North-East dates for Charlie Landsborough

CHARLIE Landsborough takes to the road again this autumn for a series of major UK dates, accompanied by his own four-strong band.

Hugely popular in Ireland, purveyer of fine songs and the odd winsome country and western ballad, Charlie can also belt out an up-tempo rocker, hold his head up high in the Americana stakes and use his voice for the most mellifluous of romantic tunes,

His songs are drawn from growing up in Birkenhead in a large but poor family, joining the army, teaching at schools, playing music in the evenings. It wasn’t until he hit 50 that he had his first big hit – What Colour Is The Wind – a song written round a question from a blind child, the phrase overheard and given to him by singer/songwriter Pete Naden.

Since then Charlie has travelled the globe, performing at Nashville’s Grand Ole Oprey to a full house (unprecedented for a UK artist), notching up chart successes, awards, and song-writing credits for the likes of Jack Jones, Daniel O’Donnell, Foster and Allen and George Hamilton lV and releasing eight studio albums, all charting high in the British Country Music charts.

* Tickets are on sale now; prices range from £16.60 to £28. Wednesday, October 21, Whitley Bay Playhouse 0844-248-1588

and Sunday, October 25, Billingham Forum Theatre 01642-552663

Viv Hardwick