Thomas Leslie Gray (9 April 1946 – 21 February 2004) was an English musician best known for his work with
glam rock pop band
Mud
A MUD (; originally multi-user dungeon, with later variants multi-user dimension and multi-user domain) is a Multiplayer video game, multiplayer Time-keeping systems in games#Real-time, real-time virtual world, usually Text-based game, text-bas ...
. Gray was also known for his distinctive vocal
impersonation of
Elvis Presley, as well as being a lifelong supporter of Leeds United.
Early life and career
Gray was born in
Carshalton, Surrey, in 1946.
[Gregory, Andy (2002) ''International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002'', Europa, , p. 203] 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.
[Obituaries: Les Gray]
, ''Daily Telegraph
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
'', 24 February 2004, retrieved 2010-07-19
Mud
With a few line-up changes, The Mourners evolved into Mud in February 1966, with Gray on vocals,
Dave Mount
Mud are an English glam rock band, formed in February 1966. Their earlier success came in a pop and then glam rock style, while later hits were influenced by 1950s rock and roll, and they are best remembered for their hit singles "Dyna-mite" , ...
on drums,
Rob Davis on guitar, and Ray Stiles on bass, and won the ''
Search for Sound'' song contest the same year.
After a few unsuccessful
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
including "Flower Power", they were signed to
Mickie Most
Michael Peter Hayes (20 June 1938 – 30 May 2003), known as Mickie Most, was an English record producer behind scores of hit singles for acts such as the Animals, Herman's Hermits, the Nashville Teens, Donovan, Lulu, Suzi Quatro, Hot Chocolate ...
's
RAK record label, and gained television exposure via an appearance on ''
The Basil Brush Show''.
They toured in support of Jack Jones in 1973.
Mud had a string of
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
written by
Nicky Chinn and
Mike Chapman, including two which topped the
UK Singles Chart in 1974, "
Lonely This Christmas", and "
Tiger Feet
Tiger Feet is a popular song by the English glam rock band Mud, released in January 1974. Written and produced by the songwriting team of Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, it was the first of three number No. 1 singles for the band, in the UK Singles ...
", and, re-punctuated as
Oh Boy, a chart-topping cover of "
Oh, Boy!" (originally performed by
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...
). They disbanded in 1979.
Gray later toured with
backing musicians under the name Les Gray's Mud, but never found the same level of success as he had with the original outfit.
Solo work
Gray had a
Top 40 solo hit (#32) in 1977 with his
cover version of "
A Groovy Kind of Love."
He appeared as a guest in the 1979 TV series ''
Jack Good's Oh Boy!''. Also during the 1970s, he appeared in one of several
public service announcements themed ''Be Smart, Be Safe'', instructing children on how to safely cross a road.
Personal life
In 1992, Gray moved with his wife Carol to live in the
Algarve region of
Portugal. He died on 21 February 2004, of a heart attack, whilst fighting
throat cancer.
Discography
With Mud
Albums
* 1982: Mud Featuring Les Gray
* ????: Les Gray's Mu
Singles
* 1977:
A Groovy Kind of Love b/w U.S. Style
* 1977:
What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For? b/w Stand Still Stella
* 1979:
I Think of You
''I Think of You'' is a long-play album by Perry Como, released by RCA Records.
A review from ''The Gramophone'' said of this album, "Mr. Como takes a vocal look at songs which have been hits in recent months for other artists ... In fact, he m ...
b/w I Think I'll Go That Way
* 1981: Rock on Elvis Medley (as ''Tulsa McLean'')
** The King of Rock And Roll,
King Creole,
Blue Suede Shoes,
Hound Dog,
Wooden Heart,
Rock-A-Hula Baby
"Rock-A-Hula Baby ("Twist" Special)" is a 1961 song recorded by Elvis Presley and performed in the 1961 film '' Blue Hawaii''. The song was also released as a single.
Background
The song was recorded on March 23, 1961 at Radio Recorders in Hollywo ...
,
Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do!
"Got a Lot o' Livin' to Do!" is a song first recorded by Elvis Presley as part of the soundtrack for his 1957 motion picture '' Loving You''.
History
The song was written by Aaron Schroeder and Ben Weisman. The latter, a songwriter from New Y ...
,
(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" is a popular song first recorded by Elvis Presley in 1957 for the soundtrack of his second motion picture, '' Loving You'', during which Presley performs the song on screen. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie L ...
** The Songs of the King,
Love Me Tender,
Heartbreak Hotel,
Are You Lonesome Tonight?,
Can't Help Falling in Love,
Crying in the Chapel
"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn and recorded by his son Darrell Glenn. The song was released in 1953 and reached number six on the ''Billboard'' chart.
The song has also been recorded by many artists including the Oriole ...
,
The Wonder of You,
An American Trilogy
* 1982: Don't You Say It b/w Streetfighter
Additional Sings
* 1979
Quarter to Threebr>
* 1979
Stagger Lee
"Stagger Lee", also known as "Stagolee" and other variants, is a popular American folk song about the murder of Billy Lyons by "Stag" Lee Shelton, in St. Louis, Missouri, at Christmas 1895. The song was first published in 1911 and first recorded ...
br>
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Les
1946 births
2004 deaths
English male singers
People from Carshalton
Glam rock musicians
20th-century English singers
English expatriates in Portugal
20th-century British male singers