Terry Dene
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Terry Dene (born Terence Williams, 20 December 1938, Elephant & Castle, London) was a British pop singer popular in the late 1950s.
Dene was discovered by record producer Jack Good at the 2i's Coffee Bar, the London club that helped launch Tommy Steele, Adam Faith and Cliff Richard. Good helped him obtain a recording contract with Decca UK. At the time he was one of the most promising rock and rollers of pre-Beatles Britain but despite a regular spot on BBC Television first pop show, Six-Five Special and having his debut single "A White Sport Coat" make #18 on the UK Singles Chart in 1957 and then having another pair of Top 20 singles, his knack for self destruction left his career in tatters.
Dene was arrested for public drunkenness and vandalism in 1958 and was used as an example of the 'evil of rock and roll' by the press. In 1958 he was conscripted into the Army for National service. He was discharged on psychological grounds after two months. After leaving the army he found his career in ruins. He joined the Larry Parnes' stable of stars and appeared in a film The Golden Disc' but faded from the music industry.
In the 1970s Dene turned to religion and became a street-singing evangelist, recording three albums of gospel music. He spent the early 1970s in Sweden.
Dene has attempted several comebacks. In 1974, he released a book and album, I Thought Terry Dene Was Dead, and began to perform with a rock band, the Dene Aces, featuring Brian Gregg, composer of "Shakin' All Over". He released an album, Real Terry Dene, in 1997 and has continued to appear in nostalgia shows.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | UK | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | "A White Sport Coat"/ "The Man In The Phone Booth" | 18 | Decca |
| 1957 | "Start Movin'"/ "Green Corn" | 15 | Decca |
| 1957 | "Come And Get It"/ Teenage Dream" | - | Decca |
| 1957 | "Lucky Lucky Bobby"/ "Baby She's Gone" | - | Decca |
| 1958 | "The Golden Age"/ "C'min And Be Loved" | - | Decca |
| 1958 | "Stairway Of Love"/ "Lover Lover!" | 16 | Decca |
| 1958 | "Seven Steps To Love"/ "Can I Walk You Home" | - | Decca |
| 1958 | "Who Baby Who"/ "Pretty Little Pearly" | - | Decca |
| 1959 | "I've Got A Good Thing Going"/ "Bimbombey" | - | Decca |
| 1959 | "There's No Fool Like A Young Fool"/ "I've Come Of Age" | - | Decca |
| 1959 | "Thank You Pretty Baby"/ "A Boy Without A Girl" | - | Decca |
| 1960 | "Geraldine"/ "Love Me Or Leave Me" | - | Oriole |
| 1961 | "Like A Baby"/ "Next Stop Paradise" | - | Oriole |
| 1963 | "The Feminine Look"/ "Fever" | - | Aral |
