Jackie Dennis

Jackie Dennis
Also known asThe Kilted Choirboy
Britain's Ricky Nelson[1][2]
Born
John Dennis

(1942-10-08)8 October 1942
Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died28 September 2020(2020-09-28) (aged 77)
OccupationsSinger, actor
InstrumentVocals
Years active1958–1966
LabelDecca

John Dennis (8 October 1942 – 28 September 2020) was a Scottish singer who enjoyed success in Britain in the 1950s.[3]

Early life

Born John Dennis, he was discovered by the comedians Mike and Bernie Winters when he was performing at the United States Army Air Forces base at Prestwick in 1958.[4] The brothers brought him to the attention of the show business agent Eve Taylor, and he appeared on the television programme, Six-Five Special, at the age of 15,[5] and in a subsequent film spin-off.[4][3]

Career

Dennis, a kilt-wearing, spiky-haired pop singer, enjoyed seven successful years in the show business and toured the world. "La Dee Dah" was his biggest UK hit, reaching number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 1958, whilst his cover of Sheb Wooley's "Purple People Eater", was his second and final UK hit, peaking at number 29.[6]

Dennis appeared on Perry Como's US television show,[7] where he was introduced as 'Britain's Ricky Nelson' performing the song "Linton Addie",[8] and Dennis was best man at entertainer Tommy Steele's wedding.

After leaving show business, Dennis joined the civil service, where he worked for over a decade as a messenger with the Manpower Services Commission in Edinburgh. Latterly, Dennis worked as a nursing home carer.[2]

Personal life and death

In retirement, Dennis lived in Pilton, Edinburgh, with wife Irene (née Darling), whom he married in 1983.[2][9]

He died in September 2020, at the age of 77.[10]

Discography

Singles

  • "La Dee Dah" / "You're the Greatest" (1958) (Decca F 10992)
  • "Miss Valerie" / "My Dream" (1958) (Decca F 11011)
  • "The Purple People Eater" / "You-oo" (1958) (Decca F 11033)
  • "More Than Ever" / "Linton Addie" (1958) (Decca F 11060)
  • "Lucky Ladybug" / "Gingerbread" (1958) (Decca F 11090)
  • "The Wee Cooper O' Fife" / "Come Along" (1959) (Decca F 11120)
  • "Summer Snow" / "Night Bird" (1959) (Top Rank JAR 129)

References

  1. ^ "The Boy Choir & Soloist Directory". Boysoloist.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "I was even bigger than Elvis in the charts.. for a week!". The Scotsman. Retrieved 14 June 2009.
  3. ^ a b Cooper, Neil (17 October 2020). "Obituary: Jackie Dennis, kilted singer who had a brief but hectic brush with pop stardom". The Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (2002). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Fifties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. p. 106. ISBN 1-85227-937-0.
  5. ^ "#6 – "SIX-FIVE Special" (1958)". Retrieved 14 June 2009 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 150. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  7. ^ [1]
  8. ^ "Singing plumber leads quiet life". BBC News. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 16 June 2009.
  9. ^ "Jackie Dennis, kilt-wearing 1950s Scots pop star who had a hit aged 15 with La Dee Dah – obituary". The Telegraph. 6 October 2020. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  10. ^ "'Scotland's first pop star', Leith-born Jackie Dennis dies aged 77". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
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