Amarillo singer Tony Christie makes a surprise appearance at m4dRADIO ‘switch-on party’ as free radio service for people living with dementia and their carers moves to DAB

Singing legend, Tony Christie, who lives with dementia, was the surprise guest at a special DAB ‘Switch-on party’ for m4dRADIO.

Tony and his wife Sue joined people living with dementia and their family members and carers for a celebratory afternoon of music, dancing and singing at the monthly Dementia Disco event in Merton, South West London. The 100 guests had no idea Tony was attending until the 83-year-old performer took to the floor and launched into an impromptu rendition of (Is This the Way To) Amarillo?, which got everyone singing, clapping and dancing.

But Tony wasn’t there just to sing and dance. He was helping Music for Dementia mark a new DAB chapter for m4dRADIO, the charity’s free radio service created especially for people living with dementia and their carers.

Tony, who is an ambassador for Music for Dementia, says making music easier to access is something he feels particularly strongly about: “Music has been my whole life, so to come somewhere like this and see people getting up, dancing, singing and enjoying themselves is fantastic.

“You can see straight away what music does. It brings people together and it brings memories back. You don’t have to explain it – you just put a great song on and suddenly everyone’s smiling, people start clapping and toes start tapping.”

The switch-on party marked the first step in bringing m4dRADIO to DAB radio.

Until now, m4dRADIO has primarily been available online. Its move onto DAB means people in the region can listen through a digital radio, making the station’s ad-free, 24/7 music without news or presenters more accessible for the people who need it.

Tony has continued to perform and tour since announcing his dementia diagnosis in 2023 and has spoken about how staying busy and involved in music helps him to live well with the condition. He has described himself as “living proof of the power of music” for people living with dementia.

He is currently on his Grand Farewell Tour and says music remains a hugely important part of his life: “I’m still out there singing, I’m still listening to music and I’m still discovering songs that take me back to different times in my life. That’s the magic of it. Music doesn’t just belong to the past – it keeps you connected to who you are now as well.”

Tony knows first-hand how much technology has changed the way people listen to music. He and his granddaughter Deià Fitzgerald have previously worked together to create a playlist of songs connected to memories from his life, with Deià describing herself as a “music detective” as they track down songs and the stories behind them.

“I’m very lucky because I have my granddaughter Deià, who is brilliant at finding things and helping me with the technology. We can sit together, find an old song and suddenly we’re talking about something that happened years ago. That’s a lovely thing to be able to do.

“But sometimes you just want to switch on a radio and have the music that you love right there. That’s why we love what m4dRADIO is doing. It’s making it easier to use for people like Sue and I.”

Unlike conventional radio, m4dRADIO is entirely free of adverts, chat, news and interruptions. It is designed to make it simple for people living with dementia, their families and professional carers to enjoy the benefits of familiar music without needing complicated technology or a subscription.

The m4dRADIO service provides a continuous stream of familiar favourites from across the decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, alongside specially created themed playlists including Move It Monday, Sunday Hymns and Feelgood Friday. Music has been carefully selected to encourage singing, reminiscing, relaxing and enjoying music together. It can be used at home, in a care setting, in a dementia group or simply as a source of familiar music throughout the day.

Music can be particularly powerful for people living with dementia. Familiar songs can unlock memories, spark conversations and create moments of connection, even when words become more difficult. Music from our younger years can be especially meaningful, often bringing back memories of people, places and important moments from our lives.

Music for Dementia hopes bringing m4dRADIO to DAB will make it easier for more people to enjoy the service as part of everyday life, with South and West London the first area to receive the new DAB service.

Amy Shackleton, CEO at Music for Dementia says: “Music has the power to lift our spirits, spark memories and create moments of joy. We want everyone living with dementia to be able to experience that. Bringing m4dRADIO to DAB in South and West London is an important step in making that experience even easier and more accessible.”

How to listen

  • m4dRADIO is now available on DAB across South and West London
  • The online service for m4dRADIO has a range of five decade channels, covering the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, plus the MIX channel. You can access this via m4dRADIO.com on a phone, tablet or laptop
  • m4dRADIO can also be played through Alexa. The first time you use it, say: “Alexa, enable M Four D Radio.” After that, simply say: “Alexa, play M Four D Radio.”

The service is free and available 24 hours a day, with no subscription required.