Credit: Rik BooseDean Ford, former frontman of the Scottish pop group Marmalade, died Monday, December 31, at the age of 72.
Marmalade scored a series of U.K. hits during the late 1960s and early ’70s, and in 1969 the group reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Reflections of My Life.” Ford, who was born Thomas McAleese, sang lead on most of the group’s songs and also co-wrote some of their tunes, including “Reflections of My Life.” In January 1969, Marmalade became the first Scottish band to top the U.K. singles chart, with a cover of The Beatles‘ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.”
Ford left Marmalade in 1975 and pursued a solo career. According to The Guardian, he eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he became a limousine driver for such stars as Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. In November of 2018, Dean released a new solo album titled Scottish Heart that included a new version of “Reflections of My Life.”
Fellow Marmalade co-founder Junior Campbell, who co-wrote “Reflections” with Ford, says of his late band mate, “He was an exceptional talent and I am privileged and proud to have performed with him, and to have written songs with him…some of which apparently still mean something, to many, all over the world. I loved him dearly.”
Ford’s daughter, Tracey McAleese-Gorman, wrote in a post on her Facebook page, “He was an amazing man, a gentle soul, extremely talented musician and a great father and Pop Pop to his only grandchild Connor…His music was his life and will now be his legacy for ever.”
Copyright © 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.