08/01/2017
Clare Balding presents the topical faith programme with guest singer Tony Christie and faith guest the Rt Rev and Rt Hon the Lord Williams of Oystermouth.
Clare Balding presents the topical faith programme with guest singer Tony Christie and talks to him about his recent experiences when his tour bus was surrounded by migrants at Dunkirk. Her faith guest is former Archbishop of Canterbury, the Right Reverend and Right Honourable the Lord Williams of Oystermouth.
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Music Played
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ABBA
Super Trouper
- Abba Gold (40th Anniversary Edition).
- Polar.
- 006.
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David Bowie & Pat Metheny Group
This Is Not America
- David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
- EMI.
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Eva Cassidy
People Get Ready
- (CD Single).
- Hot Records.
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Neil Diamond
Pretty Amazing Grace
- ±«Óătv Before Dark.
- BMG.
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Deacon Blue
Gone
- (CD Single).
- EarMusic.
- 001.
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Louis Armstrong
What A Wonderful World
- This Is My Song - Love Songs Of The 6.
- Old Gold.
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Van Morrison
Bright Side Of The Road
- The Very Best Of Van Morrison.
- Polydor.
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Adele
Chasing Pavements
- (CD Single).
- XL.
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Lighthouse Family
Postcard From Heaven
- (CD Single).
- Wild Card Records.
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Jenn Bostic
What Love Feels Like
- Faithful.
- Absolute.
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John Denver
Calypso
- Greatest Hits Vol 2.
- RCA.
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The Killers
Human
- Day & Age.
- Mercury.
- 1.
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Anne Murray
You Needed Me
- Anne Murray - The Best...So Far.
- EMI.
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Nell Bryden
Thought I Was Meant For You
- (CD Single).
- 157 Records.
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Tony Bennett
Stranger In Paradise
- 40 Years: The Artistry Of Tony Bennett Volume 1.
- Columbia.
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Callaghan
Last Song
- (CD Single).
- Green Town Music.
- 1.
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Elkie Brooks
Fool (If You Think It's Over)
- Ray Moore - A Personal Choice.
- ±«Óătv Records.
Tony Christie
Tonyâs career began in the accounts office of a steel company in Yorkshire, while at the same time he was singing semi-professionally in working menâs clubs in the North of England. A turning point came when his boss suggested he had a choice to make, âEither knuckle down and become an accountant or keep trying to become the next Adam Faith.âTony Christieâs musical heroes were not Faith and the other rock and rollers, but Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald who he had heard on his fatherâs collection of 78 records, and just like them he is an interpreter of other peopleâs songs, and not a recognised songwriter.Having established himself on the working menâs club circuit - a school of hard knocks - he was offered a job as the singer with a band, who also played the clubs. The band that Tony fronted on the club circuit was Tony Christie and the Trackers and in 1966 they recorded, Barbara Ruskinâs âLifeâs Too Good To Wasteâ for CBS, which Tony co-wrote, it failed to chart, despite having Jimmy Page, who would later co-found Led Zeppelin, on guitar. This is available on the collection for the first time in 50 years.
A year later Tony recorded his first single for MGM, the A-side, âTurn Aroundâ was written by Les Reed and Barry Mason, the song writers for Engelbert Humperdinckâs âThe Last Waltzâ that came out that same year, while the B-side, âWhen Will I Love Againâ was one written by Tony; âTurn Aroundâsâ chances on the chart were harmed by the fact that Kathy Kirby also released a version and while Tony got the radio plays, Miss Kirby got the TV, which effectively âsplit the salesâ. This single, like the two that followed it a year later, failed to chart, but a listen to âTurn Aroundâ shows that Tony was already developing his trademark âsoundâ.
Tonyâs chart breakthrough came in 1971, when âLas Vegasâ, a Mitch Murray and Peter Callander song made the UK Top 30; it had originally been offered to Tom Jonesâs manager, who turned it down. His follow up, in April, was another Murray and Callander song, âI Did What I Did for Mariaâ that steadily climbed the charts until it made No.2, although on the New Musical Express chart it was No.1.
Later in 1971 his next single was â(Is This The Way To) Amarilloâ, written by American, Neil Sedaka and surprisingly, it only made the lower reaches of the Top 20 in the UK, but was hit all over the world. The lack of UK success baffled his record company until they found out so many people were buying it in Spain, where it was No.1, and bringing it home with them. However, every song has its day and in 2005 it soared to the top of the UK charts, staying there for 7 weeks, after Peter Kay mimed to Tonyâs record for the Comic Relief TV show.Tonyâs next chart success came in 1972 when âAvenues and Alleywaysâ, the theme to The Protectors, a TV show, made the Top 40; following the 2005 success of âAmarilloâ it was reissued and this time made the Top 30. It was 1976 when Tony next made the charts, and this time it was with âDrive Safely Darlingâ. In the same year Tony sang the role of Magaldi on the original 1976 album recording of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Riceâs Evita.The UK musical landscape was changing with the onset of punk which meant that Tonyâs popularity in Britain waned as the 1980s began, but his career in Continental Europe went from strength to strength. In Germany he is very popular and recorded four albums with German producer Jack White, including, Welcome to My Music that made No.7 on the German charts in 1991 and went triple Platinum; between 1991 and 2002, Tony recorded nine albums in Germany, which includes quite a number of Tonyâs own compositions.Tony, who was living in Spain, returned to the UK Top 10 in 1999 with âWalk Like A Pantherâ a song written for him by Jarvis Cocker to perform with, The All Seeing I. Tony spent much of his adult life living in Sheffield and Cocker was also from the city; it was Sheffield that gave Tony the opportunity to record what is arguably one of his very finest records. Tony heard a Richard Hawley song on the radio â Hawley had been in Pulp for a while with his friend Jarvis Cocker â and it lead to Tony recording Made In Sheffield. The album, produced by Hawley, includes, âAll I Ever Care About Is Youâ âEvery Word She Saidâ and âLouiseâ, a song originally recorded by Sheffield band, The Human League. It is one of the most beautiful albums of Tonyâs career.
This 50-track collection highlights Tonyâs ability to reinterpret a song, not merely cover it. Thereâs a string of classic covers that includes, Jimmy Webbâs classic âDidnât Weâ, George Harrisonâs âMy Sweet Lordâ and Dobie Grayâs âDrift Awayâ. Tonyâs Irish roots, his grandmother and grandfather played in a ceilidh band, are celebrated on the album The Great Irish Songbook that came out in 2015. Collaborating with crossover folk band Ranagri, Tony produces a stunning set of traditional songs that include, âCarrickfergusâ and âStar Of The County Downâ.
âEarly Morning Memphisâ, âDamnedâ âJust Like Yesterdayâ, âWhen All Is Said And Doneâ and âI Surrenderâ are brand new tracks that Tony has recently recorded in Nashville with producer Graeme Pleeth, using the cream of the cityâs session musicians.
Over the course of his career, one that includes over forty albums, seventy singles and countless live performances Tony has sung thousands of songs. This collection of 50 songs is Tonyâs musical autobiography, one that shows that he is a consummate singer â a singer who always delivers his best.  Having worked with Tony I can also say that he is one of the loveliest people in the business â he is the very epitome of his voice. Richard Havers
Broadcast
- Sun 8 Jan 2017 07:00±«Óătv Radio 2