With his rich, resonant voice, tenor Brendan Locke won the hearts of music lovers half a world away; he left his native land and became a star in Australia. Like his uncle Joe, he is gifted with an easy celtic charm, and quickly won the hearts of his adopted country. Among the highlights of his career, he became the first Irish tenor to appear on stage at the Sydney Opera House concert Hall (in 1974). He was awarded a Gold Disk for his very first recording The Shamrock Spectacular, based on the highly successful show of the same name. He achieved another Gold Disk with the recording of a spectacular show, which was released as a fund-raiser for the Sydney charity Boystown; he was presented with this accolade at his own Bunratty Castle Theatre restaurant in 1977 - the same date as his third Australian-produced album My Many Requests was released by EMI. Brief biography Born in Derry City, Brendan comes from a large family. He moved to England and got a job with car-makers Vauxhall. It was at this time that he began professional singing lessons "just to see how much my voice could improve". He married Frances, and the couple expect their first grandchild this October. To earn more money, Brendan took a job long- distance truck driving all over the UK. It was then that fate took a hand - and changed his life completely... "My mother's sister, Bridie, had married a Welsh Sgt. Major, Bill Lewis, who was living in Newport, South Wales. The truck I was driving suffered a mechanical fault on a Friday while I was at the docks in Cardiff. "Unable to get back home to Leighton Buzzard, I contacted Bridie and Bill who were happy to see me as always. I went with them to a local ex-servicemen's club where a Welsh tenor was singing, badly. "I boasted I could do better, and I was immediately challenged by the singer's family, who had overheard my crass remark, to get up and prove it. "This I did, and I was immediately offered five pounds to come back the following week. "After that there was no stopping me... Having purchased a bow tie, and wearing his wedding suit, Brendan set upon a singing career, under the name of Carl Stevens. His repertoire was mainly Mairo Lanza and Richard Tauber  standards, and he played the workingmen's clubs, which thrived in the North of England at that time. Anyone familiar with the Locke story will know of the mystery singer 'Mr X', who played on the fact that no-one knew his identity. Was it Joe himself ? In fact the story is a key part of the movie Hear My Songs. And Brendan was for a time fingered as the unknown singer who made such a hit with UK TV audiences on Opportunity Knocks. Mr X turned out to be Eric Leibstrom, but confusion reigned in the entertainment world; then for a time Brendan was billed as Carl Stevens, Jo Locke nephew. It was Jimmy Hartley of The Stage newspaper who persuaded him to change to his new - and long-standing stage name - Brendan Locke. Although 'retired', Brendan has been busy, organising major entertainments in Sydney, despite having suffered  a stroke, a heart attack and undergone a quad-bypass operation in April  of '98 In June 2005, Brendan wrote: : "We are about to re-issue on CD my biggest seller (1978) A GLORIOUS IRISH PARTY singalong of 33 of the best of Irish favourites. My original LP/vinyl was EMIs biggest Irish seller here in OZ, getting me a platinum and a Jensen Interceptor motor car ! Those were the days.

From The Irish Times by Seamus McKinney AMBROSE McLaughlin could thank a broken-down truck for setting him on the road to singing success. Born at Artillery Street in Derry city centre, he emigrated to England in the 1950s at a time when his uncle Joseph - better known as the legendary tenor Josef Locke - was at the height of his fame. While working with car manufacturer Vauxhall and as a truck driver, Ambrose started taking singing lessons. One day on a job in Cardiff his vehicle broke down, forcing him to stay with his aunt Bridie and her husband Bill Lewis in Newport. "I went with them to a local ex-servicemen’s club where a Welsh tenor was singing badly," he said. “I boasted I could do better and I was immediately challenged by the singer’s family – who had overheard my crass remark – to get up and prove it. "This I did and I was immediately offered five pounds to come back the following week. After that, there was no stopping me.” Ambrose bought himself a new bow tie, adopted the name Carl Stevens and performed in working men’s clubs all over northern England. A further name change – to Brendan Locke – and emigration to Australia brought further success. As one of the “Three Irish Tenors” he toured extensively. As a solo artist he also won many awards including a Gold Disc for his first album, The Shamrock Spectacular. The pinnacle of his career came when he became the first Irish tenor to sing at the Sydney Opera House concert hall. Mr McLaughlin died aged 83 on Christmas Day in New South Wales. He is survived by his wife Frances and children Carl and Joanne.