David Alexander was a Welsh singer and entertainer. He began his career singing in social clubs, eventually obtaining wider recognition. His album Reflections sold 150,000 copies in 1988.
Early years
Born in Blackwood, Monmouthshire as Derek Ebden, he left Bedwellty Grammar School at the age of 16 to support his family. He joined his father and eldest brother in the mines at Oakdale Colliery. In the years after this, he qualified as a machine engineer. It was while working at a factory in Cwmbran that he joined the Trenewydd Singers, with whom he would appear on Opportunity Knocks.
Career
Alexander soon began putting together an act for himself. He made his debut at a local social club and left the brake factory where he worked and toured much of the United Kingdom, also working as an entertainer at Pontins. David Alexander was the name given to "Ricky" Ebdon by his manager Byron Godfrey, an friend from his teens. Godfrey and his partner, Raymond John Glastonbury, had discovered and managed Tom Jones. Godfrey and Glastonbury were both from Blackwood, and were known as Myron & Byron in the music business, but Jones's contract had been bought out by Gordon Mills. Godfrey, along with Tony King and Johnny Caesar, produced Alexander's first single for EMI, "If I could see the Rhondda one more time", in 1971, through the publishing arm of their company, Million Dollar Music Co. Ltd. It sold thousands of copies and was reissued in 1975. After a less successful single for Columbia the same year, he was released without recording an album. His next single "Taste the Wine" was released on Larry Page's Penny Farthing label in 1974 which was also released across Europe. He released his first album So Many Ways on his own label in 1975. Initial pressings were on the North West Gramophone label but later pressings and a string of other albums, singles and EPs throughout the late 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s were released on his ACE Recordings label. In 1980, Alexander again recorded for EMI with a single "Come Home Rhondda Boy" on Columbia and a self-titled album on their budget One-Up label. An updated version of that album was released on ACE as Now and Then. Alexander represented Britain at Bratislava Czechoslovakia song Festival, with Malta and Germany, amongst other countries. In 1989, he also toured Australia. During this time, David found time to support many worthy charities that asked for his help. He ran two marathons and a half marathon in one year to raise several thousand pounds required by a Walton school for their Sunshine Coach appeal. He continued to raise money for charities such as Cystic Fybrosis research, Alder Hey Children's Hospital and during one show, he managed to raise £1,000 to send one of the children to Disney World.
Later years
In 1991, Alexander settled in Tenerife, Spain, with Penny Page, whom he had met in 1976 and married in 1981. Alexander enjoyed golf and often sang in bars and clubs in and around Tenerife.
Health problems and death
In November 1991, there were fears that Alexander's singing career was over when he was diagnosed with polyps in his throat. After surgery and a month of intensive therapy, he recovered and was back singing. In November 1994, Alexander was rushed into hospital and diagnosed with cardiomegaly. He was advised by doctors to limit his workload. On the morning of 4 February 1995, he suffered a heart attack and died, he was 56 years of age. He had made his will a few days earlier on 23 January 1995.
