Lulu (singer)

In 2004 she released the album Back on Track and went on a UK wide tour to celebrate 40 years in the business. The group continued touring, however, until Melvin died in 1997. In 2002 her Gold album Together was a collection of duets with the likes of Elton John and Paul McCartney. Though they had several hits from 1972 to 1975, they dried up after the departure of Pendergrass. Her 2003 autobiography is called Don't Wanna Fight No More after a song she wrote for Tina Turner. They were signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label. In 2000 she was awarded an MBE by the British Government. Though ostensibly led by Melvin, Teddy Pendergrass was the most influential member of the group.

She also appeared as herself in an episode of the hugely popular Absolutely Fabulous. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes were one of the most popular Philly soul groups of the 1970s. The single reached number one in the British charts. In 1987, she played Adrian Mole's mother on television, and in the 1990s she made a comeback, guesting on the cover version of the Dan Hartman song Relight My Fire, with Take That. Lulu's singing career waned, but she remained in the public eye, continuing to act.

She became interested in eastern mysticism and joined Siddha Yoga Meditation. They had one son, Jordan Frieda. Lulu then married her hairdresser, John Frieda, and remained with him for twenty years until another divorce. Their careers forced them apart, and they divorced, childless, in 1973.

In the same year, Lulu married Maurice Gibb of the Bee Gees in a fairytale ceremony in Gerrards Cross. In 1969, she represented the United Kingdom by performing the song "Boom bang-a-bang" at the Eurovision Song Contest, and was joint winner with the representatives of Spain, the Netherlands and France - there had never been a draw before, and the rules were altered to prevent it ever happening again. In the meantime, she continued with a thriving pop career and several television series of her own. In 1966 she made her debut as a film actress in To Sir, with Love, a British vehicle for Sidney Poitier, and had a major hit with the film's title song.

Her backing group were called "The Luvvers", but she soon ditched them to become a mainstream solo artist. She was born on November 3, 1948 in Glasgow, and shot to fame at the age of fifteen with her version of "Shout", delivered in a raucous and extremely mature voice. Lulu (real name Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie) is a Scottish singer.