Joe Dolan

Infobox Celebrity
name = Joe Dolan


caption = Photo from the cover of "Make Me an Island" LP
image_size = 190px
birth_name = Joseph Francis Robert Dolan
birth_date = birth date|1939|10|16
birth_place = Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
death_date = death date and age|2007|12|26|1939|10|16
death_place = Mater Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
death_cause = Brain haemorrhage
occupation = Singer
salary =
networth =
website = [http://www.joedolan.com joedolan.com]
footnotes =

Joseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan (October 16 1939 – December 26 2007) was an Irish singer of easy listening songs.

Life and career

Joe Dolan's first job was as a compositor with the "Westmeath Examiner" before starting his musical career when he and his brother joined The Drifters in the early 1960s. This launched his career as a showband entertainer.

His biggest hit was "Make Me An Island" (written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood), which went to Number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1969, and Number 1 in fourteen other countries. He was very popular in Ireland and among Irish emigrants from 1964 into the 1980s. He toured a great deal, and had several stints in Las Vegas. In 1978, Dolan became the first Western pop singer to perform in the Soviet Union. In 1997, he re-recorded "Good Looking Woman" as a charity record with Dustin the Turkey, reaching Number One in the Irish Singles Chart. In 1998 and 1999, he released two successful albums of covers of songs by Britpop and rock artists, including Blur, Oasis, U2 and Bruce Springsteen.

Personal life

Joe Dolan never married and dealt with speculation about his sexuality throughout his life. However, he dismissed rumours that he was gay as a "load of old rubbish". [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3328074.html Irish Daily Mirror - March 6, 2003 - "I'm not gay ..even if I was I'd have no qualms"] ]

Illness and death

In 2005, Dolan had a hip replacement. In autumn 2007, on advice from his doctors, Dolan cancelled his Vicar Street concerts due to "exhaustion".cite web|url=http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/1226/breaking34.html|title=Singer Joe Dolan dies in Dublin after brief illness|date=2007-12-26|accessdate=2007-12-26|author=breakingnews.ie] On December 16 2007, the front page of the "Sunday Independent" reported that Dolan was suffering a "bad virus" and had been forced to cancel his entire Christmas tour. [cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/dolan-shows-cancelled-as-virus-strikes-1248570.html|title=No Joe Show as Mystery Virus Strikes|date=2007-12-16|accessdate=2007-12-16|author=Daniel McConnell] Joe Dolan's website was inundated with well wishes in the wake of the article, which was reproduced in several newspapers the following day.

On December 26 2007, Dolan was rushed from his home in Foxrock to the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin following a worsening of his illness. He died of a brain haemorrhage at approximately 15:00 hours that day. [cite web|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article3284994.ece|title=Renowned entertainer Joe Dolan has died |accessdate=2007-12-26] [cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1226/dolanj.html?rss|title=Joe Dolan dies after sudden illness |accessdate=2007-12-26]

Hit songs (partial list)

* 1964: "The Answer to Everything"
* 1965: "I Love You More and More Everyday"
* 1967: "The House With the Whitewashed Gable"
* 1968: "The Westmeath Bachelor"
* 1969: "Make Me An Island"
* 1970: "You're Such a Good Looking Woman"
* 1975: "Lady in Blue" / "My Darling Michelle"
* 1976: "Sister Mary" Duet with Kelly Marie - no:2 Ireland
* 1976: "You Belong to Me"
* 1977: "I Need You"

Studio Albums

* "The Answer To Everything"
* "Make Me An Island"
* "You're Such A Good Looking Woman"
* "Lady In Blue"
* "Sister Mary"
* "Midnight Lover"
* "Turn Out The Light"
* "More And More"
* "Here And Now"
* "This Is My Life"
* "Always On My Mind"
* "Always Loved You"
* "Can't Give Enough"
* "Endless Magic"
* "Joe's 90's"
* "21st Century Joe"
* "Home Grown"
* "Double 'O' Joe"
* "Let There Be Love"

References

External links

* [http://www.joedolan.com/index2.htm Official website]
* [http://joe-dolan.it-all-starts-here.com Joe Dolan Unofficial Fansite]