Biography
Unknown birth details accompany the November 1989 death of this mild-mannered, bespectacled counter tenor. Following his signing to the independent Chapter One label, he delivered a startling television debut in May 1970 on BBC’s Top Of The Pops, performing ‘Sally’, the signature tune of Gracie Fields, an entertainer he greatly admired. The track climbed to number 4 in the UK. Although subsequent singles through 1972 proved less successful, each one still reached the charts. The majority of his A-sides consisted of upper-octave revivals of sentimental ballads, including Johnnie Ray’s ‘Cry’ (1970, Top 40), the Platters’ ‘My Prayer’ (1970, Top 10) and the evergreen ‘It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie’ (1971, Top 20). His final two chart entries, however, were written specifically for him: ‘Little Drops Of Silver’ (1971, Top 40) and ‘Girl Of My Dreams’ (1972, Top 50). Once back in the working men’s club netherworld from which he had emerged, Monroe relied on his cache of hits as the foundation of his performances. Even as his voice continued to astonish, declining health forced a reduction in bookings by the mid-80s.
Albums