Interview by Kathleen Morrison		 .

It's very refreshing to meet someone who has realised their childhood dream. Peter Karrie did just that to become an internationally acclaimed singer. I had the pleasure of meeting him at Bobath's summer ball and was delighted when he agreed to my interview. We met at our studio in Cardiff Bay and talked about his passion for art - he was great.

When did you first dream of becoming a singer? I was brought up on a farm and everybody had his or her own chore to do. My brother, who was a couple of years older than me was brilliant - he could turn his hand to anything. They used to try me out at various types of jobs and finally found a place where I was in a natural habitat, and that was in the cowshed! I had to clean it out every morning and I was even pretty bad at that! So I used to sing to take my mind off everything else.
It was like living in an echo chamber with the big granite walls and tin roof. The songs of the day were from films and I used to wail away there on my own - I

 

knew I was going to be a singer. My Nan reckoned that the milk yield went up when I was singing!

What is your most memorable performance? I did the Welsh Assembly in front of Her Majesty and Prince Charles. I went on stage and my mother was in the audience. I got her a ticket but I didn't know where she was seated so I started singing 'The Impossible Dream' with a huge orchestra and choir. It was a fun thing to do because it had always seemed impossible to get a Welsh Assembly. The last time they had one was 1640 with Owain Glyndwr! Anyway, the Queen was sat about 100ft in front of me and as I was doing this number I suddenly noticed there was this arm waving at me, and it was where the Queen was. But all of a sudden another arm shot up and pulled it down and I thought 'Prince Charles is getting a ticking off!' I was singing away and could see the arm going with the song and I got very emotional - I choked up. After the concert had finished I wanted to tell my mother about the Queen waving at me. My mother started talking and I couldn't get a word in to tell her what happened. She was saying 'Oh! It was amazing did you see me? I was sat right in front of the Queen and I was waving at you!' But Eirwin, her friend, kept on pulling her arm down because the Queen was behind them!

Do you have a passion for any other of the arts? I love paintings, especially your Racing Colours series - they display such life and energy

and I also love horses. The scenes they show are so true to life.

How does art play a role in your life? I love beautiful things. Beautiful things stir me and I love the world of art because it's all creation, it's out of somebody's mind. You can't imagine how another person feels until they put it down on canvas and then you see what's inside them.

Do you have a favourite artist?
I love Canaletto. I love his detail and also Constable because I love the countryside. Then again if you go back to the pre-Raphaelite era I also like that. I love modern art, but funnily enough I was never a lover of Picasso although he was a genius. It just fascinates me to see how people see things.

How has fame impacted on your life? Well it does spoil things, like being recognised. It's hugely flattering but at the same time it can tend to distort things. For instance my daughter is so embarrassed if I'm recognised. She thinks that it's so uncool! You do get taken off to a place where you don't necessarily want to go, but If the spotlight falls on you, you perform.


The Bobath Ball was hosted by Gail Griffiths. For more info about Bobath visit www.bobathwales.org


FOR ALL YOU PETER KARRIE FANS www.peterkarrieandfriends.com


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