Glenda Collins 1960s Singer

  Here is the story of a young lady from the 1960s called GLENDA COLLINS who recorded a good few great songs at RGM sound ie Joe Meek's Studio in Holloway Road London N7, It is a great shame that none of her records ever entered the UK charts and her singing career was cut short when Joe Meek died in 1967, Here is some info bellow...

                                              GLENDA COLLINS



Glenda Collins was independent producer Joe Meek’s primary female singer. Between 1963 and 1966 she released a string of singles she’d recorded with him – including the cult gems I lost my heart at the fairground and Something I’ve got to tell you – before his untimely death cut short her career.

Glenda Collins was born in London on 16 December 1943 to parents who encouraged her in her love of singing. At the age of 12 she passed an audition to appear in the Carroll Levis discovery show, a talent show for children broadcast by the BBC, which led to further radio, TV and theatre appearances.

Four years later, in 1960, her father helped her to record a couple of demos and arranged an audition with the Decca label. She was snapped up and two singles were issued in quick succession, the surprisingly adult Take a chance and Oh how I miss you tonight.

Both sides of her third single, Head over heels in love and Find another fool, issued in 1961, were aimed squarely at the buyers of fellow teenager Helen Shapiro’s records.

However, none of the three releases were successes and Decca quietly dropped Glenda.
Her father took over the management of her career and arranged an audition with unorthodox independent producer Joe Meek. He recorded in his maisonette above a leather goods shop on north London’s Holloway Road and had just enjoyed a huge hit with The Tornados’ instrumental, Telstar.

Glenda was pleased when Meek signed her up. She has said that his enthusiasm and unusual approach inspired her in a way that she hadn’t felt during her time at Decca.

Meek roped in The Tornados to provide the backing on her first record to be issued through the HMV Pop label. The song, I lost my heart at the fairground, came with carousel sound effects, and has become a cult favourite. Sadly, this Meek composition fell just short of the charts upon its release in May 1963, having become lost in the clamour for the new Merseybeat sound.

Adapting his sound to the current tastes, Meek teamed Glenda with The Outlaws for the beatier If you've got to pick a baby, released in November that year. She was all set to storm up the charts following an appearance on Ready steady go! and having been voted a hit on Juke box jury, when a lack of available copies – thanks to the Christmas shutdown – put paid to her hopes.



Glenda Collins was just one of many artists that Joe Meek Recorded others were Hienz, Mike Berry, Tom Jones, The Flee Reckers, The Tornados, John Leyton and many more !


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