A ballad singer of the early 1960s, whose most famous hit was "Venus in Blue Jeans". As his popularity declined he first began to compere pop concerts, then turned to performing in stage musicals.
The Mark Wynter story began when Terry Lewis was born in Woking in Surrey to Edna Riley and Thomas Lewis on January 29th 1943...
With his boyish charm, smartly turned out appearance, and well-scrubbed ‘boy next door' good looks Mark was one of the most popular brylcreem boys of the pre-Beatles era and enjoyed a phenomenally high profile on TV & radio, in adverts and commercials, in films, pop mags and girls' comics, on package tours, summer seasons and pantomimes.
His path to pop stardom began in a Peckham dance hall in July 1959. Sixteen year old Terry Lewis was fronting a semi-pro beat group, (deputising for a friend who had lost his voice) and was noticed by a talent scout, one Ray Mackender, who became his manager and was responsible for guiding him from part time amateur to full time professional. Ray and Mark below.
The first change was his name! Terry was a very fashionable name at the time of his birth - remember Adam Faith and Matt Monro - they were both Terrys! – but to lessen the confusion with Jerry Lee Lewis Terry Lewis decided to change his name to ‘Mark' and ‘Wynter' came out of the phone book. And so the newly named Mark Wynter made his first major public appearance at a charity bash in Cheshunt thrown by local hero Cliff Richard, with his newly formed backing group called “The Snowdrifts.”
Mark Wynter - Kickin' Up the Leaves
The Complete Recordings (1960-1962)
Mark Wynter-Venus In Blue Jeans
The Sixties Collection
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