The nice British vocal stylist Elkie Brooks was born Elaine Bookbinder in Salford on February 25, 1945. Elkie has loved large solo success in a exceptional and ongoing profession that additionally has connections with The Beatles, the Small Faces, Robert Palmer and others.
Elkie’s distinguished chart historical past within the UK consists of three Top 10 singles, three extra Top 20s, 4 Top 10 albums and 7 extra within the Top 40. Ever lively, she launched the brand new compilation Pearls: The Very Best Of Elkie Brooks in 2017. Early the following 12 months, she provided the only “Running To The Future,” written and produced by Johnny Daukes, from the soundtrack of Finding Your Feet. The compilation additionally included a stirring new model of the Bobby Womack tune “Love Ain’t Something You Can Get For Free.”
Brooks’ father was a baker and confectioner with 5 retailers, and her brother Tony turned the drummer with Liverpool hitmakers Billy J Kramer and the Dakotas. Raised in Prestwich, she got here to London within the early Nineteen Sixties, performing with British jazz nice Humphrey Lyttelton amongst others. Her recording debut got here on Decca in 1964, with a model of Etta James’ “Something’s Got A Hold On Me.”
Still solely 18, Elkie toured the UK in an autumn 1964 bundle tour with stars corresponding to Carl Perkins and the Animals, quickly afterwards supporting The Beatles at their Christmas present. She championed the Small Faces of their early days, and additional singles adopted for Decca and HMV. After a interval in cabaret, there have been extra releases on Brian Epstein’s NEMS label.
A major change in course adopted her 1970 assembly with Pete Gage, who turned her first husband. They fashioned fusion rock outfit Dada, who become Vinegar Joe with the addition of Palmer. After their 1974 break up, Palmer pursued his solo profession on Island and Brooks did the identical on A&M, debuting with the 1975 album Rich Man’s Woman. If chart success was onerous to come back by at first, the reward for her perseverance wasn’t far-off.
1977 introduced the belated chart breakthrough that reshaped Brooks’ profession. Her second solo album Two Days Away, masterfully produced by the good Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, contained the only “Pearl’s A Singer,” which hit No.8 within the UK and helped the LP into the Top 20. That was quickly adopted by one other Top 10 single from the album, with the Ellie Greenwich music “Sunshine After The Rain.”
So the scene was set for a golden interval of hits, touring and TV performances, with singles such because the stirring “Lilac Wine,” “Don’t Cry Out Loud,” a model of Chris Rea’s “Fool If You Think It’s Over” and the 1986 high tenner “No More The Fool.” She loved large gross sales with 1981’s Pearls and its sequel Pearls II, amongst different albums, and reached the Top 5 with a late 1986 best-of set, and the Top 30 with one other in 1997.
Brooks continues to carry out, and performed one other UK tour in spring 2019, with additional dates all year long. She now lives in Devon along with her second husband Trevor Jordan and printed her autobiography, Finding My Voice, in 2012. Early in 2021, a remastered, deluxe version of her 2005 album Electric Lady was launched, with 5 bonus tracks; 2023 introduced one other busy stay schedule.
Listen to the 70s playlist right here.
“The important thing is I’ve got my health and a great family around me,” she informed the Daily Express. “I can’t see myself retiring for quite a few years, I’ve still got lots to do and I’m singing well. When I lose my fitness level and start warbling, that’ll be the time to hang up my microphone.”
Listen to the perfect of Elkie Brooks on Spotify.