Marion Massey

Marion Massey is most notable as one of the early female managers of music artists. In particular, Marion Massey is the person who discovered singer Lulu, at the age of fourteen, and who managed her for twenty-five years thereafter.[1]

History

Marion Massey was based in the Holland Park area of London, England.[2] She discovered Lulu at a Glasgow discothèque, The Lindella Club, in 1962, when Lulu, then known as Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, was fourteen.[3] The club was owned by Massey's brother, Tony Gordon, who introduced Lulu to Massey. It was Massey who changed Marie Lawrie's name to Lulu and that of her band from The Gleneagles to The Luvvers.[2] Massey thereafter was able to obtain a first recording contract for Lulu and The Luvvers at Decca Records.

Massey is particularly notable for having become a music manager in the early 1960s, while at the same time being the mother of three young children.[2] Female music managers were particularly rare during this period. The only female contemporary to Massey during this period was Eve Taylor, manager of singer Sandie Shaw.[4] During the commencement of Lulu's career, Massey invited Lulu to live with Massey's family in her London home. Lulu attributes much of her success to having had a family-oriented and mature manager in Massey, who provided a supportive living environment.[5]

Massey was married to Mark London,[6] the composer of the melody to "To Sir With Love", from the movie of the same name, which became Lulu's biggest hit in the 1960s. During Massey's management of Lulu, London wrote and produced much of Lulu's music.

During their twenty-five year association, Massey and Lulu were equal partners, as a business enterprise.

References

  1. ↑ Deborah Ross, Lulu: Bigmouth strikes again. Interview, The Independent, May 20, 2002. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
  2. 1 2 3 Deany Judd, My mentor: Lulu recalls the manager who kept her singing career on the rails. The Guardian, August 2, 2008. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
  3. ↑ Uncredited, The Lulu Website, Lulu - The Biography. Retrieved 2011-09-02.
  4. ↑ Gordon Thompson, Please Please Me: Sixties British Pop, Inside Out, p. 31. Retrieved 2011-09-05.
  5. ↑ Uncredited, Lulu: I'm 62 this year, and have just become a grandmother - but I never want to retire. Daily Mail, March 5, 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-03.
  6. ↑ Led Zeppelin: Achilles Last Stand, Biography of Mark London. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
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