We've got a great competition to win Charlie Landsborough tickets at the Shrewsbury Theatre on 2nd November.
Complete the Charlie Landsborough hit: “What colour is the …..?”
a/ Sky
b/ Wind
c/ Sea
Send entries to competition@loveshrewsbury.com. Competition closes on Friday 26th October. All entries agree to subscribing to the Love Shrewsbury newsletter.
Charlie Landsborough, the inspirational country singer, has just embarked on a major UK tour.
He took time out from his busy schedule to talk to us about his career so far and what audiences can expect from him.
You come from Liverpool but you got your first big break in Ireland…how did that come about?
I'd been going to Ireland for years, the first time as a guest of Tony Allen of Foster and Allen. I played in little pubs in his home town of Moate and loved the country and it's people, still do. Eventually I got a slot on the Pat Kenny show in Dublin and although I was given a great reception I never had an album available to capitalise on the response. Some time later after I suffered another of my many musical rejections and momentarily considered packing the whole thing in. The following day my spirit recovered and I tried to think of something positive to do . I phoned the Pat Kenny show and tentatively asked if they'd be interested in having me back on the show. They said they'd been trying to get hold of me for a month or so and could I perform the following week. I went and sang 2 songs accompanying myself solely on guitar and bass pedals which I played with my feet.
I had a wonderful weekend in Dublin and thought that was the end of it. However I now had a CD available and when my son came to pick me up from school the following Friday he gave me the news that I'd gone to the top of the Irish charts. My new musical life had begun!
Was it difficult making the transition from teacher to musician?
No ! Although I'd had some good times as a teacher and met some wonderful children and staff my heart was always in the music. It is a very demanding job from which you can never really switch off and I was becoming rather weary of its demands just prior to my big break. It's good now to meet former pupils and to discover that they missed me when I left. Some of the songs of mine on various albums were written for school assemblies for the children to sing. Songs like 'The things my ears can do' , 'Forever Friend', Special and 'God knocking on your door' and so from my days’ teaching I have much to be thankful for.
Many of your songs are loved by children as well as adults, your audience is right across the board…why do you think this is?
Well a connection with children is obvious from the above answer but it still surprises me when I see them come to the shows. At one concert I mentioned a young girl called Lauren who was 11 at the time . I said I'd better make the best of her before she grew out of me. She wrote me a little letter and said that she loved the show and that she'd still love the music even when she was 12 ! I thought that was lovely and Lauren and her granma have become good friends. I have wonderful support from folk across the generations and I 'm extremely thankful for that. Someone once said that I don't have fans I have friends and that's how I like to think of the people who've been so good to me.
Your first hit didn’t happen until you were in your 50s, What Colour Is the Wind… has age ever been a barrier for you and why did you leave it so long?
Age is usually a huge barrier in trying to get ahead in music so I think my Forever Friend played a great part in opening the door for me.Although there are many older entertainers in the business they've generally been around a long time. To get my chance at 53 is unusual to say the least. The fact that it happened so late was not for the want of trying as I'd been doing my best for as long as I remember !
What is your favourite music?
The music I like spans all eras and genres and my record collection includes some of the old crooners, rock and roll, country especially bluegrass, some blues, folk, a little classical as well as lots by the great singer/songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, Randy Newman, the Beatles, Mickey Newberry, Clifford T Ward etc. I've never much liked rap , hip hop, scat singing or reggae. To each his own eh!
Where do you record and write?
I do my writing in my study which contains my guitar, poetry, books,memorabilia, family portraits, pictures of friends, my computer, simple recording gear, stereo etc. I need to sit quietly on my own to write anything and admire people who can write songs on a bus or plane or car. I write great amounts but only a tiny percentage is ever worthwhile although I keep everything. I suppose I should be more strict with myself and dispense with much of the musical clutter.
My recordings are done in Spain with Pete Ware who used to play Keyboards with our band. He's been involved with my recordings since I began so knows all about me , musically speaking. His studio is in his home and apart from the recording process it gives me the chance to sit in the Spanish sun for a while.
Has any other musician been an influence on your work?
Many musicians have been a source of inspiration to me but the greatest has been that of my family especially my brothers Arthur and Jack. Listening ignited the spark in me and first brought me into contact with the beloved guitar. Since I've spent time listening to folk like Doc Watson, Chet Atkins, Gerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Doctor John, Tommy Emanuelle and many more.
What inspires you to write and what are you currently working on?
The inspiration to write can come from many directions. It may be a chance remark or phrase, a personal situation or an observation of someone elses.Very often I write the first things that spring to mind and take my pen for a meander. Very often nothing of note happens but sometimes I can stumble upon something interesting. Apart from some occasional flashes of inspiration it is generally a lot of hard work, but hard work I thoroughly enjoy.
When you perform live you tell some very funny stories. Are these drawn from personal experience?
Quite a number of the little anecdotes I tell come from things I've experienced or have heard from my old friends in the Merseyside area. That said I've had some great stories from my travels all around the UK and Ireland as well as from my trips to Australia and New Zealand. One of my great loves in life is humour and where I live certainly provides me with plenty.
Obviously country music is very big in America do you think it’ll ever get a bigger audience over here?
It's difficult to say, there are certainly plenty of excellent country singers, writers and musicians about. I suppose we'll have to try and do what the Beatles did with rock and roll and embrace the music but give it a definite British and Irish identity and not simply copy what the Americans do so well.
Your son is also a musician and plays with you. Who else is in the band?
Our band consists of Tony Ariss on keyboards, John Pettifer on lead guitar, Dave Rowland on pedal steel and dobro and my son Jamie on rhythm guitar. They are all excellent musicians in their own right. Tony has been with me for quite a number of years and knows my stuff inside out. He also provides backing vocals. I first saw John playing guitar on the Jonathan Ross show. He is the complete musician and in great demand to back visiting US artists as well as providing his skills for session work. He produced my son Jamie’s album and will feature strongly on mine. Dave has a great CV and has backed various US artists as well as enjoying many years with The Hillsiders. Jamie is now working on his second album of original songs. He is a very fine guitar player and singer/songwriter and has performed solo at folk festivals as well as the Derry jazz festival. All in all I am musically in great hands and music apart we are all the best of friends.
What can we look forward to on this current tour?
The tour will contain the songs people know me for plus songs from our last album. We've also re-introduced some songs we haven't done for a while and there'll be a few covers thrown in. Jamie will contribute one of his own songs and I'll punctuate the evening with my usual little stories and jokes .
You have released 25 albums to date, when can we expect the 26th?
The forward planning for our next album has already begun.A number of songs have been sent off for appraisal. Pete and John will set about doing the ground work and I'll begin the rough vocals in late November and complete them in early January. The album will be released to coincide with our spring tour. It's all go !
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