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DigiMix Records - Charlie Landsborough | ||
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CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH - UNDER BLUE SKIES Cat No: ROSCD2083 www.charlie-landsborough.co.uk www.myspace.com/charlielandsborough Brand new album from Charlie Landsborough, his first since since 2006's 'Heart & Soul' and 15 years since his debut, it is one of his strongest offerings to date. Comes with a free bonus 10 track 'Live Highlights' CD and features the download only lead single 'Long Way Down'. TRACK
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Autobiography
I was reared
in the dockland area of Birkenhead and the view from our front window was a mixture
of docks, dumps, railway lines, oil factories and the coal wharf. It sounds grim
but my childhood was far from that. Surrounded by a loving family, animals and
of course music my early years were extremely happy. My brothers were all sailors
and apart from the guitars and all the music, they brought home gifts from all
around the world. I remember sitting enchanted by the scent of the wood in a guitar
brought from Spain, my imagination afire at the sight of a small canoe carved
by natives of West Africa, pistols with real revolving chambers from the US and
getting my first pair of dungarees from Canada. Small wonder I so eagerly awaited
the return of each brother from another trip. At Primary School I had blonde shoulder length hair (yes long hair even then) for a while my dreams fluctuated between being a great footballer or a great artist (see picture!). The long hair had been cropped at the time of this picture - I think the result of a basin-cut (so called because you put a basin on the head and cut round it, in the days when you couldn't afford a barber) from my brother Arthur. Charlie
with his sisters from left to right-
At the age of about fourteen when I was in Grammer School my brother surprised me one day trying to play the guitar - I think I'd managed the first few notes of the Harry Lime theme. He ignored my self-consciousness and showed me a couple of chords. I was hooked! I'd sit up 'til late playing Hank, Elvis, Jimmy Rodgers, etc. Of course my education began to suffer and my headmaster, the kindly Mr. King, later commented that I'd had a good academic future ahead of me until I'd discovered that 'damn banjo'. Thank God for that 'damn banjo'. Disenchanted somewhat with the world in the wake of my mam's death when I was only twelve I left school early and made minor excursions into the work place. I worked as an apprentice telephone engineer, on the railways, in the flour mills and wound up trying to be one of the lads. To be accepted with any sort of prestige among my peers meant either being a hard case or a theif. I'm ashamed to say I tried both, with pretty disastrous consequences - I wound up in Walton Gaol for a couple of months. My honest, upright and caring family were stunned. I suppose I was looking for attention. I remember the day I was driven to court on a coach along with a few others. I sat in handcuffs and over the radio they played Don't by Elvis and Every Time We Say Goodbye by the lovely Ella. I was hoping there was not some deep significance in the titles. Fortunately I was given probation and suitably chastened by the whole ordeal I returned home to my thankful and forgiving family. One abiding memory of my army days was of the Cuban missile crisis. Being only thirty miles from the border I was convinced that within a short space of time I would be dead. After going into N.A.T.O. camps the scene of frenzied activity. When I got back to our camp what did I find? Our lads were padding around polishing floors and locker knobs for an inspection the next day. Was I relieved when the Russian vessels turned! After four enjoyable years I grew a little bored and bought myself out. My army record states that I am intelligent, reliable and a good runner! Not a very distinguished career eh! Still I had learned German and how to drink with the Scottish, the Irish and the Geordies etc. without falling over. After leaving the army I was back in Birkenhead and jobless. I left for Coventry and after a short stint as a postman I decided to return to Germany. I arrived in Dortmund with the equivenent of about half a crown to my name, to audition for a band called Chicago Sect. I'd been singing country songs and ballads around the pubs back home and of course knew very little about Tamla Motown, Rock etc. The band were not impressed at my ignorance as I shook my head at each song they suggested. Just as it looked like I'd have to hitch back home someone asked if I knew any Ray Charles. I knew Georgia! I sang it and was in. Thanks Hoagy Carmichael!
Once I was married I became a little more responsible and although I played with the local bands I worked a variety of jobs during the day. At various times I was a grocery store manager, driver, navvy, quality control engineer (bluffed my way in) and finally a teacher. All the time my dreams were of music.
So I'd arrived in 1994 thinking that all my efforts had been largely in vain and questioning God about giving me musical talents and yet seemingly thwarting my every move. When I surrendered my will to Him, He stepped in swiftly and powerfully and with the help of Gerry Anderson, Pat Kenny, numerous Irish DJs and the Irish people and of course Ritz Records my dreams began to be realised. With the continued support of all the marvellous people we have met all around England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, namely you, I am sure it will be. God bless you and thank you for everything you have done for me and my family, Thelma, Charlie Jnr, Allan and Jamie. Yours, Charlie. Tour Dates Upcoming Shows | |||||
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Contact us at: panamus@aol.com | ||
Digimix
Records Limited. The Cedars, Elvington Lane, Hawkinge, Folkestone. Kent. CT18
7AD. England. UK | ||
Singer
songwriter Charlie Landsborough has eventually achieved recognition after struggling
for nearly three decades. He worked as a teacher, amongst other things as he continued
to write and perform on a semi-pro basis but by 1984 began to feel that his ambitions
might not materialise. 
I
was born on the 26th October 1941 the youngest of eleven children. To escape the
bombing my mother was taken to Wrexham, returning to merseyside after I was born.
My mam's name was Aggie and I was christened Charles Alexander after my dad. My
beloved brothers and sisters are Harry, Derek, Arthur, Jack, Dot, Sylvia, Doreen
and Joyce.
I
was always surrounded by music and my dad told me I used to sing myself to sleep
when I was about three. He was a ballad singer billed locally as the Silver Voiced
Tenor and one of my earliest recollections is of sitting on his knee at a 'do'
and duetting with him on You Take The Tables And I'll Take The Chairs. My mother's
favourites were Gracie Fields and Hank Williams - now there's a combination. My
brothers of course were returning from their voyages with the first guitars I'd
ever seen and wonderful country music from such artists as Hank Williams, Jimmy
Rodgers, Ferlin Husky and Montana Slim. They'd often arrive home with a group
of friends and a crate of beer and I'd sit enthralled as they laughed and sang
the hours away.
Charlie
at primary school showing off his creative talents.
I
was soon bored with my situation however and decided that for excitement I, like
my brothers before me, must travel. Finding the Navy Office closed I joined the
Army without informing any of my family. My sisters were in tears but armed with
my guitar and a D.A. hairstyle I set off to Wales to do my training. I then applied
for a posting in Hong Kong and with typical army logic found myself in West Germany.
I made many great friends (some of whom I now meet up with on my travels) and
started to play in bands with such exotic names as the Rockavons and the Onions.
I
was in Dortmund for about nine months during which time I married Thelma who had
been a dream of mine since I'd first seen her as a teenager in Birkenhead. I'd
been in Dortmund supposedly saving for our future but sad to say I'd had a marvellous
time but returned home skint. Thelma bought my suit for the wedding on a cheque
from her mother and she and our two witnesses (all that were present apart from
the priest) paid for our drink, etc. We celebrated unknown to anyone in the local
pub Murphys.