Matt Monro Jnr finally says goodbye to his father over 30 years after his death

Publish date: 2024-05-20

Now he’s reached the same age at which his famous dad died, Matt Monro Jnr finally feels he can say goodbye.

He has followed in his father’s footsteps as a singer and is touring with The Matt Monro Story, which comes to Scotland this month.

And the 54-year-old said it will be his final tour – and his swansong, as he will quit singing when it’s done.

His dad was well known for songs such as Born Free and From Russia With Love in the 60s and was friends with many celebrities, including Sammy Davis Jnr and Morecambe and Wise.

He died of cancer in 1985 but Matt admitted: “I’ve never said goodbye to my dad, because I couldn’t let go of him.

“The reason I started all this 31 years ago was because, by being on stage, it brought a closeness to my dad as he’d performed on so many stages.

“I feel like my dad’s around me when I’m on stage and I talk to him every night.

“That’s why this tour is going to be the hardest tour I’ve done in my life, because this is goodbye.

“I will never, ever, ever sing again after this.”

Matt, who lives in Battersea, London, wants to spend more time with his new wife Chandrika, 50.

He said: “I’ve been in the business for 31 years and I’ve been really lucky that I’m still going and I’ve been reasonably successful.

“I’m the same age now as when my dad died. I think that’s got a lot to do with it – and I got married in December.

“I realised I’ve travelled around the world so many times but I’ve never really seen any countries.”

Despite his father’s fame, Matt had a very grounded upbringing.

He said: “People would come up to my dad in restaurants and stuff but I was so young and maybe sheltered a bit by my parents.

“I knew he was a singer but to me that was no different to him being a banker or an accountant or a journalist. It was just a job.”

Matt added: “I had no idea my dad was famous until we did This Is Your Life when I was about 13.

“Dad brought us up so we were so grounded. Once he was off stage, he was very much a family man.

“We had famous people around the house but that didn’t really mean anything to me.

“I remember Sammy Davis Jr, Dave Allen, Sid James, Morecambe and Wise.

“I didn’t know that Joe Public looked at these people as stars. They were just people who came to my house and saw my mum and dad.

“My dad’s best friends were Sammy Davis and Dave Allen. They were always joking and messing about.”

Matt was invited to sing a duet on stage with his dad when he was 13 – and would have loved to have repeated the experience.

Read More

But his father died a couple of weeks before his 21st birthday.

He said: “When I was on stage with him, I looked at him and it was the only time in my life he wasn’t my dad – he was Matt Monro.

“I had no intention of becoming a singer though. I was going to become a golf professional.

“In fact, I did become a golf professional and then he died and I came back from America to help with my mum and the family and I didn’t go back to golf.

“I realised my dad not playing golf with me and not being there took away the whole love I had for the game at the time.”

He started giving after-dinner talks and then someone suggested he sang a song.

Matt recalled: “Over the next few months, one song became three songs and three songs became five. Before I knew it, I was on Opportunity Knocks and on tour with Cannon and Ball. The rest is history, as they say.”

He hopes he’s made his dad proud, adding: “When I started in the business, everybody thought I wouldn’t last six months. But I got to the top, although I’m not a star in the real sense of the word – apart from places in Asia.

“I can walk anywhere and no one would have a clue who I was. However, when I’m in the Philippines, I can’t walk five yards without being recognised.

“I have bodyguards, motorcades, presidential suites. I’ve been to the Philippines seven or eight times now and it’s a different world. They stop the traffic in the city.

“It’s crazy but it’s a nice crazy. I have to be mentally aware when I go there for two or three months what I’m letting myself into.

“When I step on the plane home, I think, ‘Now I can go back to what I call a normal life.’

“It’s not normal when I’m out there. They have 27,000 seaters and I have dinner with people like Imelda Marcos and royalty.

“It never stops. You have to do these things. These are your sponsors who bring you out there. It’s part of your job.”

While Matt sings certain lines of his dad’s songs in the same way, in other parts he makes them his own.

He explained: “The thing is, I’m not a tribute band.

“This is my dad’s life story. On stage, we have multimedia with my dad singing and talking in the show and celebrities talking about my dad.

“There’s a narrator, who narrates his life story. She also sings. I also sing and sing with my dad in the show.”

This is the fourth year of this particular show – and different to the concerts he used to give.

Once the tour ends next month, he will concentrate on the property business he runs with his wife.

He admitted: “I’ve had a fantastic life.

“People say, ‘Your dad died so young.’ But there are people out there who don’t have mums and dads or, if they do, don’t have a loving upbringing.

“I’m so lucky to have had parents who loved each other and adored their children.”

His son Matthew, 35, isn’t in the business. Matt said: “I named him after my dad, not me.”

And now he’s ready to also bow out of showbusiness.

Matt said: “I don’t want to die being on the road or on stage.

“I think I’ve earned my dues and I want to travel a bit with my wife and share some memories together.

“That’s why it’s goodbye to dad. It’s time to let go.”

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCrnZOkv6V6wqhlrqNfobansdKtsKWdX6KutcCMpqanqp9it6%2B%2BjKyYsqGenHqou86dmbKdXWaAdISTcmlr