Tony Christie, the singer behind “(Is This The Way To) Amarillo”, has revealed how doctors told him that continuing his vocal career would help ease the impact of his dementia.
Speaking to the Press Association, the 83-year-old musician explained that following his 2023 diagnosis, he had intended to step away from performing after his Great Farewell Tour concludes in May next year. However, since the tour was made public, he has secured "three years of bookings".
Recalling his medical consultation, Christie said: "When I went to the doctors with all the problems I was having, he said, ‘you’re very lucky, you’re in the music business, because music is one of the things that we recommend for people having a dementia problem, we tell them to listen to music’.
"And I said, ‘well, I don’t (just) listen, I listen to it and I sing it, so it’s my life’, and he says, ‘well, you’re very fortunate’."
His comments followed an unexpected appearance at a launch party marking the DAB arrival of m4dRADIO across south and west London.
The station is operated by Music For Dementia, a charity dedicated to supporting individuals living with dementia and their carers, for which the singer acts as an ambassador.
According to the performer, music enables those with the condition to remain "connected to who you are now" while maintaining links to their past.
During the event, Christie performed his signature hit (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, a track he says he never tires of singing, adding that it evokes memories of the early 1970s when it was released.
He added: "It’s one of the best songs ever written for me, I never get sick of it, it’s one of those things, and I don’t go, ‘oh, I’ve got to sing that song’, I go, ‘yes, I’ve got to sing that song’.
"It’s a great song and I love it. Good god, it’s a long time (since its release), isn’t it? And I mean, it was written for me and sent to me by Neil Sedaka, who I met several times because he was also doing work over here for my manager in Manchester.
"My manager was from Manchester, and we had the same management, and we met and got on very, very well, and he came up with this song for me.
"He says, ‘I’ve got a great song that you could sing’, and that was it. That was 1971, I think."
Broadcasting 24 hours a day, m4dRADIO is accessible via DAB radio throughout south and west London, as well as online at m4dRADIO.com.
