Tony Christie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tony Christie
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Christie in August 2021
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| Born |
Anthony Fitzgerald
25 April 1943 Conisbrough, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
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| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1966–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Sue Christie
(m. 1968) |
| Children | 3 |
| Musical career | |
| Genres |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Associated acts | Peter Kay, Laruso, Richard Hawley |
Anthony Fitzgerald (born 25 April 1943), known as Tony Christie, is an English singer and musician. He is most famous for his song "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo", which became a huge hit twice in the UK.
Contents
Tony Christie's Music Journey
Early Career: 1960s and 1970s
Tony Christie was born Anthony Fitzgerald. He chose his stage name after seeing the movie Darling, which starred Julie Christie.
His first big hits came in 1971. These included "Las Vegas", "I Did What I Did for Maria", and "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo". "I Did What I Did for Maria" reached number two in the UK charts. "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" also became very popular. By 1972, it had sold over one million copies. This earned him a gold disc.
In 1973, he had another hit with "Avenues and Alleyways". This song was also the theme music for a TV show called The Protectors. Tony Christie recorded many albums during the 1970s. He also performed live often. In 1976, he sang on the original album for the musical Evita.
Success in Europe: 1980s and 1990s
While Tony Christie's fame in England slowed down, he became very popular in Europe. He was especially successful in Germany. He recorded several albums with German producer Jack White. Their first album together, Welcome to My Music, reached number 7 in the German charts. It even went platinum, meaning it sold a lot of copies.
In 1999, Tony Christie sang on the song "Walk like a Panther". This song was written by Jarvis Cocker and became a top ten hit in the UK.
Return to Fame: 2000 to 2010
In 2002, "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" was used in the TV comedy series Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights. This made the song popular again. On 14 March 2005, the song was re-released to raise money for the Comic Relief charity. It quickly reached Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart. It stayed at the top for seven weeks, selling more copies than any other Number 1 single that year.
The re-release was credited as "featuring Peter Kay". However, Peter Kay only appeared in the video. The song itself was the original 1971 recording. Tony Christie's album The Definitive Collection also reached Number 1 in the UK Albums Chart.
After the song's success, Tony Christie was given the freedom of Amarillo, Texas. He also made a guest appearance on the TV show Emmerdale. A few months later, he re-released "Avenues & Alleyways". This song reached Number 26, doing better than its original release in 1973.
In 2008, Tony Christie recorded the album Made in Sheffield. This album was produced by Richard Hawley. It also featured songs written by Alex Turner and Jarvis Cocker. In 2010, Tony Christie performed in the musical Dreamboats and Petticoats in London. He also appeared on a celebrity version of Come Dine with Me.
Recent Years: 2011 to Present
In 2011, Tony Christie released his nineteenth album, Now's the Time!. This album was inspired by Northern soul music. It included songs written with Jarvis Cocker and Róisín Murphy.
To celebrate 50 years in music, Tony Christie went on a big tour. He performed his classic hits like "Avenues and Alleyways" and "Las Vegas". He also sang songs from his new album.
In October 2011, he released a charity single called "Steal The Sun". All the money from this song went to the Help for Heroes Charity. This charity supports British forces. In 2014, he performed at a music event in Barnsley to raise money for Barnsley Hospice. In 2017, he was the main act at the Conisbrough Music Festival in his home village. He also appeared in the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk, which was set in a town called 'Amarillo'.
Personal Life
Tony Christie married his wife, Susan, in 1968. They have three children. They live in Lichfield, Staffordshire. In January 2023, Tony Christie shared that he had been diagnosed with dementia.
Discography
