Yesterday
If The Whole World Stopped Lovin'
Val Doonican
Recorded in England
A Pye Records, U.K. Recordings
Decca Records DL 4962
A Division of MCA Inc.
1968
From the back cover: England continues to play a major role in the introduction of new talent to the international music scene. The latest candidate to the world-wide popularity is a 6 ft. tall product of Waterford, Eire, by the name of Michael Valentine Doonican, and the song that first brought him to the attention of American audiences in the British Isles and raced up the charts of The New Musical Express (one of England's most popular music papers) and landed in the No. 2 spot, just behind another English act by the name of... The Beatles.
With the release of this single record on the Decca label in the United States, the American trade papers were unanimous in their praise of Doonican. Now the name and talents of Val Doonican are well on their way to becoming as well known to these shores as they are to his home audiences. His successes, there include, beside recordings, radio, television, theater and cabaret appearances,. Continental tours, song-writing, and the distinction of being the first British artist to make two consecutive appearances on the highly rate "Sunday Night At The London Palladium."
It must be said of Val that he came from a home full of music, and a family that owned almost every type of stringed instrument except one – a guitar. It was in such an atmosphere that Val, too, developed a love of music – and an ambition to own and play the one instrument that his family did not possess! But as fate would have it, a professional musician, who just happened to own a guitar, came to live nearby, and he gave the youngster his first opportunity to play the instrument.
After many months of hard practice, Val was given a guitar to call his own and the opportunity to play and sing with a quartet of local musicians for the summer season. Many more hours of practice led to a trip to Dublin for a sponsored series of Radio Eireann. Shortly after, as his popularity grew even greater, he joined the Four Ramblers for his first professional engagement in England.
The first solo performance in England as a singer and instrumentalist for this rapidly rising young talent was a radio series with the famed Frank Chacksfield; then, his debut on English television. Shortly after, he was offered his own radio series in Englan, "Your Date With Val." And the rest, as they say, is history – the story of the brilliant rise of a new, exciting musical star, as success followed success for the personable Val Doonican.
From Billboard - March 23, 1968: England seems able to score better in the pop field with country music than Americans. Here's the latest sensation, Val Doonican racking up a hit with "If The Whole World Stopped Lovin'." Some of the other country tunes here include "He'll Have to Go," "Take Me." "Yesterday" is also here.
If The Whole World Stopped Lovin'
Take Me
Small World
I'd Rather Think Of You
Hold Me
Scarlet Ribbons (For Her Hair)
If I Were A Carpenter
Yesterday
He'll Have To Go
Hy Coloring Book
The Folks Who Live On The Hill
