One-hit wonder pop star, who sang the 1960s hit Everlasting Love, has had 50 years married to his beloved wife.
Mick Jackson (72) married Patricia, his childhood sweetheart, three years after Love Affair reached number one in 1968. This was just three years before The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde By Georgie Fame surpassed it.
The couple have kept the song’s title – as it was featured in Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason– and celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary with close friends.
To celebrate, Mick, the bassist, has released Christmas Dreams, a song in honor of Patricia, his 70-year-old sweetheart.
The longest marriage ever recorded in UK music is believed to be between the Jacksons. Dolly Parton (75), a US singer, is married to Carl Dean for 55.
Mick Jackson is pictured here with Patricia, his wife in 1970s. He was part of Love Affair which reached Number 1 in 1968 when they covered Everlasting Love.
Mick is pictured with Patricia on their wedding day. He has also written a song for Patricia to commemorate 50 years of marriage.
Mick (pictured above left) left Love Affair with his band mates in the 1970s
Pictured earlier this month, the couple are happily married. They are thought to be Britain’s longest-lasting showbiz couple
Mick is from Bradford, West Yorkshire. He said that he knew he was meant to be with Patricia since the day she and I first met over a decade ago.
“She was so difficult to please while I traveled around the globe and could not even admit that she was my friend, but it was a necessary part of being my girlfriend. It would have been too much for some girls. But we kept our relationship going, got engaged, married, and are still together 50-years later.
‘I’ve been writing many songs throughout the years about many things. But I realized that my Everlasting Love, Patricia was the only thing that really meant to me. I wrote a song to express how I felt and thank her for everything we have done together.
“Patience is the secret to a long marriage. I love her so much and don’t know how I would have done without her.”
They met in 1967 on a blind date. Patricia Speight was 14 years old, and Mick had just turned 17. Mick met his friend at Hanson Boys Grammar School in Bradford. He said that he had been meeting his girlfriend at The Hole In The Wall after school. Mick needed to be there to entertain her friend.
The couple were married in Frizinghall Shipley at St Margaret’s Church and they had three children.
Patricia, who became a reporter at her local newspaper’s paper, said that Mick has been the right man for her since 1966 when she met him. She was a fourteen-year old schoolgirl and thought exciting lives were only for other people.
Official Chart company reports that Love Affair displaced Georgie Fame at number 1 in February 1968. Two weeks were spent at the top of charts
Christmas Dreams is the latest single and it features Love Affair original member, Adam.
Mick and Patricia left Love Affair 1971 to move to West Yorkshire where they started a new life working in the motor business.
“He might be very quiet, and his compliments may not be often received. But I’m sure everyone agrees that there’s no greater compliment or better than a song about your love.
Mick began his musical journey when he left art school to join a group that offered him a summer at Butlin’s, Filey.
He auditioned for Love Affair in London and was soon performing before thousands of screaming fans each night.
Mick, who had left Love Affair with Patricia in 1971, moved to West Yorkshire and began a new journey in the motor business. As a race car driver and trainer, he had two successful businesses.
Everlasting Love appeared in Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast movie, which starred Jamie Dornan, Dame Judi and others. More than 13,000,000 copies have been purchased around the globe.
Christmas Dreams was written with Dave Johnson (guitarist and arranger). Mick performs bass guitar, sings, and Mo Bacon plays drums in his brand new track.