Lyn Paul

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Lyn Paul

Background information
Birth name Lynda Susan Belcher
Born February 16, 1949 (1949-02-16) (age 59)
Wythenshawe, England
Genre(s) Popular Music and Musical Theatre
Occupation(s) Singer/Actress
Years active 1960 - Present
Website Lyn Paul Website

Lyn Paul, born Lynda Susan Belcher (16 February 1949 in Wythenshawe, Manchester), is an English pop singer. She changed her name to Lyn Paul before joining the international pop group The New Seekers in 1970. She has now found most recognition and critical acclaim as the lead role Mrs Johnstone, in long running West End musical Blood Brothers.

Contents

[edit] Early Years

Lyn began her career in show business as a child actress with a small part in the television drama Coronation Street in 1960 which led her to be in the first ever episode. In the early 1960s she changed her name to Tansy Paul and began a solo career as a pop singer.

She went on to lead her own teenage girl band the Crys-Do-Lyns, touring all over the continent in the 1960s, before joining the Manchester group the Nocturnes along with Eve Graham, who subsequently left to join The New Seekers.

[edit] The New Seekers

When Sally Graham left The New Seekers, Eve recommended Lyn for the position. Graham sang lead on most of their earlier hits, but Paul was gradually entrusted with a lot of the lead parts. She was the featured vocalist on hits including their 1972 Eurovision Song Contest entry, "Beg, Steal or Borrow" in which they came second; the 1974 Number 1 hit "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me"; and the Top 10 single, "I Get A Little Sentimental Over You". She also sang lead on the groups' final single "Sing Hallelujah" which sank without trace. They also recorded the song "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", adapted from an advertising jingle for Coca-Cola, which is one of the 100 best-selling singles in the UK (list issued in 2002); selling over 20 million copies world wide. They had many other hits, including number 1's, top 5 hits and top 10 hits, which led to successful tours all over the world and performances in the London Palladium and Royal Albert Hall. They performed for such people as U.S. President Richard Nixon. In 2001, the New Seekers were recreated on the popular talent show Stars in Their Eyes by a group of youngsters impersonating the band.

[edit] Solo career

In 1974, after she left the group, Paul performed as a solo artist for many years and became a television personality, appearing on many chat shows. Her first solo single was the Golden Globe nominated "Sail The Summer Winds", a John Barry / Don Black composition, which was the theme to the first film produced by Gregory Peck, 1974's The Dove. She had a British Top 40 hit in 1975 with "It Oughta Sell A Million". It didn't. During her solo career, she has worked with Andy Williams, Jack Jones, Dionne Warwick and Liza Minnelli, and has won various accolades including the Carl-Allen Award several times. Her other Polydor singles include "Who's Sorry Now", "Love", "Here Comes That Wonderful Feeling" and "Mama Don't Wait For Me". In 1977, Paul sang "If Everybody Loved The Same As You" in the Song for Europe UK selection, coming fourth. She went on to record "I Don't Believe You Ever Loved Me", the Doobie Brothers' "Echoes Of Love" and a 1980s power-ballad "Make The Night". She recorded lead vocals for a Gonks Christmas single "The Gonks Are Here For Christmas" in 1985. She also headlined at many popular cabaret clubs including: The Cockney Cabaret, the Talk of London, and the Café Royal.

In recent years, she has been a regular on radio programmes, being interviewed and asked about her views.

In 2006, she released a new album titled Late Night. It contains her versions of some of her favourite songs, including "Crying", "I Only Have Eyes For You", Luther Vandross' "Dance With My Father" and Nanci Griffith's "Late Night Grande Hotel". In addition, it also contains two new tracks written for her, "Dance With Desire" and "Clouds".

[edit] Musical Theatre and Acting

After a spell of bad luck, Lyn found major success, when she starred in the West End production of Blood Brothers, in the matriarchal lead role of Mrs. Johnstone. It was a part she debuted in 1997, and has played many times up to and including 2008 very successfully. Paul is arguably one of the best Mrs Johnstones there has been, performing the show-stopping "Tell Me It's not True" to standing ovations every night. The role has previously been played by people such as Kiki Dee, Petula Clark and four of The Nolan Sisters.

During one of her breaks from Blood Brothers, it was rumoured that she would be starring in the ABBA musical Mamma Mia!, but nothing came of the rumours. Paul has also played many principal roles in traditional pantomimes, her most recent being Dick Whittington in the Theatre Royal Windsor's annual production performed during the 2001 Christmas season.

Paul starred in the stage production of the Boy George musical Taboo, playing the down-trodden Josie James, who follows her son to London and escapes her unfulfilled life, performing two of the shows' numbers "Talk Amongst Yourselves" and "Independent Woman". The cast included performers such as:Euan Morton, Julian Clary, Hannah Jane Fox, Dianne Pilkington, Boy George, and Matt Lucas. The cast album was held back in production to allow her to feature in it.

In 2003, Paul performed in a new workshop musical called The Biz!, playing the part of Amanda Power, a theatrical diva who likes to flirt with young men from the chorus and invariably gets her own way with everything. The show was flamboyant from start to finish, with choreography by Brian Rogers and music written by Chris Hamel-Cooke and Charles Garland. Also in 2004 she performed in another new workshop musical. Written by Yusaf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens and partly biographical, the musical was named after his 1971 hit Moonshadow. Others taking part included Paul Keating , Ramin Karimloo, Jerome Pradon and Matthew White.

Paul has also turned to television acting with some success, appearing in ITV's Emmerdale, in the role of ballroom dancer Freda Danby. She returned to the role in 2005 by popular demand. She has also appeared in episodes of Doctors and In Deep on BBC TV. She was seen on British TV screens in December 2006 in the BBC's Holby City. As well as these acting roles, she has appeared on Songs of Praise as a performer and The Weakest Link as a contestant.

Paul joined the cast of Footloose - the Musical in the West End 2007 National Tour company in the role of Vi Moore, who was previously played by Cheryl Baker. She played the emotionally exhausted mother torn between her rebellious daughter, Ariel, and controlling husband, Reverend Moore, previously played by David Essex. She sings lead songs such as the emotional ballad "Can You Find It In Your Heart" and duets "Learning To Be Silent", as well as being in the company numbers. After the six-month tour, the cast re-opened the show at the Playhouse Theatre, London on August 17, 2007. Paul continued her role until December 2007. The musical contains many 80s hits, including "Holding Out For A Hero", "Almost Paradise", "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and title track "Footloose".

[edit] Personal life

It was alleged that Paul had a brief affair with Jack Jones and she dated Rod Stewart at separate times during the 1970's.

The 1980s were a turbulent time for Paul. Times became hard, she endured a brief unhappy marriage with notorious Liverpool businessman and night-club owner Henry Vincent McCaffrey (Vince McCaffrey), that was played out in the tabloids. The marriage took place in April 1980 and only lasted till November 1980 with the final divorce in 1985. While on her honeymoon, her home in Sefton Park, the former Brazilian Embassy, was broken into, resulting in £30,000 worth of damage and theft. Her car was also broken into twice on separate occasions, whilst she was performing, thieves stealing many expensive dresses and costumes. Paul had a cancer scare which forced her to have an abortion, that was truly devastating for her.

After her marriage split, she moved in with good friend Mike Nolan, of Bucks Fizz fame.

In 1994, Paul declared herself bankrupt. After five years of tax wrangles, she owed £26,000 in tax, but soon after found herself back on top.

She is now happily married to husband Alan Young, with whom she has a son, Ryan. From late 2006 to February 2007, they turned their hands at being publicans and ran a pub, The Beehive, in Englefield Green, Surrey.

She is a fan of the English football club Sunderland AFC. Her support of the team is borne out of the happy memories she has of appearing in the Sunderland Empire Theatre's 1987 Christmas pantomime production of Aladdin. According to an interview she gave to the local newspaper Sunderland Echo, on September 6, 2005, "Sunderland has some great people... they welcomed us all and were so friendly". She also recalls "... being invited to the football on New Year’s Day [1988] too. I’ve had some terrific times in Sunderland".

[edit] Theatre/Filmography from 2000-present

Year Show Role Venue Notes
1997-Present Blood Brothers Mrs Johnstone Phoenix Theatre
2008 Two Ronnies:Complete Series 3 The New Seekers BBC DVD
2007 Morecambe and Wise: Complete Christmas Specials The New Seekers BBC DVD
2007 Footloose – The Musical Vi Moore Playhouse Theatre
2007 Country Gals Performer DVD
2006 Holby City Anita Powell BBC
2005 Tour D'Eurovision Herself ITV
2005 TV Adverts' Greatest Hits Herself Channel 4 I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing came 1st
2005 Charlie Rich and Friends, Legends in Concert Performer DVD
2005 Tammy Wynette/Various Artists Performer DVD
2005 Johnny Tillotson Rock'n'Roll Legends Performer DVD
2004 Moonshadow Performer
2004 The Weakest Link Contestant BBC
2003 The Culture Club Live at the Albert Hall Special Guest The Albert Hall DVD
2003 Taboo Original London Production Josie James The Venue DVD
2003 New Seekers Live at the Albert Hall The New Seekers Albert Hall DVD
2003 The Biz! Amanda Power Thameside Theatre
2003, 2005 Emmerdale Freda Danby ITV
2002 Taboo Josie James The Venue
2002 In Deep Amanda BBC
2001 Dick Whittington Dick Whittington Theatre Royal Windsor
2001 Doctors Pam Howard BBC
2001 Songs of Praise Performer BBC Remembrance day Special
2001 '70s Mania Herself ITV Presented by Donny Osmond
2000 I Love 1972 Herself BBC Presented by David Cassidy

[edit] External links