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• Top posts

  • Music charity seeks gifted musicians
  • MTV presents: General Fiasco, Yes Cadets, A Plastic Rose
  • OFMDFM honours for Music in Northern Ireland

Today, on what would have been his 75th birthday, Elvis Presley is everywhere. And, according to newspaper The Independent, his legacy drives a $45m industry. But does “The King” have any Ulster connections? And what impact did Elvis have on music in Ulster back in his heyday? Let Ulster Music know what you know… Please [...]

The late Michael Jackson’s triumph and tragedy is charted in these re-published interviews on rock’sbackpages by Phil Symes (1972), Mick Brown (1984), Ian Penman (1993), Barney Hoskyns (1998), and Charles Shaar Murray (2003) .
To record your condolences visit GoneTooSoon.org

Talented showman who thrilled Ulster’s ballroomsTuesday, 28 April 2009. Showman Dave Glover, who has died at 85, used to tell friends that he spent a lifetime stoking up a musical flame – because he had been born in a fire station. And the band leader who decorated ballrooms the length and breadth of Ireland – but especially the Arcadia in Portrush and the Floral Hall at Bellevue – wasn’t being funny. He was indeed born in the Ardoyne Fire Station.

“I’ve vague memories of watching the fire engines going out with their bells ringing,” he once said. “Part of the station was converted into apartments for ex-servicemen like my dad Sam, an inspector on the trams, and my mum Eileen.”

As a boy of 14 he sang in the choir at Whitehouse Parish Church and dreamed of music as a career. But his mother insisted on a trade and he became an apprentice fitter in the shipyard and later at planemakers Shorts.

Eventually he and his brothers set up Roundwood Engineering which flourished for years in the city before the family sold out. But before that happened Dave had to make his mind up between engineering and bands – he chose music.

“I never had any regrets about my decision although I could have become a wealthy man when Roundwood was sold,” he said.

Dave was twice married to singers in his band – and divorced. His first wife was Lynne Shaw with whom he had a son David and a daughter Debra, and his second wife, Muriel Day, became a household name in 1969 when she came fourth in the Eurovision Song Contest with Wages Of Love.

In recent times Dave, whose partner for 32 years was Anne Mulholland, lived quietly at Carnmnoney where he took an active interest in the passing music scene.

Eddie McIlwaine

The much-loved singer Eileen Donaghy died back in October 2008. The Irish Times ran this obituary:
One of the most popular singers of the 1960s, Eileen Donaghy sang Irish ballads at a time when little music with a traditional Irish flavour could be heard. She sang recognisably Irish songs at a time when most music heard was [...]

Soul man Sam Mahood – a legend of the Irish shownband era – sadly passed away on Sunday, December 23. Back in the day of the Belfast Beat (Maritime Blues) scene, Sam Mahood played with Just Five and later toured with the Big Soul Band [who made the Commitments look like Val Doonican - ed]. [...]

Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti – he made his Ulster debut on the stage of Belfast’s Grand Opera House in 1963 as Lieut. Pinkerton in a production of Madame Butterfly – has died at his home in the northern city of Modena. The singer, diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, was only 71 years of age. [...]

by Robin Murray, editor of  fanzine Marchin’ On www.myspace.com/marchingon

Born in 1957, Billy MacKenzie came from travelling stock, raised in a rich tradition of song and oral culture. His large family had eclectic tastes exposing him to dancehall records as well as jazz artists such as Billie Holiday. A lifelong influence, The Associates would cover God [...]

Jim Aiken, 74, Northern Ireland’s leading entertainment promoter, has died of cancer after a short illness. In a lifetime of bringing big name artists to Ireland, he was best known for the recent series of concerts in the grounds of Stormont in Belfast…