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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZDOONICAN, Val(b Michael Valentine Doonican, 3 February 1927, Waterford, Eire; d 1 July 2015, Buckinghamshire) Crooner who played drums and guitar. He worked in a factory; teamed with pianist/guitarist Bruce Clarke, first broadcasts Radio Eireann mid-'40s. He played drums in touring band for a while; joined vocal group The Four Ramblers and moved to London '52. After seven years he went solo on the advice of Anthony Newley; his own radio series Dreamy Afternoon was later called A Date With Val. He became a family favourite: two London Palladium TV dates '64, 14 singles in UK top 50 '64-73 including 5 top tens; several albums including Val Doonican Rocks But Gently (no. 1 '67; title refers to onstage shtick of singing from a rocking chair). He was the first Irish artist to appear on the British charts and eventually made more than 50 albums. There was a joke that burglers stole a pile of Doonican's albums from an old folks home, and brought them back the next night. His easy-going style resembled that of Perry Como (he often hired Como's producer, Ray Charles) and kept his TV music/variety show going for decades. |