Twinkle
b. Lynn Annette Ripley, 15 July 1947, Surbiton, Surrey, England. Unlike her mid-60s female contemporaries, Twinkle actually wrote her own hits, a feat that should not be underestimated. After traipsing around Denmark Street, the Tin Pan Alley of British pop, the 17-year-old was auditioned by producer Tommy Scottand placed in the hands of manager Phil Solomon. Like most of the Solomon stable she was signed to Deccaby Dick Roweand her records were arranged by Phil Coulter. Terry, a biker anthem similar in theme to the contemporaneous Shangri-Las’ hit Leader Of The Pack, was a Top 3 smash in early 1965. The teenager soon made her first public appearance supporting Jerry Lee Lewisat Brighton and prepared her next release, the charming Golden Lights, which proved only a minor hit. Although she wrote several other songs, including Boy That I Once Knew, Saturday Nights and Unhappy Boy, no further success was forthcoming. Her main frailty was a lack of vocal power which prevented her building a following on the live circuit. After retiring to become a housewife, marrying the actor spotlighted in the ‘And all because the lady loves Milk Tray’ advertising campaign, she returned briefly in 1972 with a cover of the Monkees’ I'm A Believer. More recently, her work was introduced to a younger audience thanks to the Smiths’ cover of Golden Lights.