Who is the greatest Glaswegian of all time? Lulu and Billy Connolly revealed as contenders

Over the next few weeks, we will be revealing the top 50 men and women who have put our city on the map through politics, the arts, business, science and more.

Once all 50 have been revealed, it’s over to you – we will be launching a public vote, and want to know who you think should be number one.

Today, meet our first two outstanding Glaswegians – Lulu and Billy Connolly.

LULU

WITH A career of almost 60 years and a string of hit singles under her belt, Lulu is a bona fide global pop superstar.

She has been part of British pop culture for so long, it is hard to imagine it without her.

The Dennistoun-born singer, whose real name is Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, joined a band when she was 12, got a record deal at 15 (with Decca) and her first single Shout reached number seven in the UK charts, making her a household name.

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She went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969 with the song Boom Bang-A-Bang, and has released 15 studio albums and a collection of singles, including I Could Never Miss You, The Boat That I Row and To Sir With Love.

The latter was the title track to the Sidney Poitier film To Sir with Love, in which she also starred, and it gave her an American number one.

It stayed at the top of the US charts for five weeks in the autumn of 1967, becoming the top-selling single there that year.

Over the years, she has popped up on all kinds of TV shows, from The Great Comic Relief Bake Off to Strictly Come Dancing, and she featured in the Absolutely Fabulous movie, released in 2016.

In 1993, Lulu featured on Take That’s Relight My Fire - which introduced her to a new generation.

Earlier this year, she announced a huge UK tour, comprising 35 shows in under two months, as well as revealing she would support Take That on their 37-date Greatest Hits tour.

BILLY CONNOLLY

RECENTLY named Scotland’s funniest person in a poll by our sister title The Herald, Billy Connolly is a true Glasgow legend.

The former shipyard worker is a global superstar, who made his name as a comedian and has since added actor, documentary film-maker and all round national icon to his CV.

From banjo-player and movie star to playwright, pop star and urban philosopher, he has done more than almost anyone else to ‘sell’ Glasgow around the world.

Through his clever, human comedy he has managed to open people’s eyes to the city’s warmth, humour and creativity, warts and all – and in doing so, turned perceptions of what it is possible to achieve when you are a working-class Glaswegian, entirely upside down.

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Born in Anderston, Billy left school to start work as a welder on the shipyards, performing on the folk music scene in his spare time.

He became an accomplished banjo player and a member of the band Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty (later of Baker Street fame) but gradually, the jokes he told between songs began to take over his act and he switched to comedy.

He became a household name in the UK after appearing on Parkinson in the early seventies and since then, has appeared on countless shows, and in television dramas and films, including the acclaimed Mrs Brown alongside Judi Dench.

Recently diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Billy has announced his retiral from touring, but earlier this year he performed the role of Grand Master at the New York City Tartan Day Parade in front of 30,000 spectators.

He once said: “I’m very lucky in as much as I made a bit of a mark, and you think, well, I must have done something right.”

Don’t miss tomorrow’s Evening Times when we will be revealing the next two contenders for the title of Greatest Glaswegian.