Dickie Valentine

The popular 1950s pop singer Dickie Valentine was originally discovered and subsequently mentored by the actor/singer Bill O'Connor who, having overheard Valentine singing as a call boy at a theatre in London, paid for him to have singing lessons. By his late teens Valentine was regularly appearing in clubs and honing his craft as a performer. During one of his appearances at London's Panama Club he was spotted by music publisher Sid Green which led to Valentine being hired to sing in Ted Heath's Orchestra - a top singing job for a young unknown singer. After going solo in 1954 Valentine's career took off and he became a household name with two number one hits. His marriage to Elizabeth Flynn in 1955 occurred at a time when UK music business executives and promoters preferred their top male acts to be single and it was widely predicted Valentine's career would decline. The opposite occurred and Valentine went from strength to strength eventually going on to host his own TV show, Calling Dickie Valentine. The singer died in 1971 aged 41 when his car crashed in heavy fog in Glangrwyney, South Wales killing the singer and a pianist and drummer who were accompanying him on a gig.

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