The Nolans

Twelve years following their family's relocation from Dublin, Ireland, to Blackpool, England, the five daughters of Tommy and Maureen Nolan launched their performing and recording careers as the Nolan Sisters. Although Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda, and Bernadette had previously joined other relatives to cut a self-titled album under the name Nolan Singers, the five sisters formed their own distinct act in 1974, gaining initial exposure through regular spots on British variety television. Several singles issued on EMI and Target paved the way for their 1978 album 20 Giant Hits, which reached number three on the U.K. charts. Their most enduring success arrived the following year with the single "I'm in the Mood for Dancing," a track that dominated airwaves across England and Ireland while turning the group into surprise sensations in Japan. Beginning in 1980 the act billed itself simply as the Nolans, issuing a modest number of albums through the mid-1980s and into the early 1990s even as public interest steadily declined. In 2009 Maureen, Linda, Bernadette, and Coleen—who had joined the lineup in 1980—revived the group to release In the Mood Again, accompanied by a live DVD and a U.K. concert tour. Bernadette passed away from cancer at her home in Surrey, England, on July 4, 2013, at the age of 52. Linda Nolan died in Blackpool, England, on January 15, 2025, aged 65.