Michael Holliday


Norman Alexander Milne, known professionally as Michael Holliday, was an English singer, who was popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
He had a number of chart hits in the UK, including two number one singles, "The Story of My Life" and "Starry Eyed".

Early life

Michael Holliday was born in Liverpool, and brought up in the Kirkdale district of the city. His career in music began after he won 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.

Singing career

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 influenced by Bing Crosby, who was his idol. The style earned 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.

Illness and death

Holliday had an ongoing problem with stage fright and in 1961 he suffered a mental breakdown. He died in October 1963 from a suspected drug overdose, in Croydon, Surrey.

Discography

UK single, highest chart position
  • "The Yellow Rose of Texas" / "Stein Song"
  • "Sixteen Tons" / "The Rose Tattoo"
  • "Nothin' To Do" / "Perfume, Candy and Flowers", UK No. 20
  • "The Gal with the Yallow Shoes" / "Hot Diggity ", UK No. 13
  • "Ten Thousand Miles" / "The Runaway Train", UK No. 24
  • "I Saw Esau" / "Yallow Yallow Gold"
  • "My House Is Your House" / "Love Is Strange"
  • "Four Walls" / "Wringle Wrangle"
  • "All of You" / "It's the Good Things We Remember"
  • "Old Cape Cod" / "Love You Darlin'"
  • "The Story of My Life" / "Keep Your Heart", UK No. 1
  • "In Love" / "Rooney", UK No. 26
  • "Stairway of Love" / "May I?", UK No. 3
  • "I'll Always Be in Love with You" / "I'll Be Lovin' You Too", UK No. 27
  • "She Was Only Seventeen" / "The Gay Vagabond"
  • "My Heart Is an Open Book" / "Careless Hands"
  • "Palace of Love" / "The Girls from the County Armagh"
  • "Moments of Love" / "Dearest"
  • "Life Is a Circus" / "For You, For You"
  • "Starry Eyed" / "The Steady Game", UK No. 1
  • "Skylark" / "Dream Talk", UK No. 39
  • "Little Boy Lost" / "The One Finger Symphony", UK No. 50
  • "Catch Me a Kiss" / "Stay in Love"
  • "The Miracle of Monday Morning" / " I'm the One Who Loves You"
  • "Dream Boy Dream" / "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now"
  • "Wishin' on a Rainbow / "I Don't Want You to See Me Cry"
  • "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?" / "It Only Takes a Minute"
  • "Laugh and the World Laughs With You" / "Iron Fence"
  • "Between Hello and Goodbye" / "Just to Be with You Again"
  • "Drums / "Can I Forget You"
  • "Dear Heart" / "My Year of Love"
  • "My Last Date " / "Always is a Long, Long Time"

    Albums

  • Hi!
  • Mike!
  • Holliday Mixture
  • Happy Holliday
  • ''To Bing - from Mike''