JOHN REILLY WOMEN OF STEEL T-SHIRTS

WOMEN OF STEEL is the song that launched the campaign to recognise the hard work and bravery of women who toiled in the steel industry in the Second World War by raising money to erect a permanent statue in Sheffield, England, in their honour.

Written by John Parr (US number one single, St Elmo’s fire and 10 million albums), Eliot Kennedy (Grammy Award winning producer and writer. Bryan Adams, Aretha Franklin, Gary Barlow, Take That, Spice Girls and writer of current Broadway hit ‘Finding Neverland’) and John Reilly (Sheffield based singer songwriter and front man for Atlantic Recording Artistes Boy on a Dolphin).

The song was performed live at a concert at Sheffield City Hall, which raised £60,000 to launch the campaign for renowned sculptor Martin Jennings to begin his ‘WOMEN OF STEEL’ statue. Subsequent events by other artistes and live performances of the song by John Reilly in his solo and Boy on a Dolphin concerts helped raise the total to an amazing £170,000, allowing not only the statue to be made but also the search to find as many surviving ‘Women of steel’ now in their 90’s so they could be there on the day of the unveiling (Friday 17th June 2016) and receive specially forged medals from local children.

At last the song WOMEN OF STEEL, which has become a live phenomenon with its anthemic line ‘…there’s nothing much tougher than a Northern Girl’ has now been recorded for single release. Fronted by the passionate vocal performance of John Reilly with an amazing band including Robbie Williams drummer Karl Brazil and renowned keyboard wizard James Jayawardena: the recording has a live, rocking production by Eliot Kennedy.

A timeless, emotional and gritty homage to the young women who worked in the gruelling heat and sweat of the Northern steelworks during the war while supporting young families with their husbands fighting overseas “Now it’s time we all remembered all the sacrifices that were made. No one even tried to thank them, no medal or big parade. For all that’s past let’s all stand and raise a glass to the women of hope, women of faith, WOMEN OF STEEL”