During the day he manages a funeral service; at night he takes to the stage as Cliff Richard.
For Beenleigh local Ray Leon, a Cliff Richard impersonator, it’s the perfect work-life balance.
Mr Leon said he had always put on concerts at local aged care facilities – volunteering his time to “share music” and entertain residents.
“Music is a universal language, and it brings back a lot of memories and a lot of smiles, and an opportunity to brighten their day,” he said.
As a funeral director, these concerts also provide a cheerful break from his work life.
“Particularly the industry I’m in, I’m reminded every day of the fragility of life and to pursue your passions and do something you enjoy,” Mr Leon said.
Now he performs up to three times a month.
“I took it a bit more seriously by auditioning for some bands over the years, and now I’m with three different performing groups,” he said.
“I do Neil Diamond tribute, I’m with a band called the Grumpy Old Men, I’m with a band called The Guilty Advocates, and then an opportunity came up to do Cliff Richard.
And he’s finally got the chance to play in front of a Beenleigh crowd.
“The Cliff Richard Experience was booked to go onto the Blue Suede Cruise last year, and they had been rehearsing for a year-and-a-half when their nominated Cliff decided that he would pursue a different direction,” he said.
“I love the 50s and 60s stuff, which is the kind of stuff I have always been singing at the aged care and retirement villages, so I auditioned, and they gave me the opportunity to join them on the cruise.
“And that’s how this outfit came about.”
This 11 April, Mr Leon will perform as Cliff Richards at Club Beenleigh from 10:30am-12:30pm.
He said he will perform all the classics.
“Cliff had quite a varied career, he started in about 1958 and then had a resurgence in the 80s and that reinvented his career in a completely different format to it was back in the 50s,” Mr Leon said.
