Biography

Singer Kelly Marie was born as Jacqueline McKinnon on October 16, 1957 in Paisley, Scotland. Her parents are Alex and Jeanette McKinnon. Kelly always wanted to be a star since she was a kid. Marie attended voice and drama school at age 10 and began singing in competitions at age 12. She made her first television appearance at age 15. Kelly got an early taste of fame with her winning appearances on the British talent TV show "Oportunity Knocks." Her 1976 debut single "Who's That Lady With My Man" was a #1 radio hit in France and sold 500,000 copies. "Sister Mary," her 1976 duet with singer Joe Dolan, was a #2 radio hit in Ireland. The song "Help Me" reached the #8 spot in France in November, 1976. The 1977 single "Run to Me" reached #22 on the pop charts in the Netherlands and went to #5 in South Africa. "Make Love to Me" peaked at #2 in South Africa in 1978 and reached #5 on the Australian pop charts in 1979. In 1980 Marie achieved her greatest international smash success with the infectiously bouncy and bubbly disco anthem "Feels Like I'm in Love;" the song soared to #1 on the UK pop charts and sold over two million copies in England (the song was the third best selling single in Britain in 1980). "Feels Like I'm in Love" was also a major hit abroad: it reached #2 in Belgium, #4 in the Netherlands, #5 in Germany, #6 in Australia, and #3 in Ireland. The equally catchy follow-up "Loving Just for Fun" likewise did well; it reached #21 in England and charted at #22 in both Ireland and Germany. "Hot Love" went all the way to #22 on the UK radio in January, 1981, but "Love Trial" alas stalled at #51 on the UK pop charts. Kelly continued to tour throughout 1982 and 1983. In 1984 she had big dance club hits with the songs "Break Out" and "I'm On Fire." This was followed by "Don't Let the Flame Die Out," which was another dance club hit in 1985. In May, 2005 Marie appeared on the British TV contest show "Hit Me Baby 1 More Time;" she performed her signature smash "Feels Like I'm in Love" and did an inspired cover of Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again." More recently "Feels Like I'm in Love" was featured on the soundtracks to the films "Imagine You & Me" and "Unce Upon a Time in the Midlands." Kelly Marie lives in outer London, England with her husband Metin and her six children (she has one son and five daughters).
- IMDb mini biography by: woodyanders

Often wore a catsuit at the height of her early 80s fame

Her big hit song "Feels Like I'm in Love" was originally written for Elvis Presley.

Performed the song "Sentimental Kisses" at the World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, Japan in November, 1977. Moreover, Marie recorded a Spanish language version of the song that was only released in Spain as a single.