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Richard aims to be a soaring success

Dan Thompson
14/ 8/2008

A YOUNG singer and guitarist won’t ‘Take It Easy’ when he performs in the regional finals of a talent contest.

Richard Leicester, 14, won through to the next stage of the Idol 2008 competition by wowing a panel of judges at an audition with his version of The Eagles hit Tequila Sunrise.

Richard, of Aylesbury Grove, Boarshaw, will perform again for judges on 14 September at the regional finals - with the chance to get through to the national finals and perform on television.

The Middleton Technology School student said: "I’m both nervous and excited at the moment. The audition was great, it went really well. I just went in there and sang, they sent me out and a few minutes later they told me I was through."

He added: "Before and during the audition I was fine but while I was waiting I was very nervous. I was hopeful I’d get through but I was over the moon when they told me."

Richard’s audition took place on Sunday 3 August at The Willows in Salford and the regional finals will be in the same venue. He said he would consider singing another song for the finals – with Summer of ‘69 by Bryan Adams and How Long by The Eagles both in contention.

Richard, also a big fan of Dire Straits and their guitarist Mark Knopfler, added that he was keen to make music his profession and wanted to join a band in the local area.

The Idol competition, now in its fourth year, has grown from a regional event for the south coast into a national contest, with over 10,000 applicants entering last year. The 2007 competition was broadcast on ITV.

Judges for the show include Lee Latchford-Evans, formerly of Steps, ex-pop star Dane Bowers, Cheryl Baker and Liz McClarnon from Atomic Kitten.