Maxine Daniels

Daniels was born Gladys Lynch in Stepney, London, an elder sister of singer and entertainer, Kenny Lynch.[1][2] She was one of thirteen children.

Her first recognition as a singer came from winning a local talent contest, at the age of 14, in a Stepney cinema.[3] Local recognition lead to a first singing job with a semi-professional band led by a Canning Town grocer[4] until another talent competition organised by the Daily Sketch[5] and sponsored by bandleader Ted Heath.[4] A long residency (1954–56)[5] with bandleader Denny Boyce followed at The Orchid Room in Purley.[2] At Boyce's suggestion she changed her stage name and through their regular Radio Luxembourg broadcasts she gained a wider audience and the opportunity to record for the Oriole label.[5]

She married Charlie Daniels in 1950, and had one daughter Hazel Annette together. Charlie Daniels died in 1988.[1] In the late 1950s she shared a mutual attraction with actor Sean Connery whom she met while performing at the Empire Theatre. Connery purpotedly made a pass at her, but was informed she was already happily married with a daughter.[6] Maxine Daniels died in Romford in 2003, aged 72. She is survived by daughter and two grandsons.[1]

• Coffee Bar Calypso (Oriole, 1957) [7]
• A Foggy Day (Oriole, 1957)[7]
• I Never Realised (Oriole, 1958)[7]
• Somebody Else Is Taking My Place (Oriole, 1958) with Denny Boyce & His Orchestra[7]
• When It's Springtime in the Rockies (Oriole, 1958) with Denny Boyce & His Orchestra[7]
• Passionate Summer (Oriole, 1958)[7]
• Pete Corrigan and His Band of Hope (CBH, 1984) featuring Maxine Daniels[8]
• The Magic of Maxine Daniels... Every Night About This Time (Calligraph, 1986)[8]
• A Pocketful of Dreams (Calligraph, 1987)[8]
• From the Heart (Calligraph, 1993)
• The Memory of Tonight (Calligraph, 1996)[2]

• The Independent obituary, 24 October 2003
• The Guardian obituary, 30 October 2003