Wednesday 18 March 2015

Kenny Lynch born 18 March 1938


Kenny Lynch, OBE (born 18 March 1938, Stepney, London, England) is an English singer, songwriter, entertainer and actor from London. Lynch appeared in many variety shows in the 1960s. He was one of the relatively few black singers on the British pop scene in the early 1960s.

Lynch grew up in Stepney, east London as one of 13 children and his sister, Gladys (stage name Maxine Daniels) was a jazz singer of some note. After leaving school at 15 and various jobs, he did National Service in the Royal Army Service Corps and was the regimental featherweight boxing champion. He was also a semi-professional singer.


                              
He had several UK hit singles in the early 1960s, including the two Top Ten hits, "Up on the Roof" in December 1962, and "You Can Never Stop Me Loving You" in June 1963. Lynch is most famous for a flop single he issued the same year. 

That was "Misery", the first cover version of a Beatles song to be released. In early 1963, Lynch had been on the same bill as The Beatles on the group's first British tour; John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote "Misery" in January 1963, in the hopes that the artist on top of the bill, Helen Shapiro, would record it. Shapiro's record producer turned it down, but Lynch took the composition and gave it a much more pop oriented arrangement than The Beatles would use when they recorded "Misery" themselves on their debut album, Please Please Me.

Whilst on a coach with The Beatles (on tour with Helen Shapiro), Lynch reportedly offered to help them write a song, but quickly became frustrated and criticised their ability to compose music - at the time Lennon and McCartney were writing "From Me to You". Years later he appeared on the album cover of Wings' 1973 album, Band on the Run, along with other celebrities.

Lynch wrote a fairly high percentage of his own material, but also did some covers of songs originating from the Brill Building writers. In addition, he has written songs for others — notably the Small Faces' #3 UK hit, "Sha-La-La-La-Lee", with the American songwriter, Mort Shuman. Lynch also wrote a couple of other songs from the Small Faces' 1966 debut album, "You'd Better Believe It" (co-written with Jerry Ragavoy) and "Sorry She's Mine".

Lynch took part in the A Song For Europe contest in 1962 with the song "There's Never Been A Girl", but failed to win through to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. He returned to the contest in 1978, this time as a writer, penning "Don't Bother To Knock" for the group 'Midnight'. This song was placed second.


His numerous TV appearances include the 1970s programme Get This which he co-presented with Harry Fowler, as well as roles in Celebrity Squares, Mooncat & Co., Room at the Bottom and Curry & Chips, as well as minor parts in Z-Cars, The Sweeney, Til Death Us Do Part and Treasure Hunt.


Known for charity work, Lynch has often played in charity football matches and Michael Parkinson's 'Celebrity Cricket' fundraisers. He is a fan of the London football club West Ham United. Nowadays he owns a restaurant in North London and has appeared in the film The Riddle (2007).


In 2011 Kenny & Bobby Davro appeared in “Swinging” a Frank Sinatra Tribute show. This year he has been busy with guest appearances in The Frank Sinatra Centennial Concert and The Rat Pack (Info mainly edited from Wikipedia)

7 comments:

boppinbob said...

For Kenny Lynch – “We Like Kenny” go here
http://www.sendspace.com/file/oyrbcr
1-It would take a miracle
2-Monument
3-For lovin'you baby
4-That's what little girls are made for
5-so much to love you for
6-You can never stop me loving you
7-What am i to you
8-for you
9-Puff
10-Up on the roof
11-The one thing that makes me happy
12-They're jalous of me
13-Steady kind
14-I'll stay by you
15-Stand by me
16-Crazy crazes
17-She's got everything
18-A tiger at the door
19-Don't make the same mistake
20-The truth
21-There's never been a girl like you before
22-Why do you treat me this way
23-You make love so well
24-Hey girl
25-Individuality

A BIG thank you to Loadsamusics forum member Dusty for the link.

Zesty said...

Kenneth Lynch, OBE (18 March 1938 – 18 December 2019)

Thank you for this download.

It was only two or three years ago that there was an apparently official Kenny Lynch web site offering a whole bunch of CDs that can no longer be found today. I cherish the one I bought and wish I'd bought more.

Vinyl Room said...

Did it have Make it easy on yourself? I can't seem to find it by him on CD.

Btw, the link is dead, can you reup it please?

VR

Vinyl Room said...

Can this be reupped?

VR

boppinbob said...

Hello VR, here's the new link

https://krakenfiles.com/view/lYN1j98qIr/file.html

Regarding the track "Make It easy on yourself" It doesn't appear to be digitized yet. But is available on his 2 vinyl LPs "Up On The Roof" & "Singin' And Swingin". There is a YouTube mp3 of the single available but of poor quality.
Regards, Bob

Vinyl Room said...

Cheers Bob.

VR

markthepark said...

Many Thanks.
MJ.