Maxine Daniels (2 November 1930 – 20 October 2003) was an English jazz singer who achieved notability in the post-war era.
Early life
Daniels was born Gladys Lynch in Stepney, London, an elder sister of singer and entertainer, Kenny Lynch. She was one of thirteen children.
Career
Her first recognition as a singer came from winning a local talent contest, at the age of 14, in a Stepney cinema. Local recognition led to a first singing job with a semi-professional band led by a Canning Town grocer, until another talent competition organised by the Daily Sketch and sponsored by bandleader Ted Heath. A long residency (1954–56) with bandleader Denny Boyce followed at The Orchid Room in Purley. At Boyce's suggestion, she changed her stage name: through their regular Radio Luxembourg broadcasts, she gained a wider audience, and the opportunity to record for the Oriole label.
Personal life
She married Charlie Daniels in 1950, and had they had a daughter, Hazel Annette. Charlie died in 1988. In the late 1950s, Maxine shared a mutual attraction with actor Sean Connery, whom she met while performing at a theatre. Connery purportedly made a pass at her, but was informed she was already happily married with a daughter. Maxine Daniels died in Romford in 2003, aged 72. She was survived by her daughter and two grandsons.
Discography
- Coffee Bar Calypso (Oriole, 1957)
- A Foggy Day (Oriole, 1957)
- I Never Realised (Oriole, 1958)
- Somebody Else Is Taking My Place (Oriole, 1958) with Denny Boyce & His Orchestra
- When It's Springtime in the Rockies (Oriole, 1958) with Denny Boyce & His Orchestra
- Passionate Summer (Oriole, 1958)
- Pete Corrigan and His Band of Hope (CBH, 1984) featuring Maxine Daniels
- The Magic of Maxine Daniels... Every Night About This Time (Calligraph, 1986)
- A Pocketful of Dreams (Calligraph, 1987)
- From the Heart (Calligraph, 1993)
- The Memory of Tonight (Calligraph, 1996)
References
- ^ Obituary, Thedeadrockstarsclub.com; accessed 5 December 2011.
- ^ Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby; Priestley, Brian (1995). Jazz: the rough guide (1 ed.). London, UK: Rough Guides. p. 152. ISBN 1-85828-137-7.
- 'Encyclopedia of Popular Music' in Oxford Reference
- ^ Wilmer, Val (30 October 2003). "Maxine Daniels obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
- ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Maxine Daniels, singer by Val Wilmer
- Yule, Andrew (1992). Sean Connery: Neither Shaken Nor Stirred. Little, Brown Book Group. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-7515-4097-0.
- ^ Maxine Daniels - Discography on 45cat.com
- ^ Maxine Daniels - Discography on Discogs
External links
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