Craig Douglas
Encyclopedia
Craig Douglas is an English
pop
singer, who was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His sole UK
chart-topper, "Only Sixteen" (1959), sold more copies in the UK than Sam Cooke
's original version.
, the former Terence Perkins was employed as a milkman
before becoming a professional singer, and was known to many as the 'Singing Milkman'. His breakthrough came on the Six-Five Special
, at that time the only real showcase for rock and roll
on British
television
. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that Cliff Richard
and Joe Brown
appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: a few days later he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The Six-Five Special led Douglas to a recording contract
and a string of successes. His manager was Bunny Lewis
, who gave him the name Craig Douglas. Lewis saw the name outside a house in Scotland. Douglas said there were a number of Terrys around at the time, and that was one of the reasons his name was changed.
Voted 'Best New Singer' in 1959 in the British
music magazine, NME
, Douglas went on to record
eight cover version
s of former American
hit
song
s, in his total of nine Top 40 UK
single
s. Amongst that tally, Douglas had a Number One single in 1959 with "Only Sixteen", which easily outsold Sam Cooke
's original version in the UK
. It was recorded at EMI's Abbey Road studios, with whistling by Mike Sammes
, and released through Top Rank
records. Douglas also clocked up an almost impossible-to-equal four consecutive Number 9 placings on the UK Singles Chart
, which included "Our Favourite Memories". This run included matching Jimmy Justice
by reaching #9 with "When My Little Girl is Smiling".
in 1961 Douglas entered the A Song For Europe contest with his song "The Girl Next Door". It fared badly, finishing joint last to The Allisons effort, "Are You Sure?", which went on to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest
. His clean cut, teen idol
image was also copied largely from the U.S.
scene, from the likes of Pat Boone
, and Rick Nelson. Douglas also starred in the 1962 movie
It's Trad, Dad!
with Helen Shapiro
, but it did not boost his acting career.
He topped the bill on The Beatles
' first major stage show, although their emergence ultimately spelt the end of Douglas's chart
career. His final chart entry came in February 1963, when "Town Crier" flopped at Number 36.
Nevertheless, the well-remembered early UK rock and roll
pioneer continued doing cabaret
, cruise ship
s and other bookings. Indeed, well into the 1990s, Douglas had an annual month-long booking in Hong Kong
. Until 2010, Douglas toured venues across the UK, including the Medina Theatre on the Isle of Wight. He appeared at the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club on 11 December 2010, an event in his benefit. John Leyton
, Mike Berry, and the Flames all took part, while Jet Harris
and other celebrities attended. Douglas sang three songs from his wheelchair at the close of the concert. He suffers from a rare condition that affects his legs. Sky News
filmed the event.
On 18 April 2011, a rare Douglas recording, saw a limited 7" vinyl reissue of "Don't Mind If I Cry", on the UK-based Spoke Records label.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
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 was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His sole UK
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...
chart-topper, "Only Sixteen" (1959), sold more copies in the UK than Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
's original version.
Career
Born a twinTwin
A twin is one of two offspring produced in the same pregnancy. Twins can either be monozygotic , meaning that they develop from one zygote that splits and forms two embryos, or dizygotic because they develop from two separate eggs that are fertilized by two separate sperm.In contrast, a fetus...
, the former Terence Perkins was employed as a milkman
Milkman
A milkman is a person, traditionally male, who delivers milk in milk bottles or cartons. Milk deliveries frequently occur in the morning and it is not uncommon for milkmen to deliver products other than milk such as eggs, cream, cheese, butter, yogurt or soft drinks...
before becoming a professional singer, and was known to many as the 'Singing Milkman'. His breakthrough came on the Six-Five Special
Six-Five Special
The Six-Five Special is a British television programme launched in February 1957 when both television and rock and roll were in their infancy in Britain.-Description:...
, at that time the only real showcase for rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
on British
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...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
and Joe Brown
Joe Brown (singer)
Joe Brown, MBE is an English entertainer.He has worked as a rock and roll singer and guitarist for more than five decades. He was a stage and television performer in the late 1950s and a UK recording star in the early 1960s...
appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: a few days later he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The Six-Five Special led Douglas to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
and a string of successes. His manager was Bunny Lewis
Bunny Lewis
Bunny Lewis was a London based manager, record producer and composer, whose songwriting abilities were used in a number of films. Sometimes this coincided with involvement in films of artists whom he personally managed, most notably the actor and singer, Craig Douglas. He also co-composed the...
, who gave him the name Craig Douglas. Lewis saw the name outside a house in Scotland. Douglas said there were a number of Terrys around at the time, and that was one of the reasons his name was changed.
Voted 'Best New Singer' in 1959 in the British
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...
music magazine, NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, Douglas went on to record
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
eight cover version
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...
s of former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s, in his total of nine Top 40 UK
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...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s. Amongst that tally, Douglas had a Number One single in 1959 with "Only Sixteen", which easily outsold Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...
's original version in the UK
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...
. It was recorded at EMI's Abbey Road studios, with whistling by Mike Sammes
Mike Sammes
Michael William "Mike" Sammes was an English musician and vocal session arranger, performing backing vocals on pop music recorded in the UK from 1955 to the 1970s.-Career:...
, and released through Top Rank
Rank Organisation
The Rank Organisation was a British entertainment company formed during 1937 and absorbed in 1996 by The Rank Group Plc. It was the largest and most vertically-integrated film company in Britain, owning production, distribution and exhibition facilities....
records. Douglas also clocked up an almost impossible-to-equal four consecutive Number 9 placings on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, which included "Our Favourite Memories". This run included matching Jimmy Justice
Jimmy Justice
Jimmy Justice is the name of:* Jimmy Justice , English pop singer* Jimmy Justice , pseudonym of a video activist in New York City...
by reaching #9 with "When My Little Girl is Smiling".
in 1961 Douglas entered the A Song For Europe contest with his song "The Girl Next Door". It fared badly, finishing joint last to The Allisons effort, "Are You Sure?", which went on to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest
United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961
The United Kingdom held a national preselection to choose the song that would go to the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest. It was held on February 15, 1961 and presented by Katie Boyle. The songs were voted on by a total of 120 jurors aged between 19 and 40...
. His clean cut, teen idol
Teen idol
A teen idol is a celebrity who is widely idolized by teenagers; he or she is often young but not necessarily teenaged. Often teen idols are actors or pop singers, but some sports figures have an appeal to teenagers. Some teen idols began their careers as child actors...
image was also copied largely from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
scene, from the likes of Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
, and Rick Nelson. Douglas also starred in the 1962 movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
It's Trad, Dad!
It's Trad, Dad!
It's Trad, Dad! , known in the U.S. as Ring-A-Ding Rhythm, is a musical comedy. The film was one of the first films put out by predominantly horror company Amicus Productions, and one of director Richard Lester's first films.-Plot:...
with Helen Shapiro
Helen Shapiro
Helen Kate Shapiro is an English singer and actress. She is best known for her 1960s UK chart toppers, "You Don't Know" and "Walkin' Back to Happiness".-Early life:...
, but it did not boost his acting career.
He topped the bill on 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...
' first major stage show, although their emergence ultimately spelt the end of Douglas's chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
career. His final chart entry came in February 1963, when "Town Crier" flopped at Number 36.
Nevertheless, the well-remembered early UK rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
pioneer continued doing cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
, cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
s and other bookings. Indeed, well into the 1990s, Douglas had an annual month-long booking in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. Until 2010, Douglas toured venues across the UK, including the Medina Theatre on the Isle of Wight. He appeared at the Amersham Rock 'n' Roll Club on 11 December 2010, an event in his benefit. John Leyton
John Leyton
John Leyton is an English actor and singer. As a singer he is best known for his hit song, "Johnny Remember Me" , which reached Number 1 in the UK Singles Chart in August 1961.-Career:Leyton went to Highgate School and after completing his national service, he...
, Mike Berry, and the Flames all took part, while Jet Harris
Jet Harris
Jet Harris, MBE was an English musician. He was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962, and had subsequent success as a soloist and as a duo with the drummer Tony Meehan....
and other celebrities attended. Douglas sang three songs from his wheelchair at the close of the concert. He suffers from a rare condition that affects his legs. Sky News
Sky News
Sky News is a 24-hour British and international satellite television news broadcaster with an emphasis on UK and international news stories.The service places emphasis on rolling news, including the latest breaking news. Sky News also hosts localised versions of the channel in Australia and in New...
filmed the event.
On 18 April 2011, a rare Douglas recording, saw a limited 7" vinyl reissue of "Don't Mind If I Cry", on the UK-based Spoke Records label.
UK singles chart discography
- "A Teenager in LoveA Teenager in Love"A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman and was originally sung and released by Dion and the Belmonts in March 1959. It reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. In May 1959, the song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty...
" - 1959 - Number 13 - "Only Sixteen" - 1959 - Number 1
- "Pretty Blue Eyes" - 1960 - Number 4
- "The Heart of a Teenage Girl" - 1960 - Number 10
- "Oh! What a Day" - 1960 - Number 43
- "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" - 1961 - Number 9 (a cover of the Gene McDanielsGene McDanielsGene McDaniels was an American singer and songwriter, who had his greatest recording success in the early 1960s.-Biography:...
US hit, which he recorded in two versions, JAR 555 and 556, the latter bowdlerised for religious sensibilities) - "Time" - 1961 - Number 9
- "When My Little Girl is Smiling" - 1962 - Number 9
- "Our Favourite Melodies" - 1962 - Number 9
- "Oh Lonesome MeOh Lonesome Me"Oh Lonesome Me" is a popular song written and recorded by Don Gibson with Chet Atkins producing for RCA Victor in Nashville in 1958. The song topped the country chart for eight non consecutive weeks, in addition to reaching #7 on the Billboard Hot 100...
" - 1962 - Number 15 - "Town Crier" - 1963 - Number 36
Releases on the Top Rank label
- BUY049 Craig Douglas - albumAlbumAn album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
- UK Albums ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
- Number 17 - 35/103 Bandwagon Ball - album
- JAR110 "Come Softly to MeCome Softly to Me"Come Softly to Me" is a popular song written by Gretchen Christopher that was published in 1959 and was performed by The Fleetwoods, composed of Christopher, Gary Troxel, and Barbara Ellis. It was the first release for the new Dolphin Records label....
" / "Golden Girl" - singleSingle (music)In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear... - JAR133 "A Teenager in LoveA Teenager in Love"A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman and was originally sung and released by Dion and the Belmonts in March 1959. It reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts. In May 1959, the song held three positions in the British Top 20, the other two versions being by Marty...
" / "The 39 Steps" - single - JAR159 "Only Sixteen" / "My First Love Affair" - single
- JAR204 "Wish It Were Me" / "The Riddle of Love" - single
- JAR268 "Pretty Blue Eyes" / "Sandy" - single
- JAR340 "The Heart of a Teenage Girl" / "New Boy" - single
- JAR406 "Oh What a Day" / "Why Why Why" - single
- JAR515 "Where's the Girl (I Never Met)" / "My Hour of Love" - single
- JAR543 "The Girl Next Door" / "Hey Mister Conscience" - single
- JAR555 "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" / "Hello Spring" - single (A-sideA-side and B-sideA-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
uncensored) - JAR556 "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" / "Hello Spring" - single
- JAR569 "Time" / "After All" - single
- JAR589 "No Greater Love" / "We'll Have a Lot to Tell the Children" - single
- JAR603 "A Change of Heart" / "Another You" - single
- JAR610 "When My Little Girl is Smiling" / "Ring-A-Ding" - single
- JKR8033 "Craig Sings For Roxy" - EPGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
See also
- List of NME covers
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of number-one singles from the 1950s (UK)
- United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 1961The United Kingdom held a national preselection to choose the song that would go to the 1961 Eurovision Song Contest. It was held on February 15, 1961 and presented by Katie Boyle. The songs were voted on by a total of 120 jurors aged between 19 and 40...
- UK No.1 Hits of 1959
External links
- Douglas's entry at 45-rpm.org
- [ Allmusic page]
- Spokerecords.co.uk