February 13, 2018 11.21 am This story is over 73 months old

Opera singing Lincoln taxi driver releases first album

Taxi tenor for a tenner.

Have you been serenaded during a taxi ride through Lincoln? Driver John Malone is the city’s very own Opera superstar and he is preparing to release his debut album.

Operatic tenor John, 58, has been a taxi driver for over 30 years. His singing career started when he began offering a tune or two to his passengers.

A fan of American tenor Mario Lanza since the age of seven, John had opera singers in his family and always wanted to be a tenor himself.

John Malone had launched his debut album. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Laughing about singing to his customers he told The Lincolnite: “I sing to my customers every day, whether they like it or not.”

He recalled one incident which made him light up too: “There was this one girl who was going through radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

“It lit her face up and it made her feel positive. We became friends on Facebook and she called me every time to pick her up whenever she had to go to the hospital.”

John released a 13 track album on Sunday as a tribute to his favourite tenors, Mario Lanza and Michael Ball. “I always wanted to do a professional album. I did one 20 years ago but it was on a cassette and I had only two songs.”

“Its always nice to have something to remember me by when I am gone.”

John works for Lincoln company Direct Cars. He added while customers can get a guaranteed song, he doesn’t sell CDs on the clock.

To find out more about purchasing an album (priced at £10 plus postage) visit John’s Facebook page here.