The Peter Pan Of Pop

It’s not often that a pop singer has the ability to perform in stage plays and act in the movies, too. But Cliff Richard is one of a kind. The ageless music icon has sold more singles in England than any other artist, including the Beatles, and appeared in eight films with several stage credits to his name.

Sir Cliff (he was knighted by the Queen of England at Buckingham Palace in 1995) is a living legend and with his 50th anniversary in show business coming up in August next year, has set a record of durability that is almost impossible to surpass. No other recording artist has scored a No. 1 single in each of the last five decades.

Sir Cliff, who turned 66 last October 14, will make a rare Manila appearance in a pre-Valentine‘s Day show at the Araneta Coliseum on February 13. His repertoire will consist of a mix of greatest hits, all-time favorites and new songs from his latest album "Two’s Company."

Although he’s been a recording artist since 1958, Sir Cliff doesn’t look his age. "I wish somehow I could be Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up," he once said. "I’m going to stay young for as long as I can." And he has.

Acting was like second nature to Sir Cliff who made his stage debut at the Cheshunt County Secondary School in "The Price of Perfection" in 1954. Nearly 20 years later, he was back in theater as Clive Harrington in Peter Shaffer?’s "Five Finger Exercise." Sir Cliff also performed in Graham Greene’s "The Potting Shed," Dave Clark’s West End musical "Time" and "Heathcliff," whose video topped the UK charts for two months.

On the big screen, Sir Cliff was a popular figure who appeared in "Serious Charge," "Expresso Bongo," "The Young Ones," "Summer Holiday," "Finders Keepers," "Thunderbirds Are Go," "Two a Penny," and "Take Me High."

Sir Cliff also hosted his own TV show called "It’s Cliff Richard" in 1970-71.

But his crowning glory was the magic he wove singing in concerts. There probably isn’t a major market in the world that Sir Cliff hasn’t penetrated. He was the first Western rock star to tour Russia in 1976 with 20 sold-out shows, defied apartheid by insisting on performing before a multi-racial audience in South Africa in 1983, drew about 145,000 fans to witness his two 30th anniversary shows at Wembley Arena in London in 1989 and sang for over 120,000 people at Knebworth in 1990.

Sir Cliff opened his 2006-07 "Here and Now" world tour with a sell-out concert at Wembley last November. Manila is the sixth stop in an eight-nation Middle East and Asia tour that ends in Colombo on February 23. Then, he will perform five days in South Africa before embarking on a Europe tour with shows in Finland, Norway, Denmark, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Iceland.

In 1966, Sir Cliff announced his conversion to Christianity. The turning point came when one evening, he sat in his room reading the Bible and came across the passage in the Book of Revelation where Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock, whoever hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in." Sir Cliff was in front of 25,000 people with evangelist Billy Graham at the Earl’s Court Arena when he publicly declared his conversion.

The Christian influence was evident in Sir Cliff’s No. 1 hit "The Millennium Prayer" with words from the Lord’s prayer sung to the music of "Auld Lang Syne." It was his 14th No. 1 single and sold over a million copies in England alone. The single spent three weeks at the top of the charts in 1999. Sir Cliff donated every penny he earned from the single to charity.

Sir Cliff is a confirmed bachelor. Twice, he came close to getting married but never took the plunge. One of his serious girlfriends was tennis star Sue Barker who introduced him to the game.

"Maybe I have lived through all the things I needed to live through to find myself and what I want out of life," he said, quoted by Steve Turner in his biography book. "I don’t think marriage is one of those things. I don’t feel I’ll ever get married now. I don’t think I’m unique. I still have enough female company and that’s fine.

"At the moment, I prefer not having a romantic attachment. I find myself really free. I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to look for babysitters. Life for me is really quite nice and I like it the way it is. The only reason it’s not selfish is because no one has to tie themselves to anyone else if they don’t want to. It’s a positive step in that I don’t actually owe anyone anything."

Turner said Sir Cliff’s single status is a key element of his image as an "eternal teenager." He explained that "it remains important that he is available, that he can still be thought of as someone looking for the right girl–if he had a wife, two children and a grandchild, his appeal would alter because he would no longer be seen as unshackled and able to give himself totally."

Turner added that "the fact that he looks and acts young has become an integral part of his image."

Watching Sir Cliff in concert is an experience of a lifetime. It will be his third Manila show but his first in over 20 years. He will treat his Filipino fans with a wide range of songs that appeal to Baby Boomers and New Generation rockers alike.

Sir Cliff’s concert in Manila could be his last here so it’s a can’t-miss performance that’s guaranteed to provide an unforgettable night of nostalgia, music and love.

Tickets available at Ticketnet outlets, the Araneta Coliseum booth and SM Department Stores. For ticket inquiries, call 911-5555.