As he releases his “magical” new album recorded in Nashville, Tony Christie, his wife Sue, and son Sean reveal to the Mirror how he is bombarded with well-wishers following his dementia diagnosis.
Watching Tony Christie on stage as he thrills fans at another sold-out show, his wife Sue still feels giddy all these years after they got married.
Every time he sings, she says, “I get butterflies and shiver down my spine.” That has never changed. However, Tony was the one who first noticed Sue’s giddy state.
He was midway through performing Stranger in Paradise at a social club near Rotherham, South Yorks, in 1967 when he spotted her in the front row. Tony says: “I turned to my bass player and said, ‘I’ve just seen the girl I’m going to marry’. He fell about and thought it was a joke, but we were married within the year.”
Nearly six decades – and three children – later, the couple appear to be more in love than ever when they sit down, along with son Sean, to talk to the Mirror. We’re here to discuss Tony’s new album A New Life, which he recorded in Nashville, Tennessee, and reimagines his hits including (Is This the Way to) Amarillo.
It’s something of a purple patch for the 81-years-old, who only released his last record 12 months ago after a 12-year break. What makes this extraordinary is that it is against the backdrop of Tony’s dementia diagnosis.
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The singer’s decision to go public in 2023 sparked a nationwide outpouring of love. However, his bravery was felt most strongly at home. Sue states, “I’m in complete awe of him, and I’m proud of him. He recognizes the need and acts bravely in response. He continues to be exactly the same, just a little forgetful.
Sue, 76, adds that when he pops to the shops in Lichfield, Staffs, where they have lived for 20 years, he is constantly stopped by well-wishers. She says: “He might go to Waitrose to get a paper but it takes an hour because people thank him for talking about dementia and doing what he does to help others with the condition.”
Tony began to realise something might be wrong when he began struggling with crosswords. On Sue’s suggestion they went to see a specialist before a series of scans confirmed the news. But Tony takes his diagnosis with a large slice of humour. He jokes: “It’s just short term memory that’s the problem, like paying the bills.”
Son Sean, who is also Tony’s manager, says, “That’s the way we handle it.” Humor will be used here. And the joker loves it, dad. He continues, “People who attend the show with their husbands or wives who may have dementia can find hope that it won’t always be the end of things.” Tony has a busy touring schedule, with dates spread out across the UK and Europe, in addition to the new album.
He uses a teleprompter in case he forgets the lyrics, but he explains that because of his extensive track record and constant updating the set list, he has done it for years. Tony says, “I have so many songs that I can’t possibly remember them all.”
Sue loves being in the crowd to see the smiles on people’s faces when the family travels together. Mean chuckles to add, “Mum also enjoys to hear what other people think about the show in the restrooms during the break.”
Sue also plays a crucial role in ensuring Tony looks his best on stage in addition to intelligence-gathering. She claims that “he is very snappy dresser,” adding that I like to believe I’m a part of it. Lastly, it’s important to make sure he is taking all of his vitamins and supplements.
“Fish oil and collagen are essentials,” Sue asserts. I make sure that he has everything. On the new album, which he recorded at the renowned Blackbird studios, it’s obvious that he’s doing the job better than ever.
Tony and his son assembled some of Nashville’s finest musicians, many of whom have played with Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Dolly Parton, to play on the record. Sean says: “With Amarillo, you can’t beat the original. It’s a pop song. It’s a classic. We’re not going to redo that but Dad said ‘let’s do a gospel ballad’ and it was just magical. And with every take he’s singing live.”
The extraordinary country makeover gives classics like Avenues and Alleyways and I Did What I Did For Maria new life.
While Tony has recorded in the States before, incredibly, he has never performed live there. “The weird thing is he’s had hits with Las Vegas, Don’t Go Down to Reno, Have you Ever Been to Georgia, Amarillo, but he’s never done a show himself,” Sean says.
“He was offered Vegas but the air conditioning, at the time, destroyed a lot of people’s voices and it was also two shows or three shows at night, so it was tough going.”
That may all be about to change, in all respects, though. Dad and I were discussing doing a show in Amarillo, but Sean Covid and Sean explains it.
“The Tourist Board invited dad over in 2005 [after Peter Kay’s Comic Relief version] because tourism there shot up. It’s on Route 66 but not many people used to stop there until then. They invited dad and mum and me over and it was a real country, cowboy town. We are looking at the show idea again.”
Don’t bet against Sue being relegated to the front row…
- A New Life, Tony’s album, is now available. Check out live dates at www.he is playing live in the UK and Europe through 2025. www.tonychristie.com
Source: Mirror
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