The Mudlarks

The Mudlarks
OriginLuton, Bedfordshire, England
GenresPop music
LabelsEMI
Past membersJeff Mudd
Fred Mudd
Mary Mudd
David Lane

The Mudlarks were an English pop vocal group of the late 1950s and early 1960s.[1] They had two Top 10 UK hit singles in 1958.[2]

Career

The Mudlarks were a family group from Luton, Bedfordshire, England,[1] originally comprising Fred Mudd (1933–2007), Jeff Mudd (born 1936),[3] and Mary Mudd (born 1938).[4] According to press releases at the time, they all had jobs at the Vauxhall motor plant in Luton, and spent their spare time singing together.[4] In 1958, they attracted the attention of BBC Radio music presenter David Jacobs,[1] who won them an appearance on the Six-Five Special TV show, and a recording contract with EMI's Columbia label.[4]

The Mudlarks' first release, "Mutual Admiration Society", was unsuccessful but their second, a cover of the American novelty song "Lollipop", originally recorded by the duo Ronald and Ruby, and more successfully by The Chordettes, rose to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart.[2][4] They followed this with another UK Top 10 hit, a cover of The Monotones' "Book of Love".[2][4] At the end of 1958, The Mudlarks were voted top British vocal group by readers of the New Musical Express.[4] Jeff Mudd then left the group as he was called to do National Service.[1] He was replaced by David Lane (born David Burgess, 1938 – 2010), a compere and entertainer on the Manchester club circuit. The Mudlarks continued to release records until 1964, but had only one more hit – "The Love Game", a No. 30 hit in 1959.[2]

Fred Mudd married Leila Williams,[3] who was Miss Great Britain in 1957 and from 1958 until 1962 co-hosted the BBC children's programme Blue Peter. He died in Marbella, Spain in 2007,[3] leaving a widow, daughter and three grandsons.

In 1962, Mary Mudd and David Lane married in Newton Abbot. Lane died at his home in Hattersley in 2010; he had cancer for eight years previously.[5]

Jeff Mudd married Hazel Dixon in 1962; he now lives in Cornwall.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 301. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  2. ^ a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 382. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ a b c "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2007 January to June". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "The Mudlarks". 45-rpm.org.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
  5. ^ Malyon, Mike (25 July 2016). Seems Like a Nice Boy: The Story of Larry Grayson's Rise to Stardom. Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 9781911476016 – via Google Books.