Ruby Florence Murray was born, in March of 1935, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Ruby first appeared on television at the age of twelve.
After being signed to record for Columbia Records she was to become one of the most popular singers in the United Kingdom and Ireland; in the second half of the 1950s.
Ruby’s first hit, “Heartbeat”, entered the charts in the United Kingdom, in December of 1954 and peaked at No.3. It was quickly followed by her largest success, and only No.1, “Softly Softly”. Other releases followed in quick succession: “Happy Days And Lonely Nights”, “Let Me Go, Lover” ( a cover of Peggy Lee’s hit from the previous year), “If Anyone Finds This I Love You”, “Evermore” and “I’ll Come When You Call”. In fact, at one stage, in 1955, five of her hits were in the Top Twenty in the one week.
http://youtu.be/IaPpxT2nuXA
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Ruby’s immense popularity led her to be granted her own television show. She appeared in a Royal Command Perfomance, also in 1955.
Virtually as the year ended, Ruby Murray’s entries to the charts evaporated. She did, however, secure her one and only screen role when she was cast to appear in the film, “A Touch Of The Sun”, in 1956, opposite Frankie Howerd and Dennis Price. Her only entry to the charts that year was a minor one, namely “You Are My First Love”.
In late 1958, Ruby reappeared on the charts via the single, “Real Love”. A further six months were to pass before, her last entry, “Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye”, peaked at No. 10.
Ruby Murray married twice. She moved to live in England, finally settling in Torquay, in Devon. Her life had developed into an enduring battle against alcoholism; a battle she was to lose, in December of 1996, when she died from cancer of the liver.
Marie Jones, a playwright from Belfast, wrote a play, ‘Ruby’, about the singer’s life. It opened in Belfast in 2000.
“Softly Softly” can be found in my list of favourite recordings, which is located in the suggested playlists.