Thank you for the music by singer, Tony Christie

When I look back to how my love affair with music started, I can thank my Irish grandparents for igniting the spark. They’d visit every other weekend and give me sixpence to sing while grandma played the fiddle and grandad the melodeon.

My six year old self thought it was a great way to make money.

Later, when my dad was stationed in the RAF in Egypt and Africa in the fifties, he brought back a collection of LPs. Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole and Sinatra sung a soundtrack to my early years when everyone else was dancing to rock and roll.

From my very first gig at 18 at the local working men’s club, with my friend Dave, music has given me so many opportunities in life and continues to do so.

In January, after discussing my dementia diagnosis on BBC Breakfast, the Music for Dementia campaign asked me to rerecord Andrew Gold’s song Thank You for Being a Friend for Thank You Day 2023.

Andrew and I met several times and he sung some backing vocals on Dancing Days, so when I sing his song it will feel like the stars have aligned once again.

His song will be the anthem for this year’s third annual Thank You Day on Sunday 2 July, when the country comes together celebrate the people and experiences that make each community special. It’s going to be a brilliant day and everyone is invited to get involved in any way you can whether it’s at a community event, a concert or a picnic in the park.

At the heart of Thank You Day this year, we want ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ to be sung around the UK at festivals, street parties, care homes, community choir performances and on social media sites such as TikTok.

We’ll show our appreciation of the UK’s unsung heroes with the gift of music, which has a unique power to improve health and wellbeing, including for those people living with dementia where music can bring joy, stimulate memories and reduce anxiety.

If anybody knows the power music can have on people who live with dementia it’s me and my wonderful family.

My wife Sue travels with me everywhere and next year we’ll be touring New Zealand and Australia with two of my three children, Sean and Sarah.

Singing on stage is the best medicine for me. I’m physically active, my brain remembers lyrics and my heart and soul are fed by the audience.

I’m now performing my stories and melodies in country style. Otherwise, nothing has changed. It’s music as usual.

I can’t wait to share this song for Thank You Day. So get it in your diary, get involved, get together and let’s make it a really special occasion.