David Alexander (singer)
Encyclopedia
David Alexander was a Welsh singer and entertainer.
, Monmouthshire
, Alexander left Bedwellty Grammar School at the age of sixteen to support his family. He joined his father and eldest brother in the mines at Oakdale
Colliery. In the years after this, he qualified as a machine engineer.
It was at the factory
in Cwmbran
where he worked that he joined the Trenewydd Singers and enjoyed for the first time the applause of the many people that they entertained for various charities.
, also working as an entertainer at Pontins.
Whilst at Pontins, he was spotted by manager Byron Godfrey and in 1971 released his first single
If I Could See The Rhondda One More Time. It sold thousands of copies.
Come Home Rhondda Boy was the follow-up record that gave Alexander an international presence in song festival
s in Czechoslovakia
, Malta
and Germany
, amongst other countries. In 1989, he also toured Australia
.
In the following years, he released several albums under various labels.
During this time, David found time to support many worthy charities that asked for his help. He ran two marathons and a half marathon in one year to raise several thousand pounds required by a Walton school (Liverpool) for their Sunshine Coach appeal. He continued to raise money for charities such as Cystic Fybrosis research, Alder Hey Children's Hospital and during one show, he managed to raise £1,000 to send one of the children to Disney World.
with Penny Page, whom he had met in 1976 and married in 1981. Alexander enjoyed golf
and often sang in bars and clubs in and around Tenerife.
s (growths) in his throat
. After surgery
and a month of intensive therapy, he recovered.
In November 1994, Alexander was rushed into hospital and diagnosed with cardiomegaly
(an enlarged heart
). He was advised by doctors to limit his workload. On the morning of 4 February 1995, he suffered a heart attack
and died, he was 56 years of age. He had made his will
a few days earlier on the 23 January 1995.
Early years
Born in BlackwoodBlackwood, Wales
Blackwood is a town on the Sirhowy River in the South Wales Valleys within the Caerphilly County Borough.The town houses a growing number of light industrial and high-tech firms...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
, Alexander left Bedwellty Grammar School at the age of sixteen to support his family. He joined his father and eldest brother in the mines at Oakdale
Oakdale, Caerphilly
Oakdale is a large village in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, 9½ miles north of Caerphilly itself, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire...
Colliery. In the years after this, he qualified as a machine engineer.
It was at the factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
in Cwmbran
Cwmbran
Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow...
where he worked that he joined the Trenewydd Singers and enjoyed for the first time the applause of the many people that they entertained for various charities.
Career
Alexander soon began putting together an act for himself. He made his debut at a local social club and left the brake factory where he worked and toured much of the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, also working as an entertainer at Pontins.
Whilst at Pontins, he was spotted by manager Byron Godfrey and in 1971 released his first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
If I Could See The Rhondda One More Time. It sold thousands of copies.
Come Home Rhondda Boy was the follow-up record that gave Alexander an international presence in song festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, amongst other countries. In 1989, he also toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
In the following years, he released several albums under various labels.
During this time, David found time to support many worthy charities that asked for his help. He ran two marathons and a half marathon in one year to raise several thousand pounds required by a Walton school (Liverpool) for their Sunshine Coach appeal. He continued to raise money for charities such as Cystic Fybrosis research, Alder Hey Children's Hospital and during one show, he managed to raise £1,000 to send one of the children to Disney World.
Later years
In 1991, Alexander settled in TenerifeTenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
with Penny Page, whom he had met in 1976 and married in 1981. Alexander enjoyed golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
and often sang in bars and clubs in and around Tenerife.
Health problems and death
In November 1991, there were fears that Alexander's singing career was over when he was diagnosed with polypPolyp
A polyp in zoology is one of two forms found in the phylum Cnidaria, the other being the medusa. Polyps are approximately cylindrical in shape and elongated at the axis of the body...
s (growths) in his throat
Throat
In vertebrate anatomy, the throat is the anterior part of the neck, in front of the vertebral column. It consists of the pharynx and larynx...
. After surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and a month of intensive therapy, he recovered.
In November 1994, Alexander was rushed into hospital and diagnosed with cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly
Cardiomegaly is a medical condition wherein the heart is enlarged. It is generally categorized in the following manner:* Cardiomegaly due to dilation* Cardiomegaly due to ventricular hypertrophy** Left ventricular hypertrophy...
(an enlarged heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
). He was advised by doctors to limit his workload. On the morning of 4 February 1995, he suffered a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
and died, he was 56 years of age. He had made his will
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
a few days earlier on the 23 January 1995.