Beryl Marsden
Encyclopedia
Beryl Marsden is a British
R&B and pop
singer, who first came to notice on the Liverpool
club scene of the early 1960s. She recorded a number of "powerful and soulful", but unsuccessful, records, and has been described as "undeservedly neglected".
area of Liverpool, one of a family of 10 children. She began singing as a child, and at the age of 14 won a local talent competition. She was invited to join local band The Undertakers
, but was too young to travel with them to club dates in Hamburg
. Instead, she started singing with local group Howie Casey
and the Crew, often performing at the Cavern Club
. Although she took the stage name Beryl Marsden, she was not related to musician Gerry Marsden
.
In 1963 she started appearing at the Star Club in Hamburg, and on her return to England moved to London
, where she was managed by Tony Stratton-Smith
and was signed as a solo singer by Decca Records
. She recorded two singles for them, a cover
of Barbara George
's "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)
", followed by a version of The Supremes
' "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
". However, neither were successful. She supported The Beatles
on their last UK tour in 1964, and in 1965 signed to the Columbia
label. There, she released two singles that year, "Who You Gonna Hurt?", and "Music Talk". The B-side of the latter was a version of the Irma Thomas
song "Breakaway
" (later a hit for Tracey Ullman
), arranged and produced by Ivor Raymonde
. Her final solo single, "What’s She Got", was issued in April 1966.
In May 1966 she joined a new group, Shotgun Express
, whose members also included Rod Stewart
, Mick Fleetwood
, and guitarist Peter Green
. After that group split up in early 1967, she joined all-girl band The She Trinity
before linking up with Liverpool musician Paddy Chambers to form the band Sinbad. In the 1970s, she also performed as a member of a group called Gambler, before forming the Beryl Marsden Band. She also worked as a session singer, recorded with former Shotgun Express member Phil Sawyer
, and in the 1980s performed on stage with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.
She released an album, One Dream in 2004, the single "Baby It’s You" in 2007, and another single "Too Late" in 2008. Some of her 1960s recordings have also been reissued on compilations.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
R&B and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer, who first came to notice on the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
club scene of the early 1960s. She recorded a number of "powerful and soulful", but unsuccessful, records, and has been described as "undeservedly neglected".
Life and career
She was born Beryl Hogg in the ToxtethToxteth
Toxteth is an inner city area of Liverpool, England. Located to the south of the city, Toxteth is bordered by Liverpool City Centre, Dingle, Edge Hill, Wavertree and Aigburth.-Description:...
area of Liverpool, one of a family of 10 children. She began singing as a child, and at the age of 14 won a local talent competition. She was invited to join local band The Undertakers
The Undertakers
The Undertakers were a British beat group, contemporaries of The Beatles and a leading group in the Merseybeat music scene of the early 1960s.-Band members:Their best known line-up was:*Jackie Lomax *Chris Huston...
, but was too young to travel with them to club dates in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Instead, she started singing with local group Howie Casey
Howie Casey
Howard William "Howie" Casey is a British rhythm and blues and rock saxophonist. He first came to prominence in the early 1960s as a member of Derry and the Seniors, the first rock and roll band from Liverpool to play clubs in Germany, and later, as leader of the renamed Howie Casey and the...
and the Crew, often performing at the Cavern Club
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club is a rock and roll club in Liverpool, England. Opened on Wednesday 16 January 1957, the club had their first performance by The Beatles on 9 February 1961, and where Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles performing on 9 November 1961....
. Although she took the stage name Beryl Marsden, she was not related to musician Gerry Marsden
Gerry Marsden
Gerard "Gerry" Marsden is an English musician and television personality, best known for being leader of the British band Gerry & the Pacemakers.-Biography:...
.
In 1963 she started appearing at the Star Club in Hamburg, and on her return to England moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where she was managed by Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith
Tony Stratton-Smith was an English rock music manager, and entrepreneur. He was best known as founder of London based independent record label Charisma Records which he began in 1969. Groups he managed included The Nice , Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator...
and was signed as a solo singer by Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
. She recorded two singles for them, a cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of Barbara George
Barbara George
Barbara George was an American R&B singer and songwriter.Born Barbara Ann Smith, she was raised in New Orleans and began singing in a church choir. She was discovered by singer Jessie Hill, who recommended her to record producer, Harold Battiste...
's "I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)
I Know (You Don't Love Me No More)
"I Know " is a R&B song written and performed by American singer Barbara George. It was released as her debut single in late 1961. This song became her signature song and her only major hit in United States, peaking at number 1 in the Billboard R&B singles chart and number 3 in the Pop Singles chart...
", followed by a version of The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
' "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes
"When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" is a song written by Holland–Dozier–Holland and recorded in 1963 by Motown singing group The Supremes. It is notable as the Supremes' first Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 recording, following seven previous singles between January 1961 and September...
". However, neither were successful. She supported The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on their last UK tour in 1964, and in 1965 signed to the Columbia
Columbia Graphophone Company
The Columbia Graphophone Company was one of the earliest gramophone companies in the United Kingdom. Under EMI, as Columbia Records, it became a very successful label in the 1950s and 1960s...
label. There, she released two singles that year, "Who You Gonna Hurt?", and "Music Talk". The B-side of the latter was a version of the Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas
Irma Thomas is an American Grammy Award-winning soul and rhythm and blues singer from New Orleans. She is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans"....
song "Breakaway
Breakaway (Irma Thomas song)
"Breakaway" is a song written by Jackie DeShannon and Sharon Sheeley. It was originally recorded by Irma Thomas in 1964 and released as the B-Side of her biggest hit, the US #17 hit single "Wish Someone Would Care"...
" (later a hit for Tracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman
Tracey Ullman is a British stage and television actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, screenwriter and author ....
), arranged and produced by Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde
Ivor Raymonde was a British musician, songwriter, arranger and actor, best known for his distinctive rock-orchestral arrangements for Dusty Springfield and others in the 1960s.-Life and career:...
. Her final solo single, "What’s She Got", was issued in April 1966.
In May 1966 she joined a new group, Shotgun Express
Shotgun Express
Shotgun Express was a short-lived British R&B band formed in London in May 1966. Although it achieved little success at the time, it is notable for having briefly included such subsequently famous musicians as Rod Stewart, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green....
, whose members also included Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
, and guitarist Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)
Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
. After that group split up in early 1967, she joined all-girl band The She Trinity
The She Trinity
The She Trinity was a Canadian/British pop group of the 1960s, an all-girl group who played their instruments, quite unusual at the time. The original members, Robyn Yorke, Shelley Gillespie and Sue Kirby, were Canadians who came to England around 1965. They were joined by Pauline Moran on bass and...
before linking up with Liverpool musician Paddy Chambers to form the band Sinbad. In the 1970s, she also performed as a member of a group called Gambler, before forming the Beryl Marsden Band. She also worked as a session singer, recorded with former Shotgun Express member Phil Sawyer
Phil Sawyer
Philip 'Phil' Sawyer is an English musician who was a member of the Spencer Davis Group in the 1960s and later recorded under the alias Beautiful World.-Biography:...
, and in the 1980s performed on stage with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.
She released an album, One Dream in 2004, the single "Baby It’s You" in 2007, and another single "Too Late" in 2008. Some of her 1960s recordings have also been reissued on compilations.
Singles
- "I Know" / "I Only Care About You", Decca F11707, 1963
- "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" / "Love Is Going To Happen To Me", Decca F11818, 1964
- "Who You Gonna Hurt?" / "Gonna Make Him My Baby", Columbia DB 7718, 1965
- "Music Talk" / "Break-A-Way", Columbia DB7797, 1965
- "What’s She Got?" / "Let’s Go Somewhere", Columbia DB 7888, 1966
- "Baby It's YouBaby It's You"Baby It's You" is a song written by Burt Bacharach , and Luther Dixon and Mack David . It was recorded by The Shirelles and The Beatles, and became hits for both...
" LBM 2007 - "Too Late / Everything I Need" LBM 2009