Leo Sayer’s most interesting facts

Happy birthday to English-Australian singer, Leo Sayer.  The singer and songwriter turns 73 on Friday, 21 May. 

He started singing in the 1970s and his career has spanned four decades. 

East Coast Gold will be celebrating his birthday by playing his biggest hits throughout the day. Listen here. 

Let’s learn more about the star below. 

Family 

Leo Sayer’s real name is Gerard Hugh Sayer.

He was born on 21 May 1948 in England.

He was the middle child. 

Music

Sayer started singing from a young age in the Catholic church choir. 

Apart from singing, he can also paint and draw. 

After leaving school, he went on to study a commercial art and graphic design course at West Sussex College of Art and Design in Worthing, Sussex. 

He loved writing poetry and would sometimes change his poems into music. 

Sayer’s wife, Janice,  used to make his outfits for performance and she would even do his make-up. 

Awards, achievements and charts

His single, ‘When I Need You’ was number one on the charts in the U.K , Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. 

His album, 'Silverbird' reached number 2 in the U.K. album charts. 

‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’ won him a Grammy for best Rhythm & Blues song. 

Sayer’s idol is Fred Astaire and he got to perform with him on T.V. in Hollywood. 

‘The Very Best Of Leo Sayer’ album which was released in 1977 reached No.1 in the UK album charts. 

Leo Sayer in South Africa

Sayer has a big following in South Africa.

READ: Leo Sayer tells East Coast Gold he's writing new music 

In 2019, the legend came to visit South Africa for a three-days shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town. 

During his visit in South Africa, he told East Coast Gold that although he  is in his 70's, he wants to continue doing music and has a backlog of songs. 

 "I just want to keep on working. I'm 71-years-old but I'm still feeling as creative as ever," he told Gordon Graham on the More Music Breakfast Show.

"The ideas are flowing. I've got a huge backlog of songs that still haven't been recorded. I'm just starting on some new stuff at the moment. I think if you feel it in your heart that you can do something, and provide something, you can do it. And honestly it doesn't matter if it sells millions or if it just pleases a few people.  The most important thing is to be creative and to get it out there. And living in Australia I have the template now to do that," he said. 

To date, Sayer has sold millions of albums globally and has had 20 worldwide top-10 hits. 

Watch some of his performance in South Africa below.