Jenny appearing in 'Babes in the Wood', Birmingham Hippodrome, age 7
Jenny Darren was born near Birmingham in the West Midlands, in the UK .
From a very young age she showed an all consuming interest in music. Her first venture into the spotlight was in fact in church. when at the age of three her Mother was persuaded into letting her sing at the alter on the church anniversary. This Jenny did to an unbelieving audience of ardent churchgoers, who could not believe what they were hearing!....this tiny child singing her heart out in one of the most intimidating of venues. No matter...Jenny sang 'the lord's my Shepherd' as though she were a veteran performer.
Following her success in the church! Jenny talked her Mother into letting her have dancing lessons. After starting at ' Madam Latours School of dance' Jenny took lessons in ballet, tap, acro....and singing. Although she loved to dance, nothing made Jenny happier than when she was singing her heart out, whether it was in Church, the dancing School or the family trips to the seaside where she entertained all and sundry by dancing in the aisles on the coach, and singing all the pop hits of the day.
As Jenny sang and danced her way through the years in various Christmas pantomimes and church evenings...it became apparent that singing was taking precedence over the dance, and at the age of 12 Jenny joined her cousin George's group, a pop band with twin guitars who worked the pubs. At the time she was almost swayed into the classical field by being nominated for a scholarship; It was not to be as she had her heart set on being a Diva even then.
Publicity card for Jenny's first band
Publicity card for Jenny's first Jazz Quartet
After her cousins band 'Jenny Melody' and her Rockin' Phantoms, she went on to 'Les Jondors' cutting her first record at 12 years of age, and recording in fact two of her own original tunes - 'Why does it have to be me and 'Too late'. Jenny was then spotted by a Manchester Evening News journalist by the name of Richard Jaffa who subsequently became her Manager for the next 2 to 3 years.
Through Richard her career began to expand, and although singing teachers came and went record company interest arrived. firstly in the name of 'Transatlantic Records' for Nathan Joseph, who had on the label such blues notables as 'John Lee Hooker', and 'Long John Baldry'. Although jenny recorded songs with Transatlantic they were never released, Richard thinking that the label was perhaps a little to abstract for such a young person, and a more popular label was sought after, culminating in the form of a two single deal offered by Decca, and Chasing my dreams all over town, and the merry go round is slowing you down were recorded.
Newspaper Article illustrating Jenny's rise to fame
Three years went by, and Richard Jaffa went to law School to get his degree at the bar, after which Jenny and Richard parted company. Jenny then worked for various local agencies, and with different bands. until after one write up ina Birmingham newspaper a Band rang her called the 'Second City Sound'...this was the start of Jenny's big Cabaret career, and a proper job..or as proper a job as one could get paid each week by paye! Out then went the small time pubs, and in came the Clubs...plus TV and radio work...and big management....Derek Rawden followed by Harry Gunn and lastly Dorothy Solomons (Who managed Lena Zavarone)..Jenny worked over three years with SCS, and made a single and an album with them; After which she left them, but stayed with Dorothy Soloman as her Manager and from then on moved forward to a pursue a solo career.
Jenny's first recording - a single-sided 12" EP
<Read about Jenny's recording of a Spike Milligan poem>