Irrespective of who you are, you can find yourself at the bottom.

[Cityboymax]

I live in Bath, in the UK. I went to school with my lifelong friend in the 60s, and later he and I and another young man formed a band called City Boy. Between 1975 and 1982, we recorded 7 albums, had a top-ten hit in 1978, and nearly “conquered” America in 1979. However, things came to an end in 1982.

The mother of my children had married a rock star - indeed she married money - and with my returning to teaching, the high life was gone. I became exhausted by her unreasonable behaviour, and I divorced her when our sons were in their late teens, for this very reason. For the sake of my boys I decided to leave her with the house so they could continue to live there. Sadly, most people concluded that I had left the house to her out of guilt… Since then she has turned everyone away from me - discredited me - even my own sons, my family, and friends of mine from long ago.

I heard about this African couple who had sung on behalf of various ministries in North America and many European countries. They were never paid properly for their work, but one day, she had a vision of starting a ministry in Africa, in Nairobi, to start helping hurting people. She and her husband subsequently raised 7 young men from the street in their house over a number of years, all of whom became respectable citizens and fathers in their own land (Kenya), with two of them becoming American citizens. This couple decided to have just one child of their own so that they could devote themselves to these young men. When I heard this story I was deeply moved…

I had the great good fortune of meeting this African lady and her son around the time of my marriage break up. I was quite depressed, but she helped me heal, and I am indebted to her… her husband passed on at this time, and I went to stay with her, and we have now lived together for some years - not co-habiting - but nevertheless living together. I would love to marry her, but there’s been nothing I can give her. We’ve never even been on holiday, but she has always supported me - through thick and thin - just me and my African friend. We’re all gifted: she and her son are superb musicians, singers and songwriters.

In rented accommodation you can’t do proper recording, so I gave my friend’s son my multi-track recording device some years ago, and he has been doing amazing production work in Bath. He’s not making any money, but his potential staggers me. We just don’t have the resources to turn this into a lucrative business.

I have been endeavouring to revive City Boy music (many young people who hear it describe the music as “timeless”) recently, but nowadays it’s very difficult to know whom to trust - especially when you only have very limited resources available.

We’re now in a dire situation. My employment was terminated recently because of my asking colleagues for assistance (repeatedly) - simply out of my desperation. I am fighting this, but the lawyers I first consulted turned out to work for my employers - somewhat of a conflict of interest. So I had to seek free legal advice.

I have a passion for teaching, almost as much as for my music, and I know I am effective in the classroom. I love to work. I have a sound mind. I may be 74, but retirement is not in my vocabulary. Sometimes I’ve had work offered to me but it’s too far away, and I haven’t been able to get there because I don’t have a car.

I have a couple of interviews coming up - I’m hoping to get a job in September, but that’s just next week. It would be nice to have a home - and a garden - again. If there’s someone who has a house that needs living in? I can teach maths. I’m a good writer, and proof-reader. And I love people!

I saw this website on Google… I thought I’ll not be proud - I’ll tell my story. And this is it. Nobody has a story like this… but, perhaps I should say: this is our story, my African girlfriend and I, because it involves both of us. And nobody can take this away from us. We have something to tell the whole world: you can pick yourself up, and you can be somebody.

I’ve never seen her surrender, and, putting it simply, she has given me a purpose and a reason to live… and if there’s anything that I want to come out of this, I’d love to surprise her; to lift up this beautiful family; and to pay back a little of that which they have given me. I long to move forward to fulfillment in our lives - which would benefit many people. Thank you for reading all this!