A tongue in cheek jibe about a little-known singing duo from the 1970s has re-united the artist with what could be the only remaining copy of his album.
Montrose record-shop owner Neil McLeod set the bar high when he posted details of his first “Dubious album of the week” on his Facebook site.
He was astounded, and slightly embarrassed, when the crooner’s daughter contacted him.
She was trying to track down a copy of the only album made by her father, Tony Strange, and his musical partner Kay after the family’s copies had been lost.
In a conversation reminiscent of the classic Yellow Pages’ “JR Hartley” television advert, Neil was delighted to learn the lady who had contacted him was Maria – one of Tony’s two daughters.
The album, entitled “You’re My World”, was dedicated to the youngsters.
With the LP now in the safe-keeping of Tony, who is still singing at the age of 74, Neil said he was delighted with the happy ending.
He said: “We jokingly put the post up about the album, which was usual of its time in the 1970s.”
“A week later there was a message from Maria asking if we still had the album.
“I messaged her back and apologised about the posts but she replied saying she hadn’t laughed so much in ages.”
Neil, 48, is delighted with the outcome.
“The plan was to give people a little laugh by sharing an amusing bargain bin record with a cheesy cover,” he said.
“We could not have imagined the story that would follow.”
Stage magazine once described Tony and Kay as “one of the most polished vocal comedy instrumental double acts in clubland”.
Maria explained the pair are still friends and both live near Swindon.
They toured all over Scotland in the 1970s, with Tony going on to share the bill with stars including Tom Jones, Shirley Bassey, Lulu and Freddie & The Dreamers.
He also completed a tour of Butlins’ camps and still performs with the band, Nitelife Duo.
She said: “He was chatting to his band mate about when he made his album, a once in a lifetime experience, back in the day, when he was at the height of his career.
“As a child, my sister and I played that record every day, but somehow, over the past 40 years, it had disappeared.”
The album featured a number of hits from the day, including “What I did for love”, “Wooden Heart” and, of course, “You’re My World.”
Tony contacted the record company to try to get a copy but they had been bought out and any archives were long gone.
Maria did a Google search – and up popped Mo’ Fidelity Records.
She said Tony was thrilled to be re-united with his LP 40 years after he recorded it.
“He was astonished I found one and amazed anyone kept it 40 years,” she said.
“Tony and Kay worked regularly in Scotland, never in Montrose though, so how it ended up there, is a mystery.”
