# David MacBeth

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**David MacBeth** (born 1935)[1] is an English [pop music](/source/Pop_music) singer. Despite releasing a string of singles on three record labels between 1959 and 1969, MacBeth's only chart success was with his version of "[Mr. Blue](/source/Mr._Blue)", which peaked at number 18 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart). MacBeth took part in the 1963 [Roy Orbison/The Beatles Tour](/source/Roy_Orbison/The_Beatles_Tour).

## Life and career

MacBeth was born in [Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne](/source/Walker,_Newcastle_upon_Tyne), England.[2] His father worked as a [joiner](/source/Joiner) for the local council, whilst his mother was employed as an office cleaner. He attended Heaton Grammar School and thought about taking an apprenticeship to become a mechanical engineer with [A. Reyrolle & Company](/source/A._Reyrolle_%26_Company).[3] However, he joined [Newcastle United F.C.](/source/Newcastle_United_F.C.) as a junior,[4] before [National Service](/source/Conscription_in_the_United_Kingdom) duties commenced in 1954,[2] in the [British Army](/source/British_Army).[5][6] Whilst playing football in his Army days, an injury sustained to his [cruciate ligament](/source/Cruciate_ligament) effectively curtailed that ambition.[6] After returning to civilian life, MacBeth found employment as a travelling salesman promoting [Andrews Liver Salts](/source/Andrews_Liver_Salts).[2] During weekends, MacBeth started singing in local clubs, and he appeared on *The [Carroll Levis](/source/Carroll_Levis) Discovery Show*,[7] at the [Sunderland Empire Theatre](/source/Sunderland_Empire_Theatre).[2] This exposure led to him making a number of appearances on [Tyne Tees Television](/source/ITV_Tyne_Tees), who suggested he was billed as 'David North',[7][2] when he was a regular performer on the station's *The One O'Clock Show*.[3] After a while, his performance on a Tyne Tees talent contest, *The Golden Disc*, saw MacBeth granted a recording contract. [Pye Records](/source/Pye_Records) suggested renaming him Scott Weston, but MacBeth responded, "I said it sounded like a biscuit company, so they asked me what my real name was... They thought it was fantastic".[2]

His debut recording in 1959 was "[Mr. Blue](/source/Mr._Blue)", a reworking of [the Fleetwoods](/source/The_Fleetwoods)' Stateside chart topper.[7] "Mr. Blue" peaked at number 18 in the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) in November 1959, spending four weeks in the listing.[8] [Joe Meek](/source/Joe_Meek) produced the recording.[9] The same year, MacBeth appeared on [Associated Television](/source/Associated_Television) programmes, *Disc Break* and *Music Shop* plus [Granada](/source/ITV_Granada)'s *The Song Parade*.[10] He released five more singles on Pye Records over the next two years, but could not repeat his chart success. On 25 January 1960, MacBeth was a guest on "Midday Music-Hall" on the [BBC Light Programme](/source/BBC_Light_Programme).[11] On 16 September and again on 4 November 1961, MacBeth was on *[Thank Your Lucky Stars](/source/Thank_Your_Lucky_Stars_(TV_series))*, singing "Just A Twinkle (In Your Daddy's Eye)".[12] The latter track was his first single on [Decca Records](/source/Decca_Records), which was issued in October 1961.

In mid-1962, MacBeth represented Britain at the European Knokke Festival in Belgium. In July that year he switched to [Piccadilly Records](/source/Piccadilly_Records), who released his version of [Bobby Vinton](/source/Bobby_Vinton)'s US number one hit, "[Roses Are Red (My Love)](/source/Roses_Are_Red_(My_Love))".[7] The [B-side](/source/A-side_and_B-side) of the single was "Little Heart", which had been written by [Les Vandyke](/source/Les_Vandyke).[13] Over this period, MacBeth was the compere on three separate occasions at the [London Palladium](/source/London_Palladium).[3] On 20 May 1963, the third date of the [Roy Orbison/The Beatles Tour](/source/Roy_Orbison/The_Beatles_Tour), MacBeth performed at the [Gaumont Cinema](/source/Mayflower_Theatre), [Southampton](/source/Southampton). Also on the bill were [Gerry and the Pacemakers](/source/Gerry_and_the_Pacemakers), [Louise Cordet](/source/Louise_Cordet), Tony Marsh, Terry Young Six, Erkey Grant and Ian Crawford.[14] The round Britain tour took in 42 locations on successive evenings.[2] His subsequent single releases continued to flop and he turned to the cabaret circuit, before taking up work as a music agent in 1965.[7] He had married a model, Margaret, in the meantime and they relocated to the south of England, before returning to [Tyneside](/source/Tyneside) a few years later.[3]

In 1969, MacBeth was talked back into recording,[7] and in May that year he released "Does Anybody Miss Me", on Pye Records, which was written by [Tony Hatch](/source/Tony_Hatch) and [Jackie Trent](/source/Jackie_Trent).[15] The comeback was short-lived but he achieved his entertainment ambition of owning Grey's Club in Newcastle.[16] He bought the premises in 1982, having had his first attempt to purchase it, in 1978, thwarted by [Ladbrokes](/source/Ladbrokes_Coral) who [gazumped](/source/Gazumping) his offer.[3] He sold the club in 2000, and retired to enjoy golf whilst residing in [Darras Hall](/source/Darras_Hall), [Ponteland](/source/Ponteland).

In May 2003, MacBeth gave a one-off performance in [Edinburgh](/source/Edinburgh), backed by a 35-piece orchestra at a tribute concert for [Johnny Keating](/source/Johnny_Keating), who was born in the city.[2]

Some of his recordings have appeared on various artist compilation albums in recent years. "Mr. Blue" is a track on *The 1959 British Hit Parade, Pt. 2: July–December* (2011),[17] whilst *The 1962 British Hit Parade, Pt. 2: May–September* (2013) contains "Roses Are Red (My Love)",[18] and *British Hit Parade 1962: The B-Sides, Vol. 2* (2013) contains "Little Heart".[19]

## UK chart singles discography

Year Title Record label UK Singles Chart 1959 "Mr. Blue" Pye Records No. 18

[8]

## References

1. ["David MacBeth"](https://secondhandsongs.com/artist/93727). *Secondhandsongs.com*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["John North - A world away from liver salts"](https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7037174.john-north---world-away-liver-salts/). *[The Northern Echo](/source/The_Northern_Echo)*. 27 March 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["David MacBeth"](https://www.rocknroll-schallplatten-forum.de/topic.php?t=5531). *Rocknroll-schallplatten-forum.de*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["The Unlikely Lads - M"](https://www.nufc.com/html/2011-12html/unlikely-new-m.html). *Nufc.com*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["Macbeth David"](https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195313734.001.0001/acref-9780195313734-e-48024). *David Macbeth*. Oxford University Press. January 2009. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["Crooner Mac tunes in with N's tales"](https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7139916.crooner-mac-tunes-ns-tales/). *[The Northern Echo](/source/The_Northern_Echo)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["David MacBeth | Biography & History"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-macbeth-mn0000178989). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["David MacBeth | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company"](https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/7755/david-macbeth/). *Officialcharts.com*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. Joe Meek, Telstar: The Hits of Joe Meek, Sanctuary Records Group Ltd., London, 2006

1. ["TV Pop Diaries - 1959"](http://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk/1959.html). *Tvpopdiaries.co.uk*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["Light Programme - 25 January 1960"](https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/light/1960-01-25). *Genome.ch.bbc.co.uk*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["Thank Your Lucky Stars - Series 2"](http://ohboy.org.uk/thank-your-lucky-stars/index.php/news/itemlist/category/91-series-2). *Ohboy.org.uk*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["David MacBeth | Songs"](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-macbeth-mn0000178989/songs). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["The Beatles Bible - Live: Gaumont Cinema, Southampton"](https://www.beatlesbible.com/1963/05/20/live-gaumont-cinema-southampton/). *Beatlesbible.com*. 20 May 1963. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["Tracks on Does Anybody Miss Me - David MacBeth (May 1969)"](https://secondhandsongs.com/release/229290). *Secondhandsongs.com*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["60s Clubs"](http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/60s-clubs/). *Readysteadygone.co.uk*. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["The 1959 British Hit Parade, Pt. 2: July-December - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-1959-british-hit-parade-pt-2-july-december-mw0002165113). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["The 1962 British Hit Parade, Pt. 2: May-September \[Acrobat\] - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-1962-british-hit-parade-pt-2-may-september-acrobat-mw0002476988). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

1. ["British Hit Parade 1962: The B-Sides, Vol. 2 - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic"](https://www.allmusic.com/album/british-hit-parade-1962-the-b-sides-vol-2-mw0002461732). *[AllMusic](/source/AllMusic)*. Retrieved 6 May 2021.

## External links

- [Listing @ Discogs.com](https://www.discogs.com/artist/1108933-David-MacBeth)
- [Listing @ 45cat.com](http://www.45cat.com/artist/david-macbeth)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David MacBeth](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_MacBeth) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_MacBeth?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.