GRAMMY-WINNING singer Leo Sayer has had an impressive career spanning four decades which has brought him five worldwide number one hits.

During his time in the limelight, which has seen him work with the likes of Roger Daltrey and perform in front of the Queen, Leo has been offered pearls of wisdom from a number of people — but none more important than from a certain Sir Paul McCartney.

Leo, aged 67, says the former Beatle is the reason he never cut his trademark curly hair.

He said: "I went to a posh club in London many years ago — the kind where I was given a tie at the door before I could walk in — and I sat down at this table. Then in walks Paul McCartney who gave me some great advice. He said, 'don't cut your hair.' So I didn't.

"Years later I was walking down Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood towards the famous Tower Records building when a Mercedes pulled up by the side of me and this voice said, 'get in'. It was Macca again. He recognised me and he said in his Liverpool accent, 'I see you took my advice'.

"With mentoring like that how can you go wrong?"

Known for a string of hits from 13 albums, including You Make Me Feel Like Dancing, The Show Must Go On and Thunder in My Heart, Leo admits that the music industry is barely recognisable from when he burst onto the scene in 1972.

Leo said: "The whole entertainment industry has changed so much. First punk came along, then we had music videos where only record companies could afford to make them — I mean, how can you compete with the likes of Thriller? Then there was the death of the tape cassette, internet downloading and of course piracy, which lowered the value of music.

"It's not easy and things have radically changed. You have shows now like the X Factor where you have someone singing someone else's song along with a sob story which becomes almost as important as the contestant themselves, let alone any music they end up releasing."

To add to his impressive back catalogue, Leo's 14th album Restless Years is out now ahead of his appearance in Salford next week.

Leo said: "The reaction to the album has been really good so far. It has been six years since my last record but I like to work slow and steady. I'm 67 now so that is only a short time to me. Plus it means I can do a very thorough job and I know I could not have done any better.

"I am blessed with a fantastic bunch of musicians and to a certain extent that set the criteria to the album. I had plenty of feedback from them about the songs they liked, so it's not just about me performing with a support band.

"On the tour we will be playing mostly the old songs — they have to be in the set list — along with a few from the new album, but not too many. People want to hear the classics."

Recalling a favourite career highlight, Leo picks his work with Roger Daltrey where he, David Courtney and Adam Faith, remastered an album for The Who legend.

He said: "Right at the start Roger was the quintessential rock singer and I had a magical time working with him. You can ask your heroes, 'what am I going to do?' and pick up advice about how they work when you're with them. They passed it all on — and I hope I have been able to do the same for others."

Leo Sayer performs at The Lowry in Salford on Thursday, September 10. Call 0843 208 6000 for tickets.