Ronnie Carroll
  • Real Name: Ronald Cleghorn
  • Birth Date: 18th August 1934
  • Birth Place: Belfast, N.I.

    • Ronnie Carroll's chart career coincided with the formative years of rock and roll although his singing was still very much set in the style of a traditional crooner. His career had begun in his home city where he gained a reputation for his ability to emulate black American singers of the day- noteably Nat 'King' Cole. He would apply black make up to gain a credible visual effect much in the way that the then popular 'Black & White Minstrels' did on TV at around that time. It was certainly this that gained him the nickname 'The Minstrel'. These beginnings are undoubtedly seen today as bizarre, but even in the late 1950s it was an unusual start. Despite this he was recognised as having an exceptional singing voice in his own right and found it relatively easy to find work in the variety theatre. It was on one such show that he met and fell in love with his first wife, singer Millicent Martin. It was shortly after they were married that she became familiar to UK TV audiences through her weekly appearances on the 'That Was The Week That Was' TV show. As a result of the couple's committment to work they settled at this time in north west London.

    Although somehow never quite breaking through into the very top flight of British singers, Ronnie Carroll's output on disc was well enough received. He was chosen as the singer for Britain's entry in the Eurovision song contest in 1962 and with 'Ring-A-Ding Girl' achieved a creditable fourth place. This success was followed by two top10 hits during 1962 and 1963, but unfortunately a lack of good material meant that he could not sustain a chart presence. By 1965 he had gone two years without even a minor hit and his marriage had broken down leading to a separation.

    Ronnie Carroll never managed to kick start his chart career again and by the end of the decade even his TV appearances had become few and far between. During the early 1970s he abandoned his singing career and undertook a disastrous business venture in the Winward Isles. Although he eventually returned to London, he has not attempted to perform regularly again, but has subsequently used his knowledge of the entertainment business in a management capacity.

    1950s & 1960s 45rpm UK Discography

    • Listings include UK 45 singles releases only
    • Collector's Items are shown In Red

    Philips PB553 1956 My Believing Heart/ Last Live  
    Philips PB576 1956 Forever Darling/ This Same Heart  
    Philips PB605 1956 Walk Hand In Hand/ Sweet Heartaches #13
    Philips PB623 1956 It Only Hurts For A Little While/ Love Me As Though There Were No Tomorrow  
    Philips PB665 1957 The Wisdom Of A Fool/ Without Love #20
    Philips PB695 1957 Around The World/ Let There Be You  
    Philips PB801  1958 To Be Loved/ You're The Greatest  
    Philips PB856 1958 Women In Love/ Dormi Dormi Dormi  
    Philips PB944 1959 The Wonder Of You/ Wonderful Love  
    Philips PB1004 1960 Footsteps/ Where Walks My True Love #36
    Philips PB1060 1961 Chain Gang/ Move The Mountains  
    Philips PB1222 1962 Ring-A-Ding Girl/ The Girls In Their Summer Dresses #46
    Philips 326532BF 1962 Roses Are Red (My Love)/ Wishing Star #3
    Philips 326550BF 1962 If Only Tomorrow/ Think Of Her #33
    Philips 326574BF 1963 Say Wonderful Things/ Please Tell Me Your Name #6
    Philips BF1262 1963 Marie Rose/ Speak Once  
    Philips BF1288 1963 When Somebody Thinks You're Wonderful/ I Am  
    Philips BF1329  1963 Tell Me All About It/  
    Philips BF1343 1964 Tears And Roses/ About You  
    Philips BF1359 1964 Clinging Vine/ The Shifting Sands Of Time  
    Philips BF1386 1964 Dear Heart/  

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