Jackie Lee

Jackie Lee was born Jacqueline Norah Flood on 29 May 1936 in Clontarf, Dublin (Ireland).

As a child, she won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years. Upon finishing her studies she became a vocalist with the top Irish showbands.

Moving to London she joined the popular dance band The Squadronaires and began releasing solo records in 1955.

From 1959 to 1964, Lee was a member of The Raindrops, a successful quartet who made countless appearances on British TV and variety shows, had a BBC Radio show and released a string of records.

She also enjoyed a successful career as a respected session singer, providing backing vocals for such global hits as Green Green Grass of Home by Tom Jones and Release Me by Engelbert Humperdink.

In 1968 she enjoyed a big hit with White Horses – which was written for a popular children’s TV series and which she recorded and released under the name ‘Jacky’. Two years later she was asked to record the theme for a new children’s TV series called Rupert Bear (adapted from the popular Daily Express comic strip).

The song was written by her ex and now late husband Len Beadle (aka Frank Weston) and lyricist Ron Roker.

She retired from singing shortly afterwards due to vocal complications and throat problems and moved to live in Canada.