Daryl George Quist was born in Ladysmith, British Columbia (Canada) on 19 August 1945.
He travelled to England in 1961 at the age of 17 with just £18 in his pocket and a giant urge to make it in show business.
His first job was dancing in the chorus of the pantomime Humpty Dumpty in Liverpool starring Tommy Steele.
Promoter Larry Parnes (who managed Tommy Steele) spotted the youngster and took him under his wing, landing him a recording contract with Pye and grooming him for success.
He released his first single, Thanks To You, in 1963 and followed it up with Goodbye To Love, See The Funny Little Clown and True To You.
None of the Pye singles achieved much success, and a further release on Decca – Put Away Your Teardrops (1965) – also failed to chart.
Daryl Quist quit the music business and returned to his native Canada to marry his teenage sweetheart in 1966.
He set up a chimney sweep company and became a wealthy and philanthropic businessman and local Alderman in the town of Ladysmith, occasionally reviving his dancing and singing for charity fundraising events.
Promoter Larry Parnes (who managed Tommy Steele) spotted the youngster and took him under his wing, landing him a recording contract with Pye and grooming him for success.
