Julie Rayne

Julie Rayne (1930‒2025) was an English singer and entertainer, noted for her radio and television appearances and recordings from the early 1960s.

Early life and education

Born Edith Rhoda Johnston in 1930 in Darlington, County Durham, she was educated at the Darlington High School for Girls. She became well-known through frequent appearances on British television, most notably as one of the resident singers on the first series of Stars and Garters which was voted best entertainment series on television that year (1963) and on radio shows such as Sing it Again and Saturday Club. She played the top theatres and was backed by the top outfits of the day, including the Alan Ainsworth, Tony Osborne and John Barry Orchestras, appearing at top venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Albert Hall. Rayne's general success was not matched by her recording career: the two tracks she had in the Top Twenty in 1964 were uncredited and, when she did record her first album, Aral Records went out-of-business just before it was to be released and the master tapes lost.

Rayne met and worked with many of the top names in music, comedy and variety. Having already worked with Cliff Richard, she was intrigued to hear him speak at a Billy Graham meeting, and this triggered her interest in wanting to know more; she even had a spell doing missionary work in the Bahamas.

Rayne then went back to study, obtaining a degree in Education at London University (Goldsmiths). She has also been a director as well as a mentor and model.

Her later performances often include one Christian song as an expression of her faith. Minister Fred B. Craddock mentions in his book an instance in Germany where she performed a version of Psalm 121 amongst popular songs from the 1940s through to the 1960s. Craddock met her after a performance and wondered why she chose to include a Christian song in her performance; he was told that she "had made a promise to God to include a song of praise in every performance".

Rayne's first TV appearance on a Val Parnell Spectacular (1958) was uncredited, as was her final one on Tonight at the London Palladium (2000). Her final appearance on live radio was on Radio 2day, Johannesburg (2012), and her final official gig was at York Theatre Royal (2016).

Death Julie died in 2025 in York.