Tony Christie is known for hits such as I Did What I Did For Maria and (Is This The Way To) Amarillo, which went to No 1 in 2005 when Peter Kay revived it for Comic Relief, writes Peter Robertson. Diagnosed with dementia in 2021, Tony's Great Farewell Tour runs from March 8 until September 18. His latest album A New Life is out on March 28. Tony, 82, lives in Staffordshire with his wife Sue, who he married in 1968. They have three children and seven grandchildren. What did your parents teach you about money? My dad Paddy Fitzgerald was an accountant and careful with money. I learnt not to waste it, but I loved the cinema. In my late teens, I was asked to join a band by a guy who only knew me as Tony. When I told him my second name was Fitzgerald, he told me to get a more 'zippy' name. In Leicester for a gig, we went to see the film, Darling, starring Julie Christie – she was gorgeous. From then on I was Tony Christie. I've never met her. What was your first pay packet? My first job at 17 was in the wages department of a steel works in Rotherham. At weekends I performed in clubs and earnt more than in my day job. My boss at the steel works said: 'You had better decide if you want to work here or be the next Adam Faith.' I said: 'I'd rather be Frank Sinatra!' Just 18 months later, I quit to be a professional singer. Have you ever struggled to make ends meet? In the late 1960s when Sue and I got married, had a baby and lived in a Sheffield flat, I hardly had any money to pay my band. When the rent man visited we'd hide. My then new manager stopped me working with the band to start a solo career. I was only doing radio shows such as BBC's Night Ride. The show helped to make me a name but made me very little money. Have you ever been paid silly money? I have been paid some big amounts, but I hope people have felt I've been worth it. Several years ago a businessman sent a private jet to Birmingham to take me and Sue to Salzburg so I could sing Happy Birthday Baby at his wife's birthday party, then he flew us back next morning. That was silly money. What's the best year of your financial life? It was 1971 when I first signed a major deal with MCA records. I had a big advance of £90,000 paid over three years. My first three hit singles were in 1971. Our elder daughter Antonia was born when I Did What I Did For Maria was No 2 later that year. The Press said 'You have to call her Maria!', so we made that her middle name. The advance helped me buy our first house for £5,500 which was a semi in Sheffield. Sue thought it was Buckingham Palace. After 18 months, we bought a detached six-bedroom house two miles away for £30,000. Arthur Scargill wanted it but we wouldn't sell it to him. In 1983, Rick Savage of Def Leppard bought it for cash. Are you a spender or saver? I am a spender more than a saver. Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck have been managed by their sons, and for 20 years now my son Sean has been looking after me brilliantly. It's a great feeling of trust, and we get on so well. The most expensive thing you bought for fun? A brand new brown Rolls-Royce in 1971,then I had a peacock blue one, and at the same time an Aston Martin DB5. My personalised plate was Ton10. Once I was recording in Los Angeles when John Lennon came into the studio. I was gobsmacked. He said: 'Who's got the brown Ford LTD in the car park?' I said, 'That's mine' and he went, 'You're blocking me in...shift it!' What's your biggest money mistake? I sang the role of Magaldi on the original 1976 album of the musical Evita. Composers Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber wanted me to play that part in the stage version in 1978, but I declined in favour of my concert commitments. I may have made the wrong decision there, and I have regretted it at times. The best money decision you've made? Having my son Sean renegotiate my original record deal so I now get a fairer royalty. I also discovered Peter Kay featured Amarillo in his sitcom Phoenix Nights and would lip-sync to Amarillo for his live act. Sean wrote to him and Peter asked me to sing the theme song to his next TV series Max And Paddy's Road To Nowhere. I first met Peter at the recording. I decided on a UK comeback then. Do you have a pension? I have a small one. I had to cash in my big pension after I made a mistake owning a nightclub called Christies in the grandstand of Sheffield Wednesday FC's stadium Hillsborough. My royalties are my pension really. Do you own any property? Just our four-bedroom, three storey end-of-terrace townhouse in Lichfield which was built in 2004. We still own land in Spain. Do you donate money to charity? Of course, and I am proud to be ambassador for Music For Dementia and NHS Sheffield Hospitals. Despite my dementia diagnosis, I still remember my songs when performing, but I have an autocue as a backup. Loads of money was raised for Comic Relief by Peter Kay's video for Amarillo. The re-released single was No1 for weeks. If you were Chancellor, what would you do? I'd start looking after the old folk. I'd also stop VAT and lower business rates for the entertainment/hospitality industry. Pubs and clubs are closing left right and centre. What is your top indulgence? In the old days, I had a pilot's licence, leased a four-seater Cessna and enjoyed flying to gigs and golf holidays. Now my biggest indulgence is my family and I am a devoted grandparent. What is your No1 financial priority? My wife and our family. We get together a lot. Sue and I have now been married for 57 years and we still hold hands, kiss and cuddle, joke and laugh which is important with my dementia. tonychristie.com