Lulu, 75, announces she is RETIRING from touring after 60 years in the spotlight… and sheds light on her all-star experiences with David Bowie, The Who, The Rolling Stones and more

Lulu has announced her retirement from touring after a stellar 60-year career. She said she felt “unsupported” as she dealt with the tough demands of touring last year.

The Scottish star, real name Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, said she found traveling ‘grueling’, while adding that over the past 12 months she has realized she has changed.

Following speculation that she is considering quitting touring, Lulu told the Rosebud podcast: “I’m announcing it for the first time now – this is my farewell tour.”

But she has promised to make the concerts – starting on April 9 in Glasgow and ending at the London Palladium – memorably different, with family and famous friends set to appear at the shows and some likely to join her on stage.

Following the announcement, Lulu also spoke to The Guardian about her dazzling all-star experiences in the spotlight – including personal experiences with icons such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop and The Who.

Following the announcement, Lulu also spoke to The Guardian about her dazzling all-star experiences in the spotlight – including personal experiences with icons such as David Bowie, The Rolling Stones, Iggy Pop and The Who (pictured with Bowie in 2000)

The Scottish star, real name Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, said she found traveling ‘grueling’, while adding that over the past 12 months she has realized she has changed

The tour is also expected to include a conversation about her career.

Although she wouldn’t reveal exact details, she guaranteed fans they would hear her 1969 Eurovision Song Contest winning hit, ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’.

Lulu, honored with an OBE and CBE, said: ‘I’m not going to tell you exactly what I’m going to do, but of course I’m going to have to do ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’. The public still wants to do it themselves. You can’t give people what they want – and more.

“If you’ve ever seen me on tour, let me say you’ve never seen me like this.

‘This is actually – I’m announcing it for the first time now – this is my farewell tour, with family and friends.

“Because I did a tour last year that was quite grueling – it was successful, it went well – but you need an army to be successful in your career these days.”

Suggesting she might focus on her acting, she added: “And I didn’t feel supported. But then I turned 75 and I thought: you know what, I want to keep working, but I want to do it in a different way. I have learned…

‘And I have also become a slightly different person. I’m not afraid to be vulnerable.’

Although she wouldn’t reveal precise details, she guaranteed fans they would hear her 1969 Eurovision Song Contest winning hit, ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ (pictured last month).

Possible tour guests include Lulu’s former musical collaborators Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney. Sting, Take That and Westlife.

It was at just 15 years old when her version of the Isley Brothers’ ‘Shout’ peaked at number seven on the UK charts and she had a hit with the title song of the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Pistol.

The name of her latest tour, ‘The Champagne for Lulu’ tour, was inspired by a line from her Ab Fab performance, which had people around the world shouting the words to her.

The closing date of Palladium is exactly on the 60th anniversary of her hit ‘Shout’.

Lulu later spoke about her experiences with celebrities, including meeting David Bowie, who in 1974 produced her cover of his 1970 song The Man Who Sold the World, which reached No. 3 in the British charts and was a Top 10 hit in all of Europe; of course the song

She told The Guardian: ‘I first met him in a studio in the US with Iggy Pop…

Speaking about her experiences with The Rolling Stones, she astonishingly said: ‘The Stones would pat me on the head like a little sister, which always annoyed me because I wanted to be their equal’ (Lulu, left, pictured with The Rolling Stones). Ronnie Wood of Rolling Stones, center, in 2019)

‘Later he walked up to me in the foyer of a hotel in Sheffield, invited me to his show that night and said, “I want to make a hit with you.” And that’s exactly what happened…

“The record company wanted me to become a little pop diva, but he said, ‘They don’t understand your voice.’ I loved Hunky Dory and he looked like he hadn’t wiped off his makeup from the day before. His hair was orange, his skin was alabaster…

“After we had a few drinks, we were nose-to-nose for the rest of the evening.”

Speaking about her experiences with The Rolling Stones, she astonishingly said, “The Stones would pat me on the head like a little sister, which always annoyed me because I wanted to be their equal.”

Lulu was then asked: ‘Is it true that you took Pete Townshend to your parents’ house in Glasgow for tea and biscuits?’

She then said: ‘It wasn’t just Pete, it was certainly Pete and Roger (Daltrey). It might even have been the whole band, and my parents’ apartment was very small…

‘The Who supported me in Glasgow when they were the High Numbers, but it wasn’t tea and biscuits. My father was a big drinker, so he sent for half a bottle of whiskey and six cans of lager. I still meet Roger…

“Nothing can reproduce the history you have with people from when you were young.