Legendary singer Tony Christie kicked off Friday night's Late Late Show with a rousing version of his monster hit Amarillo before admitting to Patrick Kielty: "I thought I’d be retired by now!"
The 80-year-old’s back on the road, performing songs from a career that goes back to 1970, including hits such as Las Vegas, I Did What I Did For Maria and Avenues and Alleyways as well as Amarillo.
And when Late Late Show host Kielty remarked on the length of his career, which took off in 1971 when Maria made it into the British charts, Christie laughed it off with a good-natured response.
"It's been absolutely brilliant, but when you’ve got seven grandkids and three kids and a wife. She’s here tonight . . . we’ve been married 56 years. That’s why I keep on working."
He also told Patrick Kielty the story of how he ended up covering the Neil Sedaka composition that would become his signature tune, described at the time by Sedaka as an 'unfinished song" as it was missing some lyrics.
Those lyrics never materialised as the stop-gap ‘Sha-la-lah, la-la-la-la-lah’ became a great hook and is the reason why Is This The Way To Amarillo remains a much-loved tune.
"That song got you freedom of Amarillo," Patrick Kielty noted. "You’ve also got the freedom of Cong, county Mayo." That led to Christie - born in Yorkshire - recalling his proud Irish roots.
"My grandfather was from Claremorris in county Mayo," he said. "I think it was about 1918. Ireland was going through a hell of time . . . people were leaving . . . and my grandfather came over to South Yorkshire.
"He played a squeeze box in céilí bands, and I’ve actually got his squeeze box in my lounge, pride of place. I won’t let anybody touch it.
"My real name's Fitzgerald," he added. "My grandfather’s name was Paddy, Patrick, like you," he told the Late Late Show host.
Kielty also pointed out his musical links to the land of his grandfather’s birth. "You’ve also got an Irish album," he said. Grinning, Christie revealed: "I"m starting a second next week.
"It’s in my blood. I was surrounded as a kid. My dad Paddy was an accountant with the coal board in South Yorkshire, but he played the piano as well."
He also recalled that his grandmother met his future wife through music. "She was a fiddle player from Galway" before noting that he began his singing career by performing with his relatives.
Christie also spoke about his dementia diagnosis two years ago. "I’ve been a crossword fanatic all my life and suddenly I started having problems. So I said to my wife, 'What’s happening? I keep forgetting things’."
After the diagnosis he was put on medication. "They put me on these very strong tablets which have kept it down." His musical career also helps. "Music is one thing that’s good for anyone with dementia."
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