I'm Taylor Kelly...
an LA-based TV news reporter
and Buck's girlfriend on the
fire & rescue series 9-1-1.
I am also a member of
The I-Team
...a new series starting soon
on S-P-M-M Retro Radio.
In this special investigative
report, I'm proud to present the
best girl group you never heard.
They're the six singing Nolan Sisters aka The Nolans...
(back row left to right) - Maureen, Anne (the oldest) and Denise
(front row left to right) Linda and Bernadette (nicknamed "Bernie")
Coleen, the youngest sib, officially joined the act in 1980 at age 15.
The singing sisters emerged from a family act known as Ireland's
First Family of Music and went on to enjoy international fame.
If you never heard of The Nolans or any of their great songs,
it's because only one of their records was released in
North America, and that was in 1976 before
their hit string began.
In 1962, the Nolan family relocated from Dublin to Blackpool,
the large town and seaside resort in Lancashire, England.
It is there in Blackpool in 1963, that the family act The Singing Nolans
was formed. the group included the parents, brothers and all of
the sisters except Coleen who wasn't born until 1965.
Coleen began appearing with the group as soon as she was old enough to perform.
(1972 photo showing 7 year old Coleen sitting on the wall)
In 1974, the girls moved to London, began appearing in clubs and launched
their recording career, first as The Nolan Sisters, and later as The Nolans.
(Coleen, Linda, Maureen, Bernie)
From 1979 to 1982, The Nolans racked-up seven international hits,
most of them written by the composing team of Findon, Myers & Puzey.
(Coleen upper left, Bernie upper right, Linda lower left, Maureen lower right)
They were particularly successful in Japan, the first European act to
win the Tokyo Music Festival with their song "Sexy Music" in 1981.
(Linda, Coleen, Maureen, Bernie)
In this special investigative report, you will experience some of the Nolans'
greatest live performances as they sing some of their irresistibly catchy
pop-disco songs on various music TV shows of the period. As you
watch and listen to these talented young women, singing stars
like Marie Osmond, Olivia Newton-John, Brenda Lee and
Dolly Parton might come to mind, along with ABBA.
I'll be back at the end of the show with a final word on
The Nolans including a shocking update on one of the girls.
The show begins with The Nolans doing their biggest international hit,
a single that topped the charts in Japan and South Africa in early 1980.
Here now are The Nolan Sisters and-- "I'm In The Mood For Dancing."
CLICK ON PICTURE TO PLAY THE SONG
"I'm In The Mood For Dancing"
(Jan./Feb. 1980, highest chart pos. #1 Japan,
#1 S. Africa/#2 Ireland/#3 UK & Netherlands,
perf. on Dutch music TV show Top Pop)
"Don't Make Waves"
(Apr./May 1980, highest chart pos.
#5 Ireland & S. Africa/#12 UK)
"Gotta Pull Myself Together"
(Sept./Oct. 1980, highest chart pos. #2 New Zealand,
#3 Australa/#8 Ireland/#9 UK & Japan)
CLICK ON PICTURE TO PLAY THE SONG
"Who's Gonna Rock You"
(Nov./Dec. 1980, highest chart pos. #12 UK,
#14 Ireland, perf. on Top of The Pops)
"Attention To Me"
(Mar./Apr. 1981, highest chart pos. #5 Ireland,
#6 Belgium/#7 Netherlands/#9 UK,
1981 per. on Top Of The Pops)
"Sexy Music"
(Apr./May 1981, highest chart pos. #7 Japan)
"Chemistry"
(Aug./Sept. 1981, highest chart pos. #11 Ireland,
#15 UK, perf. on Australian TV show Countdown)
"Don't Love Me Too Hard"
(Feb./Mar. 1982, highest chart pos. #14 UK/#17 Ireland)
"Crashing Down"
(July/Aug. 1982, highest chart pos. #86 Japan,
from Nov. 1982 comp. album Altogether)
FINAL WORD
I-Team correspondent
Taylor Kelly back
with you now and
sharing sad news.
I regret to report a
death among these
talented singing
sisters of the
Nolan family.
THE NOLANS IN 1977
(back row) Maureen, Anne and Denise,
(front left to right) Linda and Bernie
(Coleen, the youngest, was not yet a regular member of the group.)
Bernadette "Bernie" Nolan
(1960 - 2013)
Bernie Nolan, the zesty, vivacious lead singer of The Nolans whom you saw
fronting the group on their wonderful hit songs, passed away in 2013 at the age
of 52 following a prolonged battle with breast cancer. Two of her sisters, Anne
and Linda, were also stricken with the disease but recovered. In honor of her
birthday this month, let's turn back the clock one last time to happier days
and witness a delightful mid 2000s performance and a great moment
in music history as Bernie covers ABBA's "The Winner Takes It All."
"The Winner Takes It All"
ABBA cover by Bernie Nolan
(from 2004 CD ABBA Mania 2)
I hope you enjoyed meeting The Nolan Sisters aka The Nolans
and listening to their catchy, danceable songs and delightful harmonies.
As far as this reporter is concerned, they are the best girl group I never heard.
This is Taylor West saying
goodbye for now. I'll be back
before you know it on the
first exciting episode of
The I-Team
...another Shady's Place
exclusive. Don't miss it!
