Ray Dorset

Ray Dorset (born 21 March 1946) is a British guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry.

He composed most of the songs for the band, including the hit singles "In the Summertime", "Baby Jump", "Lady Rose", "You Don't Have to Be in the Army to Fight in the War", "Long Legged Woman Dressed in Black", and "Hello Nadine", with "Feels Like I'm in Love" becoming a number one hit single for the Scottish disco singer Kelly Marie.

Dorset attended Stanwell Road School (which was renamed Abbotsford County Secondary School, and then Southall Secondary School), from the age of 13 after passing the eleven plus exam. He formed The Blue Moon Skiffle Group as a teenager.

He worked as an apprentice hairdresser for nine months after leaving the school without qualifications. After this he studied for a City and Guilds qualification at Twickenham College of Technology and worked for Radio Control Specialists Ltd, National Works, Bath Road, Hounslow, a firm that manufactured radio control equipment for models and film work as well as electro-mechanical components.

In 1968, Dorset formed the group Good Earth, which included Colin Earl on keyboards, Dave Hutchins on bass, and Ray Bowerman on drums. They recorded the album It's Hard Rock And All That on the Saga record label, before Hutchins and Bowerman left. Joe Rush joined on washboard and the group adopted a more acoustic-based skiffle style.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.