Ann Liddell is probably best known within Catholic circles for her nationally popular hymn Zion. She has just launched her long-awaited first CD, called Friend Move Up Higher, featuring fourteen songs which have their roots in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the 1970s/80s in the North-East of England. All the songs, bar two, were written by people from the diocese of Hexham & Newcastle, including Fr Bill Rooke.

Recording a studio album allowed Ann to experiment with the song arrangements, so while some tracks have a Celtic simplicity with guitar and voice, others have more up-to-date arrangements which she hopes will attract a broader audience to the music, which is all scripturally based.

To help parishes make use of the songs within their liturgies, Ann has also collaborated with Bob Watson, the well-known choirmaster and arranger from St Paul’s RC Parish in Cramlington, to produce a songbook of arrangements and accompaniments which complement the CD. He has been successfully using many of the songs in his parish liturgy. Ann has been rehearsing with Bob and St Paul’s music group to prepare performances for live events.