Ricky Valance facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ricky Valance
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| Birth name | David Spencer |
| Born | 10 April 1936 Ynysddu, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Died | 12 June 2020 (aged 84) |
| Genres | Pop, Doo-wop, Rock and Roll |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1958–2020 |
| Labels | Columbia, Decca, Crystal, One Media iP |
David Spencer (born April 10, 1936 – died June 12, 2020), known as Ricky Valance, was a Welsh pop singer. He became famous for his UK number one song "Tell Laura I Love Her". This song sold over a million copies in 1960. He was the first male singer from Wales to have a number one hit in the UK.
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Early Life and Beginnings
David Spencer was born in Ynysddu, Monmouthshire, Wales. He was the oldest of seven children. As a boy, he sang in his church choir. Before becoming a singer, he worked in a coal mine and a factory. At age 17, he joined the RAF.
Starting His Music Career
After leaving the armed forces, Ricky Valance began his music journey. He performed as a cabaret singer in clubs in the north of England. After a few years, someone from EMI discovered him. He then signed with EMI's Columbia record label. He worked with record producer Norrie Paramor.
Ricky Valance chose his stage name because he liked the name Ricky. He took Valance from a horse racing trainer's name. It was not, as some thought, a tribute to another singer named Ritchie Valens.
His Big Hit: "Tell Laura I Love Her"
For his first recording session, Norrie Paramor suggested Ricky cover "Tell Laura I Love Her". This song was already a hit in America for Ray Peterson. The song was about a tragic event, and some thought it was in bad taste. The BBC (a big radio station in the UK) refused to play songs like it.
However, Radio Luxembourg played the song a lot. This helped "Tell Laura I Love Her" become a number 1 hit in September 1960. Ricky Valance made history as the first Welsh man to reach the top spot. Before him, Shirley Bassey was the first Welsh woman to have a number one hit in 1959. "Tell Laura I Love Her" was Ricky's only song to reach the charts in the UK.
After the Number One Hit
In 1961, Ricky Valance tried to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest. His song, "Why Can't We?", came in third place.
He released more songs like "Movin' Away" and "Jimmy's Girl". "Movin' Away" even reached number one in Australia and Scandinavia.
As music tastes changed in the mid-1960s, Ricky's contract with Columbia ended. He continued to sing in Ireland with a showband called the Chessmen. He also worked as an actor and performed country music.
In later years, he performed at 1960s music festivals in Britain. He also sang on cruise ships. In 1989, he visited Nashville in the USA. He recorded an album there in 2001 called One of the Best. Later, he lived in Spain and continued to perform. He even hosted a TV show about golf called Play a Round with Ricky.
In 2015, Ricky Valance received an award at the Wales Millennium Centre. This award honored him for being the first Welsh man to have a UK number one hit. In 2017, he released a song called "Welcome Home" to help raise money for the Royal Air Force Museum.
Personal Life
Ricky Valance lived in Cabo Roig, Spain, for some time. He performed there often. In 2015, he and his wife moved to Skegness, England.
He passed away in Skegness on June 12, 2020, at the age of 84. His funeral was held in Goldington, Bedfordshire.
See also
In Spanish: Ricky Valance para niños
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of Eurovision: Your Decision contestants
