Shelley Preston
Birth nameCaroline Shelley Preston
Also known asShelley Preston
Born (1964-05-14) 14 May 1964
Hillingdon, England
GenresPop, rock
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, model
Instrument(s)Vocals, tambourine
Years active1985–present
Websiteshelleypreston.co.uk

Shelley Preston (born 14 May 1964) is a singer who is famous for being a former member of the pop group Bucks Fizz, when she replaced Jay Aston in June 1985. Her biggest hit as a member of the band was the 1986 track "New Beginning", which reached the UK top ten. She left the group in 1990.[1] From 2004 to 2009, she was a member of the group The Original Bucks Fizz, along with former Bucks Fizz members Cheryl Baker and Mike Nolan.

Career

Preston was born in Hillingdon, England. She started singing in her local Sunday school choir from 4 years of age. While she was still at school, she sang with the Bournemouth Operatic Society. She worked as a singer at a hotel nightclub in Sri Lanka for six months before being selected at a London audition to be the new member of Bucks Fizz.[2]

Shelley was introduced as the new member of Bucks Fizz to millions of viewers on the BBC TV prime-time chat show Wogan, hosted by Terry Wogan.[3]

After the highly publicised introduction of Shelley to Bucks Fizz, her first single release with the group, ‘Magical’, reached number 57 in the UK in the Autumn of 1985. They returned to the UK top 10 when "New Beginning (Mamba Seyra)" was released in May 1986, reaching number 8. With its lavish production, multi layered vocals and heavy drum sound, it was well received by critics and popular on the radio. Although the follow-up singles did not reach the UK top 40, the group continued to remain popular with their concert tour audiences. The singles were all on the album Writing on the Wall(UK no. 89), which also included the original version of ‘Love In A World Gone Mad’, intended for a single release early 1987 (a performance of this song was filmed for The Little & Large Show), however the single was subsequently cancelled. A re-recorded version featuring both Shelley and Cheryl Baker on lead verses surfaced on the 2004 re-release of the ‘Writing On The Wall’ album.

After leaving Bucks Fizz in 1991, Preston made a career as a backing vocalist, touring and appearing with Jason Donovan, INXS, Brian May, Alannah Myles, Michael Bolton, Go West, Beverley Craven, Alexander O'Neal, Luther Vandross, Donny Osmond, Blue, Westlife, Alison Moyet, Tom Jones, David Hasselhoff, Errol Brown, Belinda Carlisle. During the 1990s she worked as a model, appearing in a number of commercials. She was also the voice of Radio One as featured vocalist on their idents for two years.

In 2001 she was invited to join the "chillout lounge" band Cloudfish, with Spandau Ballet saxophonist, Steve Norman. Together they wrote and produced their own material and released an EP in July 2006. They performed at the legendary Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, London, and have played at Pacha in Ibiza.

In 2004, Preston reunited with Bucks Fizz bandmates Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan and Bobby G for the Christmas Here & Now arena tour. Following this, Baker, Nolan and Preston decided to continue as The Original Bucks Fizz.[4] As a three-piece they performed at various festivals, nightclubs, and toured theatres up and down the UK. In June 2008, they performed at the last G-A-Y night alongside McFly and The Feeling. In August 2008, Preston with Baker, Nolan and Aston took part in a makeover show for Living TV, which was aired in March 2009 and performed with Björn Again at the Hammersmith Apollo on 18 December 2008.

In April 2009, Preston left The Original Bucks Fizz and was replaced by the original Bucks Fizz band member, Jay Aston.

Since leaving The Original Bucks Fizz, Shelley has occasionally performed at intimate venues, including the Colour House Theatre, London.

Personal life

Shelley and INXS bassist Garry Gary Beers had a short relationship in the late 1990s. They share a son named Benjamin Preston-Beers.

Shelley's marriage to Steve Norman ended after more than thirteen years when they divorced in 2015. Shelley has performed Cloudfish songs at her occasional solo gigs.

Discography

With Bucks Fizz:

Singles

Albums

References

  1. ↑ "Selley Preston - Official - About". Facebook. Facebook. Retrieved 7 March 2017. By the time she left the group [Bucks Fizz] in 1990, she had toured the world.
  2. ↑ "Official | Facebook". Shelley Preston. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  3. ↑ "Rafaels and Stefans pictures". Raffem.com. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Original BUCKS FIZZ". Archived from the original on 2 December 2008.
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