After the South American Tour, which went very well, I returned to the UK to help my sister Christine care for our mother, Brenda. She is nearly 86 and has been battling cancer for a few years. The whole family has been wonderfully supportive and my Mum is comfortable and happy, still laughing. I am happy to have some time off and spend it with her.
This has been a busy year, to say the least. It’s also been a fantastic year. The Rapture Tour threaded its way around this blue planet and everywhere we visited we received the moving welcomes that we are almost in danger of taking for granted. But be assured that they are never taken for granted; every night for us is a special night.
The US tour is over and we’re now scattered all over the place like autumn leaves in the breeze. Most people go away for their holidays – we go home.
The best perk of what I do is to travel. I remember as a kid thinking that I would never ever be able to afford a ticket to America, that mythical land where great music came from.
1. My daughter’s album, Red Handed, is now officially available and I encourage anyone and everyone to buy it. It goes without saying in way because she’s family but I am genuinely impressed with her singing and writing and I believe in informing people about what they might be missing if they don’t check it out. It is very hard to promote a new artist these days.
Limoges, early hours. We have just finished the first French tour of 2007. The sold out venue, the Zenith, was superb; a new multi-function building with great acoustics and facilities and a fitting end to this section of the tour. From Tirana, Albania through southern Italy to France, this has been a lovely experience. In three weeks or so we’ll be in the UK but for now we have a break and all fly off in different directions.