‘I’ve been the luckiest woman in the world’
THIS WEEK WE FEATURE ONE OF CLUBLAND’S BEST-LOVED ENTERTAINERS, RENA JORDAN
AHESSLE roader through and through, Rena Jordan was born on January 2, 1948, and lived down Claremont Avenue, Beecroft Street in Hessle Road. She was the fourth child of Elsie and Sam Jordan. She said: “My dad was a fisherman on the trawlers and, along with my mum, he would always encourage me to sing, and even from the early age of three, my mum would stand me on the table so I could sing nursery rhymes to her just like I was on a stage.”
As she got a little older Rena would sing up and down the street on her way to and from school and her mum always joked that the neighbours would set their clocks by her.
Rena went to Somerset Street school and after school she would go to the play centre that was run by the school from 5pm to 7pm.
It was there that Rena, along with her friends, would organise plays and concerts to fill the time and It would prove to leave a lasting impression on the youngster.
She told me: “We would get up and do a show, but I never had the nerve to get up on my own.
“People who know me find it hard to imagine that, as a kid, I was very shy until a school friend called Janet Wilson took me to one side.
“Over time she slowly encouraged me and gradually my confidence grew to the point where I felt much more comfortable and able to sing on stage.”
At the age of 15, Rena left school and got a job working Monday to Friday at the Rosen’s shoe factory in Harrow Street but, come the weekend, she would go round the local pubs and get up and sing with the local pianists and drummers.
Rena said: “The Halfway pub in Spring Bank was my favourite, as they had a wonderful band and they used to give you a free drink for getting up.”
It wasn’t too long before she secured her first paid gig at the Jackson ballroom for a wedding on a Saturday afternoon. She worked with a pianist and drummer and was paid the princely sum of five shillings.
“In 1968, I joined my first group The Skysounds along with Mike
Pike on keys, Al Barley on guitar, Derek Flowers on sax, Charlie Nic on drums and Alan Glaz on bass,” she said.
“We did really well mainly working in the West Riding. A lot were miner’s clubs, we did noon and nights on Sundays working alongside an exotic dancer on the noon booking. I lost count of the times I was asked if I was the stripper!”
Over the next few years Rena took a back step as she married the love of her life, her husband Will, and had her boys, which was a full-time job in itself.
In 1974, Rena was asked if she would like to compere at the Dee Street club in Hessle Road, which, at the time, fitted well with her family life.
She was one of the first female comperes in the town and it gave her the chance to work with the likes of Cannon and Ball, Jim Bowen, The Harper brothers and the Swinging Blue Jeans.
It was there that her band, Arena, was formed along with Colin Oldgood on drums, Tony Brown on keys and Derek Flowers on sax.
After a time the band went on the road and they successfully toured around the UK for a couple of years. In 1986, Rena was invited to appear at the prestigious Blackpool command show at the Horseshoe Theatre Bar.
Eventually, after years on the road, the band took a residency at the now closed Laws Club in
Sutton and it was while working there that Rena got the chance to work with the most professional act she has ever worked with, the legendary David Whitfield.
It was also around the time that Rena first came across the local fundraisers The Society of Mice.
She was invited to be a guest at one of their shows and she still has a great relationship with them today.
Rena said: “I have been privileged to be awarded their Clubland Personality of the Year on two occasions and I am always on hand to do a guest spot for them.”
After a five-year residency at
The Lawns, Rena went back on the road as the duo Arena and they were awarded numerous clubland awards.
They did summer seasons at resorts along the east coast and following many requests, she recorded her first CD.
More recent times saw Rena return to compere at the Raine club in Durham street, return back to the Laws Club, Sutton, onto the Manor Club in Manor Road before going back again to the Raine Club.
She decided to go back on the road as a solo artist for a time before taking the job as compere at the Humber St Andrews club in Anlaby Road (now known as The William Gemmell).
She really enjoyed her time there. On refection, Rena said: “When I left the Humber St Andrews I was supposed to have retired, but I’m lucky to say that I still get asked to do shows today. In my 52 years as a professional singer, I have met so many great artist and made so many good friends.
“When I started out we had to work with a resident band, but over the years many things have changed and now in most venues, it’s generally just a compere and guest artiste.
“I’ve been the luckiest woman in the world to be married to my husband, Will, for 51 years.
“Without his love and support I would never have had the opportunity to do what I loved, and for that, I thank him with all my heart.”