Life on the road with The Grumbleweeds certainly had to be approached with a positive attitude. Lots of late nights, lots of traveling and lots of free time during the day.
Finding a balance between performing on stage and family life can prove difficult, especially in the early days when my children were young and I was away from home. That was when my love of art was a great help.
In the 70s cabaret was the hot date and the act was very busy – a week here, a week there, from Scotland to Hastings, What an opportunity for someone who had spent the journey planning his next watercolour subject.
Sunderland Empire in the early morning was a haunting image, with laughter echoing from the stalls.
Summer shows were my best times and seascapes incorporating Bournemouth Pier were the order of the day.
Portrait sketching was inspired in the late 60s when the Ken Dodd Show was the venue and the cast of singers, jugglers and dancers were all my artistic subjects.
The London Palladium was a far cry from Batley Variety Club but each was a prestigious date for a performer and a wonderful subject for the pencil.
It was inevitable that after 35 years of this kind of routine some special time would have to be put on one side entirely for painting.
