Martin Albert Mulry (2 September 19471 September 2001), known professionally as Ted Mulry, was an English-born Australian singer, songwriter, bass player and guitarist. As a solo artist, his second single, "Falling in Love Again" (February 1971), reached No. 11 on the Go-Set National Top 60. From September 1972 he led his own band, Ted Mulry Gang, which were also credited as TMG. They had a number-one hit single on the Kent Music Report with "Jump in My Car" (September 1975) and top ten appearances with a cover version of "Darktown Strutters' Ball" (February 1976), and with "Jamaica Rum" (January 1977) and "My Little Girl" (May). Their second album, Struttin (May 1976), also reached the top ten. The group disbanded in 1986, although periodically reformed. Mulry announced in February 2001 that he had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. In the next month numerous music artists responded with Gimme Ted, a series of benefit concerts, which were recorded for a 2×DVD video tribute album, Gimme Ted – The Ted Mulry Benefit Concerts (May 2003). Mulry died of his brain tumour in September 2001.

Early career

Martin Albert Mulry was born on 2 September 1947 in Oldham, Lancashire, England. His younger brother, Steve Mulry, was also a musician. Mulry started learning guitar from the age of ten. On 5 April 1966 Mulry arrived in Sydney as a cotton weaver intending to work at Carinya Farm, Bargo.

He sent a demo tape of his own compositions to Albert Productions in Sydney and intended to gain work as a songwriter. The company persuaded him to release his own recordings. However, the single's airplay and charting was adversely affected by the 1970 radio ban, which was a "pay for play" dispute and prevented commercial radio from playing some works (including Mulry's). Mulry's next single, "Falling in Love Again" (February 1971), was written by Vanda & Young (ex-the Easybeats), which reached No. 11.

During his solo career Mulry was typically backed by ad hoc groups. In June of that year he supported visiting English pop group, the Kinks at a performance in Canberra. He used the same backing musicians, who The Canberra Times Michael Foster described as "very good Canberra musicians."

Mulry released his debut solo album, Falling in Love Again (September 1971), and returned to England in the following month. While there he issued a single, "Ain't It Nice" (May 1972), as Steve Ryder for the Blue Mountain label. He issued his second solo album, I Won't Look Back (February 1973). Hall, Hart and Kovacs backed Mulry on ABC-TV's popular music series, GTK, in 1973 to promote his own version of "You're All Woman". however, with his band's support he adopted a harder rocking style.

Their first major hit, and the biggest of their career, was the next single, "Jump in My Car" (September 1975), which spent six weeks at No. 1. With his music career side-lined he started a business with his mechanic. They released an album, Re-Union for Albert, on Sony. This marked their first on compact disc. Other CD reissues followed in the early 1990s. In 1998 Mulry, as a solo artist issued a CD, This Time, featuring songs co-written by himself and his brother, Steve.

Death

In February 2001, Mulry announced that he had been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Gimme Ted, two tribute concerts were organised for the following month, with numerous Australian musicians paying homage. Included was a reunion of the Ted Mulry Gang with Steve as lead vocalist. A double-DVD, Gimme Ted – The Ted Mulry Benefit Concerts, was released in 2003. Steve later fronted a rock band, Black Label, which performed in New South Wales and Victoria, including supporting the Angels.

David Hasselhoff recording

In January 2006 actor David Hasselhoff recorded a cover version of "Jump in My Car", whilst in Australia. Hasselhoff's version was released in the UK and went to No. 3 in the UK Singles Chart in October. It also went No. 24 in Ireland.

Discography

Studio albums

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"

|+ List of albums, with selected chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Title

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Details

! scope="col" colspan="1" | Peak chart positions

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em;" | Certifications

|-

! scope="col" style="width:3em; font-size:90%"| AUS<br />

|-

! scope="row" | Falling in Love Again

|

  • Released: 1971
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Albert Productions (APLP.001)

| —

|

|-

! scope="row" | I Won't Look Back

|

  • Released: 1973
  • Format: LP
  • Label: Albert Productions (APLP.003)

| —

|

|-

! scope="row" | Here We Are (as Ted Mulry Gang)

|

  • Released: late 1975
  • Format: LP, cassette
  • Label: Albert Productions (APLP.007)

| 69

|

|-

! scope="row" | Struttin (as Ted Mulry Gang)

|

  • Released: May 1976
  • Format: LP, cassette
  • Label: Albert Productions (APLP.018)

| 8

|

  • AUS: Platinum

|-

! scope="row" | Steppin' Out (as Ted Mulry Gang)

|

  • Released: November 1976
  • Format: LP, cassette
  • Label: Albert Productions (APLP.021)

| 23

|

  • AUS: Gold

|-

| 1970

! scope="row" | "Julia" / "So Much in Love"

| 24

| —

|rowspan="2" | Julia / Falling in Love Again

|-

| rowspan="3" | 1971

! scope="row" | "Falling in Love Again" / "Louisa"

| 7

| —

|-

! scope="row" | "Marcia" / "Love You"

| 48

| —

| Julia

|-

! scope="row" | "Memories" / "Remember Me"

| 25

| —

| Falling in Love Again

|-

| rowspan="2" | 1972

! scope="row" | "Ain't It Nice" / "If You Should Change My Mind"

| —

| —

| rowspan="2" | I Won't Look Back

|-

! scope="row" | "I Won't Look Back" / "Just Another Day"

| 83

| —

|-

| rowspan="2" | 1975

! scope="row" | "Sunday Evenings" / "Here We Are" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 87

| —

| rowspan="2" | Here We Are

|-

! scope="row" | "Jump in My Car" / "I'm On Fire" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 1

| —

|-

| rowspan="4" | 1976

! scope="row" | "Darktown Strutters' Ball" / "She's for Me" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 3

| —

| rowspan="2" |Struttin

|-

! scope="row" | "Crazy" / "Help Me Out" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 11

| —

|-

! scope="row" | "Stepping Out" / "It's All Over Now" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 42

| —

| rowspan="2" | Steppin' Out

|-

! scope="row" | "Jamaica Rum" / "Wanted Man" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 10

| —

|-

| rowspan="2" | 1977

! scope="row" | "My Little Girl" / "You've Got It" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 8

| —

| rowspan="2" | The T.M.G. Album

|-

! scope="row" | "Naturally" / "Sha La La Lee" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 37

| —

|-

| rowspan="3" | 1978

! scope="row" | "Lazy Eyes" / "Set Me Free" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 33

| 91

| rowspan="3" | Disturbing the Peace

|-

! scope="row" | "Heart of Stone" / "I Miss You" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 37

| —

|-

! scope="row" | "You've Got the Devil in You" / "Disturbing the Peace" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| 69

| —

|-

| rowspan="3" | 1980

! scope="row" | "Save Me" / "How Long" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| —

| —

| rowspan="3" | Locked In

|-

! scope="row" | "Can't Take It All" / "Home to You" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| —

| —

|-

! scope="row" | "Captured" / "I'm Down" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| —

| —

|-

| 1981

! scope="row" | "Take a Look Inside" (as Ted Mulry and friends)

| —

| —

|

|-

| 1990

! scope="row" | "Old Habits" (as Ted Mulry Gang)

| —

| —

|

|}

Awards and nominations

Go-Set Pop Poll

The Go-Set Pop Poll was coordinated by teen-oriented pop music newspaper, Go-Set which had been established in February 1966. It conducted an annual poll from 1966 to 1972 of its readers to determine the most popular personalities.

|-

| 1971

| himself

| Best Male Vocal

| 4th

|-

Notes

  • Ted's Official Facebook Page
  • Ted Mulry Gang Feature Pop Archives Site