The Mudlarks | |
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Origin | Luton, Bedfordshire, England |
Genres | Pop music |
Labels | EMI |
Past members | Jeff Mudd Fred Mudd Mary Mudd David Lane |
The Mudlarks were an English pop vocal group of the late 1950s and early 1960s. [1] They had two Top 10 UK hit singles in 1958. [2]
The Mudlarks were a family group from Luton, Bedfordshire, England, [1] originally comprising Fred Mudd (1933–2007), Jeff Mudd (born 1936), [3] and Mary Mudd (born 1938). [4] According to press releases at the time, they all had jobs at the Vauxhall motor plant in Luton, and spent their spare time singing together. [4] In 1958, they attracted the attention of BBC Radio music presenter David Jacobs, [1] who won them an appearance on the Six-Five Special TV show, and a recording contract with EMI's Columbia label. [4]
The Mudlarks' first release, "Mutual Admiration Society", was unsuccessful but their second, a cover of the American novelty song "Lollipop", originally recorded by the duo Ronald and Ruby, and more successfully by The Chordettes, rose to No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart. [2] [4] They followed this with another UK Top 10 hit, a cover of The Monotones' "Book of Love". [2] [4] At the end of 1958, The Mudlarks were voted top British vocal group by readers of the New Musical Express . [4] Jeff Mudd then left the group as he was called to do National Service. [1] He was replaced by David Lane (born David Burgess, 1938 – 2010), a compere and entertainer on the Manchester club circuit. The Mudlarks continued to release records until 1964, but had only one more hit – "The Love Game", a No. 30 hit in 1959. [2]
Fred Mudd married Leila Williams, [3] who was Miss Great Britain in 1957 and from 1958 until 1962 co-hosted the BBC children's programme Blue Peter . He died in Marbella, Spain in 2007, [3] leaving a widow, daughter and three grandsons.
In 1962, Mary Mudd and David Lane married in Newton Abbot. Lane died at his home in Hattersley in 2010; he had cancer for eight years previously. [5]
Jeff Mudd married Hazel Dixon in 1962; he now lives in Cornwall.