One of the most pleasing but now underrated of the many MOR heartthrob vocalists who assaulted the U.K. charts during the 1960s, Vince Hill was born on April 16, 1937 in Holbrooks, Coventry. He made his professional singing debut at a local pub in 1952, at age 15, but it was not until he was called up for National Service (compulsory military duty) in the mid-'50s that he decided to move into full-time performing. He sang with the Royal Corps of Signals band and, following his return to civilian life, he toured Britain in the musical Floradora. Moving to London, Hill was recruited to Teddy Foster's big band, but turned to pop in 1960 when he joined the Raindrops, a vocal group that also featured Jackie Lee and Johnny Worth. Both would go on to considerable success, Lee with the hit singles "White Horses" and "Rupert the Bear" and Worth (under the pseudonym Les Vandyke) as a songwriter.