Lance Fortune

Last updated

Christopher Morris, known by the stage name Lance Fortune (born 4 January 1940, Birkenhead, Cheshire, England), [1] is an English pop singer.

Morris was classically trained on piano. [2] He formed a rock and roll group called the Firecrests while a student at Birkenhead School, and served as lead vocalist; they recorded the songs "That'll Be the Day", "I Knew From the Start", and "Party", but were strictly a local attraction. [3] After leaving University early, Morris was discovered by impresario Larry Parnes while working and singing at the 2i's Coffee Bar in London. [1] Parnes gave him the stage name Lance Fortune, a name he had previously considered for another artist he signed in 1959, Georgie Fame. [1] [4] The newly named Fortune signed to Pye Records as a solo artist, [2] and released four singles, two of which became hits in the UK Singles Chart in 1960. "Be Mine" reached No. 4, whilst the follow-up, "This Love I Have For You" was a Top 30 hit. [2] [5]

In April 1960, Fortune and Jerry Keller replaced Eddie Cochran on Gene Vincent's then current UK tour, after Cochran's untimely death in a road accident. [6]

In the 1960s, Fortune joined a group called the Staggerlees. [7]

Releases

References

  1. 1 2 3 Larkin C 'Virgin Encyclopedia of Sixties Music' (Muze UK Ltd, 1997) ISBN   0-7535-0149-X p197
  2. 1 2 3 Lance Fortune. "Lance Fortune – Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  3. "Dave Williams – Mersey Beat". Triumphpc.com. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  4. Room, Adrian: "Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 Assumed Names and Their Origins", (McFarland, 2010) ISBN   0-7864-4373-1; pp171, 182
  5. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 208. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  6. Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 81. CN 5585.
  7. "California Ballroom – Bands – Lance Fortune". California-ballroom.info. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  8. 1 2 Search for "Lance Fortune" performed at Everyhit.com Archived 12 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine database on 28 April 2008