I don't have fans, I have friends

Charlie Landsborough is an artist with 26 albums to his name, writes Gemma Peplow. That's right, 26. Not a bad little discography, that. It's hard to convey a whistle of admiration via the medium of print, but The Week wants you to know that we're doing one right here, right now.

Number 26, which goes by the name of Silhouette, was released at the beginning of the week.

"There's 11 songs of my own and five covers," Charlie tells us. "It's a bit of a mixed bag because I am known for ballads, and they're still there, but there's a couple of rocky-type tracks and a quirky one in among the classic country songs – something that sounds like it's come out of a spaghetti western.

"Hopefully, people will like some of it. Hopefully all of it. They say if you can't get them with quality, get them with quantity. I hope there's something for everyone."

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A late starter in music – Charlie's "overnight success" came after 30 years – he achieved his first big hit when he was in his 50s, when What Colour Is The Wind reached number one in Ireland. His fame soon spread and people across the UK, America and Australia took him to their hearts. In 2011, he was inducted into the British Country Music Hall Of Fame.

Now, at the grand old age of 72, he's as busy as he's ever been.

"It's all been a bit of a rush recently," he says. "I was in Spain finishing off the vocals for this album and we rehearsed for a couple of days before we hit the road, about two or three days before.

"I'm off to Australia for a month in May. It's a great place, we tour there about once every two years. The people are lovely and I love the space. The people who look after me over there are like old friends now.

"My son's coming with me this time, he's in the band now. It's good for me and my wife travels everywhere with me."

Charlie is always determined to give his audience a good show – and that includes putting effort into his banter as well as his setlist.

"I play the songs that people know me for and they're interspersed with a few new songs and I tell anecdotes," he says. "I've been around a long time so I've lots of anecdotes.

"Years ago, when I was playing on my own, doing clubs, I thought I'd say a few things between songs and didn't realise how important it had become. One bloke turned up to a show and said: 'Thanks, but I was disappointed 'cus you hardly told any stories. That's what I came for'."

Charlie is yet to decide what he'll be talking about on stage when he comes to Leicester on Friday. "I haven't got a clue yet, love. I've got to work on it."

Interaction with his fans is one of the things Charlie loves most about his job.

"A lot have become good friends and, as someone once said to me, I haven't got fans, I've got friends.

"When I was first on the road, I'd see this woman all the time. She'd be at my gig in Liverpool and the next night I'd be in Glasgow and the same lady would be there. I used to worry she'd get bored but I came to realise she just really liked the show. Some of them are die-hard supporters, and thank God for them."

Charlie Landsborough is at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, tomorrow. Call 0116 233 3111.