New York, NY (Top40 Charts) It's no wonder that Leo Sayer is considered a music business legend……
43 years since his first album, he's had 5 worldwide No.1 hits, is a Grammy winning songwriter, and is considered one of the world's most thrilling and entertaining live performers. Now he returns to his native country for a mammoth UK Tour celebrating the release of his brand new studio album 'Restless Years'.
The project was recorded over 3 months and features 13 entirely new compositions, all written and produced by Leo, who says "I think I've been getting more prolific over the years with my writing. A few things were paid forward, like the four songs on here that I wrote with Albert Hammond about ten years ago, and Sometimes Things Go Wrong comes from as far back as 1975."
Leo's career started in 1972, when he met
David Courtney through an audition in his home city of Brighton. Leo and
David started writing songs together, and took these to Adam Faith, who himself had been a legendary pop singing icon the 50's and 60's. Adam saw Leo's potential immediately, and producing his first albums with David, steered the singer songwriter to almost instant success with 1973's 'Silverbird', Leo's debut album release. On the cover Leo was memorably dressed and made up as a white faced Pierrot, singing 'The Show Must Go On'.
But that wasn't the first success for the trio of Leo, Adam and David, as a few months earlier they'd masterminded a solo album for The Who's
Roger Daltrey. This introduced Leo to the world as the writer of "Giving It All Away", which went straight into the U.S. and U.K. Top ten.
The same song gave Leo the title for his second album 'Just A Boy' which became a major success worldwide with the hit singles 'Long Tall Glasses' and 'One Man Band' in 1974.
By now, to add to all the success he'd had at home, Leo was visiting the U.S.A., Australia,
Europe and the Far East as an international concert headliner. Back home, he released his third album, 'Another Year', featuring his third top 5 single 'Moonlighting'.
In 1976 Leo met producer Richard Perry in Los Angeles. Richard produced three chart-topping albums for Leo. By now Leo was living in the States, composing with co writers like Barry Mann, Tom Snow, Albert Hammond, Michael Omartian, and Vini Poncia, and at the peak of his career.
"You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" was a rapid U.S. No.1 followed up by more chart toppers with "
When I Need You" and "How Much Love", all these from the multi platinum album 'Endless Flight'. They followed this up with 'Thunder In My Heart' (1977) including "Thunder In My Heart" and "Easy To Love", and 'Leo Sayer' (1978) which had 'Raining In My Heart' and 'I Can't Stop Loving You (Though I Try)' as hit singles.
Back in the U.K., Leo was a major celebrity, his songs featured on movies and commercials, starring in his own TV series and playing concerts for The Queen.
His old friend
David Courtney produced 'Here' in LA in 1979, and 1980 found Leo working in London with co writer and producer Alan Tarney on 'Living In A Fantasy'. From this came the classic 'More Than I Can Say' which gave Leo another giant international hit that year in the U.S., as well as becoming Leo's most popular song in Asia. Leo and Alan were also responsible for writing a big hit for
Cliff Richard with 'Dreamin', and Leo's own 'Orchard Road' single in 1983.
During the 80's Leo also made the albums 'World Radio' with producer Arif Mardin, and 'Have You Ever Been In Love' with
Christopher Neil.
Being major draw across the globe at this time, Leo toured extensively throughout the 80's and 90's, performing at venues in places as widespread as Tokyo, South Africa, New Zealand, Scandinavia, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Alaska, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Canada and Vietnam. He really fit the definition of worldwide superstar.
During 2005 he was in Denmark self producing 'Voice In My Head', and in 2006, a DJ called Meck put a remix of Leo's 'Thunder In My Heart' up to the top of the UK singles chart, his second UK No.1.
Born in Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex, he now lives in Australia, but he has never stopped working, still paying frequent visits to the UK and
Europe and wherever his audiences demand his performance. His 14th studio album 'Restless Years', will be released in the UK on 4th
September just ahead of his 25 date tour. Having produced and written all the songs for the new album, Leo feels he's as prolific now as he's ever been, and has no thoughts of slowing down.
www.leosayer.com
UK TOUR DATES 2015
September
Wednesday 9th - BIRMINGHAM JAM HOUSE
Thursday 10th - MANCHESTER LOWRY
Friday 11th - WORTHING ASSEMBLY HALL
Saturday 12th - EAST GRINSTEAD MEAD THEATRE
Monday 14th - LANCASTER GRAND THEATRE
Tuesday 15th - HUNSTANTON PRINCESS THEATRE
Thursday 17th - NORWICH ST ANDREWS HALL
Friday 18th - BUXTON OPERA HOUSE
Saturday 19th - MUSSELBURGH BRUNTON
Sunday 20th - GLENROTHES ROTHES HALL
Tuesday 22nd - LEEDS CITY VARIETIES
Wednesday 23rd - PORTHCAWL GRAND PAVILLION
Friday 25th - LONDON HIPPODROME
Saturday 26th - HARLOW PLAYHOUSE
Sunday 27th - MILTON KEYNES STABLES
Tuesday 29th - DURHAM GALA THEATRE
October
Thursday 1st - ISLE OF WIGHT SHANKLIN THEATRE
Friday 2nd - SOUTHAMPTON CONCORDE
Saturday 3rd - WIMBORNE TIVOLI THEATRE
Sunday 4th - BURY ST EDMUNDS APEX
Tuesday 6th - LONDON HIPPODROME
Thursday 8th - WOLVERHAMPTON ROBIN 2
Saturday 10th - HOLMFIRTH PICTUREDOME
Sunday 11th - WARRINGTON PYRAMID & PARR HALL
