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Maureen is the only original member never to have left the group for a solo career until the band split up in 2005. Here we acknowledge Maureen's part in their worldwide successes that includes Royal Variety Show performances and a major European tour as support act to Frank Sinatra in 1975. The family lived in Ireland until 1962, & all of the children were born in Dublin with the exception of Coleen who was born in Blackpool, England. The five eldest sisters became popular on variety programs on British television during the early 1970s. Denise left the group to follow a solo career, after the sisters participated in a successful tour supporting Engelbert Humperdinck in the United States. Anne also left the group after she married & was replaced by the youngest sister Coleen. As "The Nolan Sisters" they reached #3 on the British albums charts in 1978 with a "Greatest Hits" compilation album, which was an unusual situation because until this time none of their singles had reached the charts. The first hit single "Spirit, Body and Soul" reached #34 in 1979. Their next single "I'm In The Mood For Dancing" embraced the current disco craze & reached #3. Over the next few years they continued to have hit albums with Nolans (#15 in 1980), Making Waves (#11 in 1980) and Portrait (#7 in 1982). They also achieved several hit singles "Don't Make Waves" (#12 in 1980), "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (#9 in 1980), "Who's Gonna Rock You" (#12 in 1980), "Attention to Me" (#9 in 1981), "Chemistry" (#15 in 1981) and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (#14 in 1982). They achieved success in Europe, Australia and New Zealand but their biggest success was in Japan where several of their songs reached # 1.In 1992 The Nolans became the first British group to be awarded the Tokubstsu Kikaku Sho (Japanese Grammy) for best foreign recording artist Japanese Grammy Awards. During these years Anne returned to the group to replace Linda who had left the group to pursue a solo cabaret-based career which also encompassed glamour modelling. Each of the six sisters has recorded solo projects with mediocre success. By 1994, the ever changing line up had dwindled to just Anne & Maureen. By 2000, the line up swelled again as Maureen & Anne, were joined by Anne's daughter Amy & her friend Julia until the groups demise in 2005. |
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