Michael Holliday

Norman Alexander Milne, known professionally as Michael Holliday (26 November 1924 – 29 October 1963) was a British crooner popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He had a number of chart hits in the pre-Beatles era in the UK, including two number one singles, "The Story of My Life" and "Starry Eyed" Michael Holliday was born in Liverpool, and brought up in the Kirkdale district of the city. His career in music began after winning an amateur talent contest, 'New Voices of Merseyside', at the Locarno Ballroom, West Derby Road, Newsham, Liverpool. According to Elvis Costello, while working as a seaman in the Merchant Navy, he used to smuggle obscure U.S. jazz records into the UK, where Costello's mother, Lilian Ablett, sold them. Finding himself in the U.S. as a seaman, Holliday was persuaded to enter a talent contest at Radio City Music Hall in New York City and again he won, inspiring him to seek a career in show business. In 1951 he secured two summer seasons' work as a vocalist with Dick Denny's band at Butlin's Holiday Camp, Pwllheli.In March 1953 he joined the Eric Winstone Band, another Butlin's contracted band that toured when the summer season's work was over. They also broadcast occasionally on BBC Radio. In December 1954, Holliday wrote to the BBC requesting a TV audition. His audition came in April 1955 and he made his first TV appearance on The Centre Show on 22 July 1955. This TV performance was seen by Norrie Paramor, then head of A&R for EMI's Columbia record label, who signed him as a solo artist. He also sang "Four Feather Falls", the theme tune to the puppet-based television programme of the same name produced by Gerry Anderson. Holliday's style of singing was heavily influenced by Bing Crosby, who was his idol. The style would earn him the title of "the British Bing Crosby". A biography entitled The Man Who Would Be Bing, written by Ken Crossland, was published in 2004.Holliday had an ongoing problem with stage fright, and had a mental breakdown in 1961. He died two years later, from a suspected drug overdose, in Croydon, Surrey. His grave is at Anfield Cemetery, Priory Road, Liverpool. Here is "Stairway of Love" (May 1958), UK No. 3 Enjoy