JOE DOLANThe death of Joe Dolan, at the age of 68 on 26 December, 2007, resulted in thousands of mourners paying their respects and offering tributes to one of Ireland’s most esteemed entertainers.Mr Dolan’s career spanned five decades during which he notched up many hits in his native country and the UK. He also gained popularity in the United States, thanks to the Irish expatriate community, leading to stints in Las Vegas, and toured internationally at the height of his fame.He was known for his humble and personable nature, his stage showmanship, powerful-yet-homely voice and tireless touring to packed auditoriums.Joseph Francis Robert Dolan was born on 16 October, 1939, in Mullingar, County Westmeath. He was the youngest of eight children and suffered the deaths of his father when he was eight and his mother when 15.His brother Ben directed him towards a career in journalism and he took up an apprenticeship at the local paper. However, the brothers were also pursuing a musical career together, forming a band and playing the local dancehall circuit.They turned professional when they joined The Drifters, a show band not to be confused with the American doo-wop group of the same name. Joe played guitar and sang lead vocals in the group.In 1964, he recorded his first record, a cover of Del Shannon’s The Answer To Everything, which went straight to number four in the Irish charts. A string of hits followed over the next five years until Make Me An Island, a song by legendary writers Albert Hammond and Mike Hazelwood, became his first international hit, reaching number one in 14 countries.He followed it up with four Irish number ones – Teresa, You’re Such A Good Looking Woman, It Makes No Difference and Falling In Love – and he toured in Europe, South America and Africa.In 1973, he teamed up with Italian writer and producer Roberto Danova for an all-out assault on the continental market, backing up an exhaustive promotional schedule with hit singles like Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller, Most Wanted Man in the USA and the million-selling Lady In Blue.In 1978, at the height of the cold war, Mr Dolan laid claim to be the first western artist to perform in the Soviet Union where his records had become popular, thanks to bootleggers. More international exposure came in 1980 with his first Las Vegas residency. His two-month booking at the Silverbird Hotel was so successful he was booked for a further six weeks.By the 1990s his demanding touring schedule forced him to reorganise his career. He founded his own label, Gable Records, and built a dedicated recording studio in his home town of Mullingar. This resulted in a return to the top 20 with the single Ciara and albums Can't Give Enough and Endless Magic, making him the first Irish musician to have top 10 hits in four different decades.In 1997, he recorded an album of contemporary Britpop hits by the likes of Oasis, Blur and Pulp. The album, Joe’s 90’s, was well received and spawned a follow-up, 21st Century Joe, a collection of rock classics by artists such as David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and U2.He also recorded a charity single, Good Looking Woman, with popular Irish television puppet Dustin the Turkey, a demonstration of his famed sense of humour. Another example came in 2005 when, after undergoing a hip replacement, he auctioned his old hip for charity on eBay, fetching €680.He released his last record, an album of swing standards called Let There Be Love, in 2007 but later that year was forced to cancel his tour on doctor’s advice. After several weeks of illness, he was taken to hospital on St Stephen's Day and died from a brain haemorrhage that afternoon.More than 2,000 mourners attended his funeral. Father Brian Darcy spoke of Mr Dolan’s love for his fans and also revealed his generosity, telling of how he gave away thousands from his earnings to help the needy.
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