Often in the evening, Charlie Landsborough used to take his dog for a walk. His then young son would accompany him and, being acutely aware of his father’s passion for music, would regularly enquire about future plans his dad may have in the music industry.

“He was only little then, and would say: ‘Do you think you’ll ever make it, Dad?’ Some nights I’d be optimistic and say: ‘Yeah,’ and some nights I’d say: ‘No, I’m getting on a bit now son,’” explains the singer-songwriter.

Despite his varying thoughts on “making it”, when many others would have thrown in the towel, Charlie persevered and went on to become a global country music star. He was in his 50s and had been playing the Merseyside pub scene for 22 years when he landed his big break.

Disappointment

Surprisingly, the What Colour is the Wind singer’s rise to fame came off the back of a huge disappointment. In 1995, he was set to support Foster and Allen on tour, but the supporting act was cut from the bill.

Despondent, but determined, Charlie refused to give up and, after a quick call to RTÉ, he ended up performing live on a show presented by Pat Kenny. The singer went down a treat and laughs that he has a lot to thank the Irish for.

“I had a great weekend in Dublin,” recalls Charlie, in his melodic Scouse accent. “I went home, me son picked me up and he said: ‘Dad, you’re in the Irish charts.’ I was like: ‘What am I, 98?’ And, I would have been delighted with that. He said: ‘No dad, you’re second.’”

The following week I was No 1, and my whole life was transformed in that short space of time. Come that spring, I was doing my own tour of Ireland with a band and everything, so it was like my own musical fairy tale, it was great.

However, even before he found fame on the Emerald Isle, Charlie enjoyed a love affair with the island of Ireland. He used to come to Ireland on his holidays every year and is also married to an Irish woman, Thelma, from Roscommon.

The Liverpudlian had always felt that Ireland would be a good platform for his music – and it turns out he was right. His close connection with Ireland continues, as next week he is returning to begin a nationwide tour.

Odd jobs

Speaking to Charlie, he is a colourful and bright person, so it is only fitting that his career choices reflect this. Before becoming successful as a singer, Charlie had a long string of jobs: a postman, a grocery store manager and a teacher, just to name a few. The years spent in these jobs was not time wasted, as the singer believes it was character building.

“You could have the misconception that all the years prior to this I was bemoaning me faith and feeling miserable, but I met fantastic people. Even playing in the pubs I met people who became lifelong friends,” explains Charlie. “All those experiences leave a specific fingerprint on you and sometimes it comes out in songs.”

Birkenhead

Throughout the interview there is one place Charlie mentions frequently – and that is his Merseyside home of Birkenhead. It is clear that he has fond memories of the place he grew up. There were 11 children in Charlie’s family. Some of his brothers were in the Merchant Navy and used to bring home eclectic gifts from their travels abroad, including the first guitar Charlie ever played.

“It was a great home to grow up in. Although it was in what you would call a ‘deprived area’ now, I wasn’t deprived at all. I mean, we never had much in terms of finances or material things, but it was a great place,” remembers Charlie fondly.

“It was smashing, there was an atmosphere, and we all had nothing. Nobody focused on being deprived, because we were all in the same boat, really. There were no computer games or anything like that in those days. So we were out sort of playing football, doing the Olympics, bike riding, trolley racing and all the rest of it. It was chaotic, but fun.”

Although Charlie had to endure a number of bumps on the road before tasting success, it seems he is all the better for it – as it was both his background and the “setbacks” that moulded the singer-songwriter whose music has enriched the lives of many.

Charlie Landsborough begins his nationwide tour on 15 January at the Millennium Forum in Derry. For a full list of dates, see www.charlielandsborough.com.

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