Tony Christie has issued a health update amid his dementia battle. The singer has vowed to keep performing, with tour dates reportedly filling his diary through 2027.
The 83-year-old singer told The Mirror that dementia has not ended his love of life on the road.
“I’m happiest on stage so I want to keep going for as long as my knees let me.”
He also joked that his knees would fail before his voice.
Tony Christie has tour dates through 2027 amid dementia battle
The update comes five years after Tony’s dementia diagnosis in 2021.
He remains on tour, although he now performs fewer shows. His Great Farewell Tour is taking him across the UK and Europe.
The intimate acoustic concerts cover songs from every stage of his 60-year career.
“Sue tells me I have tour dates booked right through 2027.”
Tony is also re-recording several German hits ahead of 20 planned dates there in 2027.
Munich is next, with an appearance planned at Heidi Klum’s annual Heidifest.
Tony tours with family support
The singer is not travelling alone as he manages his condition. His wife, Sue, and their daughter now accompany him, easing the demands of touring.
“I would say that I have had to slow down the amount of gigs I do, but I am 83! My wife, Sue, and my daughter come with me on tour now, which makes it a lot easier.,” he said.
Their son, Sean, has also remained close to the work as Tony’s manager.
Sue encouraged him to seek an assessment after worrying changes in his memory.
Tony had begun struggling with cryptic crosswords, despite being a lifelong fan of word puzzles.
He was also forgetting the names of some longstanding family friends. His diagnosis followed in 2021.
Tony says music supports his memory
Tony is fronting a campaign for Music for Dementia while continuing his live work.
He believes performing well-known songs regularly has helped preserve his memory. His doctor also suggested working with music could be beneficial, he recalled.
Songs can bring back memories of first hearing a track or meeting its singer in person.
Tony also continues discovering new performers and finds their music inspiring.
At home, he credits Sue as his rock and values their shared positivity. The couple sees laughter and music as important parts of life.
Tony Christie’s six-decade career
Tony’s determination comes after more than six decades in music.
He started in working men’s clubs while training as an accountant during the early 1960s.
His first short-lived band, Tony Christie and the Trackers, featured future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.
Solo success followed through tracks including Las Vegas, Avenues and Alleyways and (Is This the Way to) Amarillo.
When UK hits slowed, he built a following in Germany and recorded nine albums for that market.
Amarillo found a new audience after Peter Kay used it in Phoenix Nights in 2002.
Its Comic Relief re-release later reached number one in the UK.
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