugh appears to be just as music-mad as ever, and determined to make the festival an event to relish for music lovers of all ages.

Paul Simon, who made up half the legendary duo Simon and Garfunkel before enjoying massive solo success with albums such as Graceland and Rhythm of the Saints, will only be playing one other UK date this summer.

"Getting Paul Simon is a huge coup," said Hugh. "I had been in discussion with people acting for Bob Dylan and ZZ Top. But when you are offered an artist like Paul Simon, you just cannot say no."

It was to involve three months of negotiations, leading to more sleepless nights than perhaps even baby Rose is planning for him.

Hugh has previously put on concerts involving the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, and Stevie Wonder, but it will be the first time he has worked with Paul Simon, who can be classed with Lennon and McCartney and Dylan as one of the 20th century's geniuses of song.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting him at the show. He is quite a shy man, and is never over keen on interviews and television."

The American has recently released a double best of compilation, so fans can look forward to hits from a career spanning more than four decades.

But as usual, Cornbury will feature acts to meet all musical tastes. Crowded House will be topping the bill on Sunday night. Also appearing are The Bangles, Nick Lowe 10CC, Toots and the Maytals, along with a younger generation of stars, including KT Tunstall and Beverley Knight.

"I've always loved the idea of putting on a festival where you can see old acts that you love, see legends perform, and at the same time discover really exciting new acts." His tip for the top this time is Tift Merritt, already seen as a rising country star in America, but little known in Europe.

When he moved into his new home on the Cornbury Estate 12 years ago, he found on his doorstep exactly what he had been looking for: a site that fitted the bill in every respect. And in 2004, the Cornbury Festival was born.

Poshstock, as it has come to be known, set in the rolling countryside of West Oxfordshire, has set new standards in comfort and facilities for the festival-goers, so used to squalor, muddy fields and filthy toilets.

Ticket sales for this year's festival, staged in the grounds of Lord Rotherwick's home, are already up by ten per cent on last year's event. Some tickets will be available on the gate.

But as usual, Hugh's ambition is to break even. Even the sunshine and a 14,000 crowd could not avoid him facing a financial loss last year.

His response has been typically to spend more on the acts, with more bars, stalls, and improved facilities.

In between looking after his new baby daughter, Hugh will also be busy delivering the biggest names in entertainment for private and corporate events over the summer. He recently arranged a Lionel Richie performance for the former Liverpool Football Club chairman, David Moores. Soon there will be private events at Chequers and Buckingham Palace to organise music for.

Even when Hugh is homeward bound after Cornbury, the sounds of silence looks like being some way off.