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Craig Douglas (born Terence Perkins, 12 August 1941, Newport, Isle of Wight) is an English pop singer, who was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Career

Born a twin^[1], the former Terence Perkins was employed as a milkman before becoming a professional singer, and was known to many as the 'Singing Milkman'. His breakthrough came on the Six-Five Special, at that time the only real showcase for rock and roll on British television. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that Cliff Richard and Joe Brown appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: a few days later he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The Six-Five Special led Douglas to a recording contract and a string of successes.^[2] His manager was Bunny Lewis, who gave him the name Craig Douglas. Lewis saw the name outside a house in Scotland. Craig said there were a number of Terrys around at the time and that was one of the reasons his name was changed.

Voted 'Best New Singer' in 1959, Douglas went on to record eight cover versions of former American hit songs, in his total of nine Top 40 UK singles. Amongst that tally, Douglas had a Number One single in 1959 with "Only Sixteen", which easily outsold Sam Cooke's original version in the UK. Douglas also clocked up an almost impossible to equal four consecutive Number 9 placings on the UK Singles Chart, which included probably his best record, "Our Favourite Memories".^[3] This run included matching Jimmy Justice by reaching #9 with "When My Little Girl Is Smiling".

in 1961 Douglas entered the A Song For Europe contest with his song, "The Girl Next Door". It fared badly, finishing joint last to The Allisons effort, "Are You Sure?", which went on to represent the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest. His clean cut, teen idol image was also copied largely from the U.S. scene, from the likes of Pat Boone, and Rick Nelson. Douglas also starred in the 1962 movie, It's Trad, Dad!, with Helen Shapiro, but it did not boost either artist's acting career.^[3]

He topped the bill on The Beatles' first major stage show, although their emergence ultimately spelt the end of Douglas's chart career. His final chart entry came in February 1963, when "Town Crier", flopped at Number 36.

Nevertheless, the well-remembered, early UK rock and roll pioneer tours to this day, doing cabaret, cruise ships and other bookings.^[2] Indeed, well into the 1990s, Douglas had an annual month-long booking in Hong Kong.^[2] Douglas now tours venues across the UK, including the Medina Theatre on the Isle of Wight.

UK singles chart discography

"A Teenager in Love" - 1959 - Number 13
"Only Sixteen" - 1959 - Number 1
"Pretty Blue Eyes" - 1960 - Number 4
"The Heart of a Teenage Girl" - 1960 - Number 10
"Oh! What a Day" - 1960 - Number 43
"A Hundred Pounds of Clay" - 1961 - Number 9
"Time" - 1961 - Number 9
"When My Little Girl is Smiling" - 1962 - Number 9
"Our Favourite Melodies" - 1962 - Number 9
"Oh Lonesome Me" - 1962 - Number 15
"Town Crier" - 1963 - Number 36

^[4]

Releases on the Top Rank label

BUY049 Craig Douglas - album - UK Albums Chart - Number 17 ^[4]
35/103 Bandwagon Ball - album
JAR110 "Come Softly to Me" / "Golden Girl" - single
JAR133 "A Teenager in Love" / "The 39 Steps" - single
JAR159 "Only Sixteen" / "My First Love Affair" - single
JAR204 "Wish It Were Me" / "The Riddle of Love" - single
JAR268 "Pretty Blue Eyes" / "Sandy" - single
JAR340 "The Heart of a Teenage Girl" / "New Boy" - single
JAR406 "Oh What a Day" / "Why Why Why" - single
JAR515 "Where's the Girl (I Never Met)" / "My Hour of Love" - single
JAR543 "The Girl Next Door" / "Hey Mister Conscience" - single
JAR555 "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" / "Hello Spring" - single (A-side uncensored)
JAR556 "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" / "Hello Spring" - single
JAR569 "Time" / "After All" - single
JAR589 "No Greater Love" / "We'll Have a Lot to Tell the Children" - single
JAR603 "A Change of Heart" / "Another You" - single
JAR610 "When My Little Girl is Smiling" / "Ring-A-Ding" - single
JKR8033 "Craig Sings For Roxy" - EP

^[5]

References

^ Craig Douglas.co.uk
^ ^a ^b ^c Allmusic.com biography by Bruce Eder
^ ^a ^b Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 44. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
^ ^a ^b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ Vinylnet.co.uk

External links

[1] Craig Douglas.co.uk

[AMG-2] Allmusic.com biography by Bruce Eder

[500_Number_One_Hits-3] Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 44. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-4] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 167. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[5] Vinylnet.co.uk

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@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 ==Career==
-Born a [[twin]]<ref>[http://www.craig-douglas.co.uk/?OVRAW=%22CRAIG%20DOUGLAS%22.%20%22TWIN%22&OVKEY=craig%20douglas&OVMTC=advanced Craig Douglas.co.uk]</ref>, the former Terence Perkins was employed as a [[milkman]] before becoming a professional singer, and was known to many as the 'Singing Milkman'. His breakthrough came on the ''[[Six-Five Special]]'', at that time the only real showcase for [[rock and roll]] on [[United Kingsom|British]] [[television]]. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that [[Cliff Richard]] and [[Joe Brown (singer)|Joe Brown]] appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: a few days later he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The ''Six-Five Special'' led Douglas to a [[recording contract]] and a string of successes.<ref name="AMG"/>
+Born a [[twin]]<ref>[http://www.craig-douglas.co.uk/?OVRAW=%22CRAIG%20DOUGLAS%22.%20%22TWIN%22&OVKEY=craig%20douglas&OVMTC=advanced Craig Douglas.co.uk]</ref>, the former Terence Perkins was employed as a [[milkman]] before becoming a professional singer, and was known to many as the 'Singing Milkman'. His breakthrough came on the ''[[Six-Five Special]]'', at that time the only real showcase for [[rock and roll]] on [[United Kingsom|British]] [[television]]. Douglas was booked on the show the same week that [[Cliff Richard]] and [[Joe Brown (singer)|Joe Brown]] appeared, but he made an impression even in their company: a few days later he was presented with two huge sacks of fan mail from the performance. The ''Six-Five Special'' led Douglas to a [[recording contract]] and a string of successes.<ref name="AMG"/> His manager was Bunny Lewis, who gave him the name Craig Douglas. Lewis saw the name outside a house in Scotland. Craig said there were a number of Terrys around at the time and that was one of the reasons his name was changed.
 Voted 'Best New Singer' in 1959, Douglas went on to [[sound recording and reproduction|record]] eight [[cover version]]s of former [[United States|American]] [[hit record|hit]] [[song]]s, in his total of nine [[Top 40]] [[United Kingdom|UK]] [[single (music)|single]]s.  Amongst that tally, Douglas had a [[Chart-topper|Number One]] single in 1959 with "Only Sixteen", which easily outsold [[Sam Cooke]]'s original version in the [[United Kingdom|UK]]. Douglas also clocked up an almost impossible to equal four consecutive Number 9 placings on the [[UK Singles Chart]], which included probably his best [[gramophone record|record]], "Our Favourite Memories".<ref name="500 Number One Hits"/> This run included matching [[Jimmy Justice]] by reaching #9 with "When My Little Girl Is Smiling".