Les Gray
Encyclopedia
Thomas Leslie "Les" Gray (9 April 1946 – 21 February 2004) was an English
singer best known for his work with the band Mud
. Gray was also known for his distinctive vocal
impersonation
of Elvis Presley
.
, Surrey
, in 1946. He was a self-taught musician, and during his school years, he played trumpet
with a jazz
band, and then, with a younger brother
, went on to form the skiffle
unit, The Mourners. After leaving school he worked for Pearl & Dean
, writing commercials, and later for Moss Bros before finding success with Mud.
With a few line-up changes, The Mourners evolved into Mud in 1967, with Gray on vocals, Dave Mount on drums
, Rob Davis on guitar
, and Ray Stiles on bass
, and won the Search for Sound song contest the same year. After several unsuccessful singles
including "Flower Power", they were signed to Mickie Most
's RAK
record label
, and gained television exposure via an appearance on The Basil Brush Show. They toured in support of Tom Jones
in 1973. Mud had a string of hits written by Nicky Chinn
and Mike Chapman, including two which topped the UK Singles Chart
in 1974, "Lonely This Christmas
", and "Tiger Feet
", and a chart topping cover of "Oh, Boy!
" (originally performed by Buddy Holly
). They disbanded in 1980.
Gray had a Top 40 solo
hit in 1977 with his cover version
of "A Groovy Kind of Love
" (#32), and would later go out with backing musicians
under the name 'Les Gray's Mud', but he never enjoyed the same success as he had with the original outfit.
Les Gray appeared as a guest in the 1979 TV-series Jack Good's Oh Boy.
.
He died on 21 February 2004, of a heart attack
, whilst fighting throat cancer
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer best known for his work with the band Mud
Mud (band)
Mud were an English glam rock band, formed in February 1968, best remembered for their single "Tiger Feet", which was the UK's best-selling single of 1974...
. Gray was also known for his distinctive vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
impersonation
Impersonator
An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
.
Early life and career
Gray was born in CarshaltonCarshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, in 1946. He was a self-taught musician, and during his school years, he played trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
with a jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band, and then, with a younger brother
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
, went on to form the skiffle
Skiffle
Skiffle is a type of popular music with jazz, blues, folk, roots and country influences, usually using homemade or improvised instruments. Originating as a term in the United States in the first half of the twentieth century, it became popular again in the UK in the 1950s, where it was mainly...
unit, The Mourners. After leaving school he worked for Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean
Pearl & Dean is primarily known as a British cinema advertising company. It was founded in 1953 by brothers Ernie and Charles Pearl, and Bob Dean....
, writing commercials, and later for Moss Bros before finding success with Mud.
With a few line-up changes, The Mourners evolved into Mud in 1967, with Gray on vocals, Dave Mount on drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, Rob Davis on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and Ray Stiles on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, and won the Search for Sound song contest the same year. After several unsuccessful singles
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...
including "Flower Power", they were signed to Mickie Most
Mickie Most
Mickie Most was an English record producer, with a string of hit singles with acts such as The Animals, Arrows, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and the Jeff Beck Group often issued on his own RAK Records label....
's RAK
RAK Records
Rak Records was a British record label, founded by record producer Mickie Most in 1969. Rak was home of artists like Herman's Hermits, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Kenny, Hot Chocolate, Smokie, Arrows, Span, Racey and Kim Wilde. Rak Records were distributed via a licensing deal with EMI, which bought the...
record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, and gained television exposure via an appearance on The Basil Brush Show. They toured in support of Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
in 1973. Mud had a string of hits written by Nicky Chinn
Nicky Chinn
Nicky Chinn born Nicholas Barry Chinn, 16 May 1945, London, UK) is a British songwriter and record producer. Together with Mike Chapman he had a long string of hit singles in the UK and US in the 1970s and early 1980s, including several number-one records...
and Mike Chapman, including two which topped the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1974, "Lonely This Christmas
Lonely This Christmas
"Lonely This Christmas" was a popular single by the English glam rock band Mud, that topped the UK singles chart in 1974 and reached Christmas number one.-The song:...
", and "Tiger Feet
Tiger Feet
"Tiger Feet" is a popular song by Mud. Written and produced by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, Tiger Feet was the first of Mud's three number one singles in the UK, spending four weeks at the top of the chart from 22 January 1974...
", and a chart topping cover of "Oh, Boy!
Oh, Boy! (song)
"Oh, Boy!" is a song originally performed by Buddy Holly's band The Crickets. It was written by Sonny West and Bill Tilghman; the band's manager Norman Petty added his name as co-composer. The song was recorded between June 29 and July 1, 1957, at Petty Studios in Clovis, New Mexico, with Holly...
" (originally performed by Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
). They disbanded in 1980.
Gray had a Top 40 solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
hit in 1977 with his cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "A Groovy Kind of Love
A Groovy Kind of Love
"A Groovy Kind of Love" is a pop song written by Toni Wine and Carol Bayer for the Screen Gems music publishing company. It is heavily based on the Rondo movement of Sonatina in G major, op. 36 no. 5 by Muzio Clementi...
" (#32), and would later go out with backing musicians
Backup band
A backing band or backup band is a musical ensemble that accompanies an artist at a live performance or on a recording. This can either be an established, long-standing group that has little or no change in membership, or it may be an ad hoc group assembled for a single show or a single recording...
under the name 'Les Gray's Mud', but he never enjoyed the same success as he had with the original outfit.
Les Gray appeared as a guest in the 1979 TV-series Jack Good's Oh Boy.
Personal life
In 1992 Gray moved with his wife Carol to live in the Algarve region of PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
.
He died on 21 February 2004, of 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...
, whilst fighting throat cancer
Esophageal cancer
Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the esophagus. There are various subtypes, primarily squamous cell cancer and adenocarcinoma . Squamous cell cancer arises from the cells that line the upper part of the esophagus...
.