Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE (born Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie; November 3, 1948), is a Scottish singer, actress, television personality and businesswoman. She is noted for her powerful singing voice.
She is internationally known, but especially by UK audiences in the 1960s. Later in her career she had hits internationally with “To Sir with Love” from the 1967 film of the same name and with the title song to the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun. In European countries, she is also widely known for her Eurovision Song Contest 1969 winning entry “Boom Bang-a-Bang”, and in the UK for her 1964 hit “Shout”, which was performed at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie was born in Lennoxtown, Stirlingshire, and grew up in Dennistoun, Glasgow, where she attended Thomson Street Primary School and Onslow Drive School. She lived in Gallowgate for a while before moving to Garfield Street, Dennistoun. At the age of 12 or 13, she and her manager approached a band called the Bellrocks seeking stage experience as a singer. She appeared with them every Saturday night: Alex Thomson, the group’s bass player, has reported that even then her voice was remarkable. She has two brothers and a sister, and her father was a heavy drinker. Aged 14, she received the stage name “Lulu” from her future manager Marion Massey, who commented: “Well, all I know is that she’s a real lulu[a] of a kid.”
In August 2017, Lulu’s family history was the subject of an episode in the UK series Who Do You Think You Are? The research showed that her mother had been brought up by another family. The investigation into her genealogy showed that Lulu’s maternal grandparents had come from across the religious divide in Glasgow. Her grandfather Hugh Cairns was a Catholic and her grandmother, Helen Kennedy, was a Protestant. Cairns had been a member of a Catholic gang and was found in the research to have been in and out of prison at the time of the birth of Lulu’s mother. Kennedy was found to be the daughter of a Worthy Mistress of the Ladies’ Orange Lodge 52; the discovery explained why the two families had opposed the union between Kennedy and Cairns.
Together is a 2002 album, released May 21, recorded by Scottish pop star Lulu as an album of duets with various artists, including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Joe Cocker, Cliff Richard, Westlife and Ronan Keating, amongst others. The album reached #4 in the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the BPI.
“Teardrops” with Elton John 4:48
“Shame Shame Shame” with Atomic Kitten 3:27
“Inside Thing (Let ‘Em In)” with Paul McCartney 4:48
“We’ve Got Tonight” with Ronan Keating 3:40
“Sail On, Sailor” with Sting 3:27
“Back at One” with Westlife 4:11
“To Sir, with Love” with Samantha Mumba 2:57
“With You I’m Born Again” with Marti Pellow 3:37
“The Prayer” with Russell Watson 4:32
“Reunited” with Cliff Richard 4:03
“I’m Back for More” with Bobby Womack 5:08
“Now That the Magic Has Gone” with Joe Cocker 5:01
“Phunk Phoolin” with Kerphunk 3:43
“Relight My Fire” with Take That 4:09
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