Biography
Born Johnny Lawrence Finnegan on 10 August 1938 in New York City, New York, USA, the singer died on 22 July 1973. His lone brush with mainstream success arrived in 1962 when the single ‘Dear One’ climbed close to the Top 10, yet no further hits followed. After learning several instruments during childhood, Finnegan collaborated with his brother Vinnie to compose the track that entered the charts in 1961. Working alone, he cut a demo and brought it to Hy Weiss at Old Town Records, securing a recording contract. The energetic country number peaked at number 11 in the first months of 1962, but later releases found no audience, leading him to relocate to Sweden in 1966 and launch his own imprint, Svensk-American. He subsequently lived in Switzerland before returning to the USA in 1970; three years later a brain tumour claimed his life.
Albums
