Joseph McLaughlin (23 March 1917 – 15 October 1999), before returning in the late 1930s to join the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He performed in front of the Prince and Princess of Wales at the 1992 Royal Variety Show, singing "Goodbye", the final song performed by his character in the film. He had announced before the song that this would be his final public appearance.

Personal life

An inveterate gambler and tax avoider, Locke had to flee the UK when the Inland Revenue issued a warrant for his arrest for non-payment of taxes. Thereafter, Locke lived in County Kildare, Ireland. He died on October 15, 1999, and was survived by his wife, Carmel, and a son.

Memorial

On 22 March 2005, a bronze memorial to Locke was unveiled outside the City Hotel on Queen's Quay in Derry by Phil Coulter and John Hume. The memorial was designed by Terry Quigley. It takes the form of a spiraling scroll divided by lines, representing a musical stave. The spiral suggests the flowing melody of a song, and is punctuated by images illustrating episodes in his life, including Locke in police uniform, Blackpool Tower, Carnegie Hall, and the musical notes of the opening lines of "Hear My Song".

A biography of the singer, entitled Josef Locke: The People's Tenor, by Nuala McAllister Hart was published in March 2017, the centenary of his birth. The book corrects many myths that the charismatic Locke circulated about his career.

References

  • The Josef Locke appreciation society
  • Nuala McAllister Hart, 'Josef Locke: The People's Tenor' (March 2017) . 160 pp, illustrated.
  • http://www.derryjournal.com/news/mcallister-hart-hailed-for-josef-locke-book-1-8204482