Born: September 30th, 1933.
Died: January 4th, 2026.
Impresario Dorothy Solomon, who has died aged 92, was part of a Belfast power couple who promoted the likes of Van Morrison, Ruby Murray and The Bachelors. She enjoyed the rare distinction of seeing four other of her famous musical proteges being banned from the airwaves.
Solomon, with her husband Philip, were influential in the careers of many other Irish and British artists, ranging from Donegal ballad singer Bridie Gallagher to the likes of Phil Coulter, David McWilliams, comedians Frank Carson and Hal Roach, the poet Pam Ayres and child star Lena Zavaroni.
They brought the music of The Dubliners to a British public with the 1967 hit Seven Drunken Nights, their appearances on the BBC’s Top of the Pops also serving to propel them to global fame and, sometimes, notoriety. The song reached number one in the Irish charts despite a ban by RTÉ.
They also were pivotal in Je T’Aime ... Moi Non Plus hitting number one in the UK and number two in Ireland.
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