Edna Savage born 21 April 1936

Edna Savage (21 April 1936 - 31 December 2000) was a traditional pop singer in the United Kingdom who achieved massive success in the 1950s. Soon after pop charts came into vogue the soft-voiced songbird was up there at the top and had the world at her feet.

She was born in Broadbent Avenue, Warrington, Cheshire, England. She had two sisters, both older. Her father was a landscape gardener, her mother an amateur singer.

She left school at age 15 (common in the UK in those days). At first she trained as a telephone operator, but after a few bands had her sing for them locally, she quit the telephone job to sing professionally. She always told her friends at Richard Fairclough Secondary School she was going to be a star and after dates at the Bell Hall, the Liberal Club, the Parr Hall, the Baths Hall and the Ritz Cinema she was catapulted to fame.

Her trademark was a choker - a piece of velvet ribbon around her neck with a brooch. Among her mentors was Eric Pepperall, the veteran Warrington bandleader, who set her on course for recording success.

She auditioned twice for the BBC before making her first radio broadcast, in 1954 with Alan Ainsworth and The BBC Northern Variety Orchestra. In one of her early television appearances she sang alongside Glen Mason, another rising talent.

                               

She recorded a number of records, only one of which charted, "Arrivederci Darling" in 1956, which made it to #19 in the UK Singles Chart.

In the 1956 film 'It's Great to be Young' she dubbed the voiceover for Dorothy Bromiley. Ruby Murray sang the number in the opening credits. In 1957 she participated in the UK qualifying heat for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Ever the optimist, Edna survived four marriages and divorces, Terry Dene the Rock and Roll singer, Reg Rose a garage proprietor, Douglas Wilkes guitarist with the 'Shondells'.   They had twin daughters, Allison and Samantha and lastly Dennis Plowright her pianist.

Edna toured military bases with a CSE show but from the mid-60s onwards her career slipped away. She continued working until the birth of her twins in 1972. Over the years she never lost her sense of humour despite all her troubles, setbacks and illness.

Edna died in Ormskirk Hospital on 31st December 2000, back in her own home county, at the age of 64.

(Info edited mainly from Wikipedia & the Guardian Series & ednasavagememorial.webs.com)