Lynsey de Paul

One of the first successful female singer/songwriters in England, Lynsey de Paul (born Lynsey Rubin) has had an illustrious career. Reaching her peak as a vocalist during the 1970s, she scored with such disco hits as "Sugar Me," which reached the number five slot on the British pop charts; "Won't Somebody Dance with Me," which received an Ivor Novella award as for Best Ballad of 1974; and "Rock Bottom," recorded with British vocalist Mike Moran. Between 1972-1977, she wrote 14 British Top 40 hits. Her songs have been covered by Nancy Sinatra, Cheryl Lynn, Heatwave, Bruce Johnston, Vera Lynn, and Shirley Bassey. In addition to serving as the themes of nine prime time British television series, de Paul's songs have been featured in such films as The Big Sleep, Side by Side, and Aces Go Places. Inspired by her ex-boyfriend, James Coburn, de Paul changed her focus to acting in the 1980s. She appeared in the British version of the American musical Pump Boys and Dinettes and in the films The Starlight Ballroom and Gabrielle and the Doodleman. Increasingly active as a producer, de Paul produced three travelogues from the Caribbean for Granada Sky Broadcasting. De Paul hosted television shows such as Club Vegetarian, Shopper's Heaven, Eat Drink & Be Healthy, Women of Substance, The Vinyl Frontier, and 15 episodes of Living Room Legends, which featured home videos. She received a Royal Television Society award for her BBC1 documentary on self-defense for women, Eve Strikes Back. Known for her sharp sense of humor, de Paul was called "Looney de Small" by British humorist Spike Mulligan. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide