The legendary singer, songwriter and producer has sustained a decades long career and knows the importance of keeping his mind and body busy and healthy as he gets older
Phil Coulter has shared his secret to staying young at 83 as he hits the road.
The legendary singer and musician has embarked on a nationwide tour and will perform in venues across the country right up until Christmas.
An annual tour is no mean feat for any musician, let alone an 83-year-old.
But Phil feels healthy and fit as ever and credits it to the fact he has no plans to slow down or retire.
He told RSVP Live: “I keep working and I keep myself busy. That’s exactly it.
“The alternative doesn’t really appeal to me, retiring and staying at home, reading the paper and driving my wife Geraldine mad.
“That’s not the situation I find myself in. I turn up for work at 10 o’clock every Monday morning. I’m at my desk or my piano.”
The buzz of performing live also keeps Phil’s energy levels high.
He added with a laugh: “People ask me, ‘You’re 83 and you’re on a tour around the country, would you not have more sense?’.
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“For the last two nights, we’ve had sold out audiences and got a standing ovation. Those positive vibes from an audience who turn up because they enjoy my beat, and who have been loyal to me over all these years, give me energy.
“At my shows, you’ll often find a granny and grandad with their son and daughter and their grandchildren. I’m seeing a lot of younger couples as well.
“When you have an audience responding with such positivity and sense of loyalty, that keeps me young.
“I’m buoyed up and energised from the last few nights on tour.”
However, Phil takes certain steps to mind his health and wellbeing while on the road, such as cutting out alcohol and looking after his voice.
He said: “For a start, you go off the drink. You have to. There’s no way you can go on the p*ss.
“That might have been the case when I started off, you’d have celebrations afterwards, you’d be delighted with a sold out show and maybe open a bottle of wine. I can’t do that anymore.
“I’m careful with my voice too. I do as much talking as I do singing on the show. I’m not really a trained singer, but I’m aware of the fact that I’m using my voice a lot and you know honey, hot tea, throat lozenges, all help.
“I try to keep myself fit. I’m not a gym bunny, but at the same time I have the sense to know that you can’t abuse the body at 83.”
Phil’s health and loyalty from his fans is what spurs him on to continue touring.
He told us: “Firstly, I haven’t had any major health issues. I thank God every day for that.
“Secondly, when people stop turning up then I think I’ll get the memo that I should stop.
“I don’t take that for granted and I never assume anything.
“None of us are entitled in the entertainment industry. We are as good as our last performance and song, album or tour.
“That’s the secret. You care about it, you work at it, and the audience responds to that.”
When he started out in the beat industry, Phil never imagined that he would be touring the length and width of the country all these years later.
He explained: “This is my annual national tour of Ireland, it’s called Tranquility by Candelight.
“Each year you try to dream up a new spin on things, because the last thing I want is for people to leave my gigs and say, ‘we’ve seen it all before’.
“I take that very seriously in terms of putting a new spin on the setlist. So I’ve cherrypicked from some of my biggest albums, including Classic Tranquility, my first album from 1983.
“That was the one album that changed my life, because up until then I was a songwriter and record producer. All of a sudden I had a phenomenal anthem record.
“Touring was a lifestyle I never really planned but it has been a great adventure.”
Phil Coulter’s Tranquility by Candelight tour guarantees audiences an evening of Phil Coulter timeless classics, Irish melodies and inspirational favourites in a magical setting surrounded by the glow of candlelight. Full tour dates on philcoulter.com .
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