Her Soft Husky Tones Entranced You

[Graham Bunn]

This is taken from an interview conducted by Edward Cole in Rubys Torquay flat in 1992.

Talking about her recording career Ruby said"That after being on the T.V show "Quite Contrary" Ray Martin phoned me up and said"Would you come in and do a trial to see if you're right for recording.......Norrie Paramor played piano for me at this audition thing for records and I sang "Little Things Mean A Lot" and I got the contract right away so I started making records.

("Little Things Mean A Lot" was a very popular song in the early fifties and although I never heard Ruby sing it perhaps she may have included it in some of her early stage performances........I think it was Kitty Kalen who had the biggest hit with it but I do remember a later upbeat version by Susan Maughan)

"Ray Martin found all my songs and gave them to me.......They all seemed to suit me they all did so well he must have known .

Ray also did all the musical arrangements they were wonderful,it was all strings,my backing was all strings and harps and things.......Wonderful wonderful and after singing for years and years in Ireland with just piano and sometimes not very good piano,to hear an orchestra ...you know I was listening to them tuning up and I was crying while I was listening to this beautiful sound,I mean if you couldn't sing it made you sing it was wonderful."

The next item relates to Johns Video clip.......

Edward Cole noticed a photograph on Rubys wall of her in a line up being presented to Princess Anne.

"That was about seven years ago(1985)and everybody in the world was in it....It was for forty years of peace.A very funny thing about that......We had all arrived for rehersal,The Beverley Sisters were on ,Anne Shelton,who I love and admire.....We all met in the ladies loo and had a chat........The Beverleys you know,they all talk together and they were saying that they'd never drank and never smoked,we take care of ourselves and Anne said well I've never drank or smoked and then they all looked at me(giggle) and I looked back and I said Well I'm saying nothing till I see my solicitor"

The interview closed with Ruby listing her coming concerts,however a final note was struck when Edward Cole asked what was Rubys own favourite record of all her recordings.

"I love "Softly" because it made me popular and made everything happen for me,but my overall favourite of all my records is "Mr Wonderful"......"Thank you Edward for talking to me thank you darlin".


Edward concludes his article by saying"I shall always regret that I missed out meeting Ruby who was my idol in the middle fifties......everyone I've ever spoken to who knew her has said the same sort of thing......she's a darling,she's a sweetheart........Fine words indeed to remember her by...Miss Wonderful I would say".

Best Wishes

[Gerald Lawrence]

Excellent posting, thank you Graham.

[Jk]

Hello Graham, yes I agree with Gerald brilliant posting, thank you for sharing it with us.

[Bernie Burgess]

Hello Graham,

Your posting made my eyes well up. You see, I can actually hear her saying those things and it touches me deeply. The song of course was recorded the year we met and married. The following year we planned to include it in Ruby's act and I built a portable cocktail bar, I devised a foldable top, for transporting purposes. which opened out to double it's length. and double sides that opened out to double it's width, I was 'discovered on' sitting at the bar and Ruby sang the song and made her way upstage and behind the bar to face me. She introduced me and we then went into the duet routine.

I have no idea where that bar ended up, or the bar stoll that went with it. What a pity there was never a photograph taken of that scene. We talked about the routine many times when I used to take her to the cliff tops in Babbacombe whilst she was in the nursing home. Those chats will remain with me forever, wonderful moments to look back on, despite the fact that the emotion attcahed to it tends to get the better of me.

Thank you Graham, a wonderful piece.

Adios Amigos. Bernie.

[MARTIN FOSTER]

Hi Graham, Hi guys, Hope you are all well.

Graham thanks for such a great article, I really enjoyed reading it. One of the things that really struck me was Ruby's great sense of humour yet again shining thorugh. It really brought a smile so thanks.

Martin.

[Graham Bunn]

Thank you all for your kind comments.
I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the posting

Best Wishes