The Mexicans

Tina and the Mexicans
Tina Reynolds also sang with The Nevada  Real McCoy
and Jim Farley

Tina Reynolds was born Philomena Josephine Veronica Quinn, 1948, Wicklow, Ireland
After a troubled childhood during which her mother was confined to a sanatorium for tuberculosis, Philomena left the orphanage at which she was educated and travelled to England. When her mother suddenly died there, she elected to stay on. Her singing job at Butlin's holiday camp was reported in an Irish newspaper and prompted an offer from Irish showband the Mexicans. The singer returned to Eire to join them and adopted the stage name Tina. After four years on the road, she joined Jim Farley's Band before accepting an offer to sing with the
Real McCoy. In 1971 Tina and the Real McCoy enjoyed an Irish number 1 hit with "I Don't Know How To Love Him" from the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. Further hits followed with "Tell Me What's The Matter" and "When Morning Has Come". Her career was almost wrecked when the band's van was involved in a head-on collision. Tina, asleep in the back, suffered serious multiple injuries, including memory loss, and was forced to retire for over a year and a half. Her comeback was equally dramatic for she was chosen to represent Ireland in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. Tina's "Cross Your Heart" came fifth in a contest dominated by Abba's winning "Waterloo". Ironically, the Swedish group replaced her at number 1 in her home country. Following the Eurovision cavalcade, Tina suffered marital problems, depression and an attempted suicide. She was rescued by the nuns of the Carmelite Church of Our Lady and slowly reassessed her life. In 1976 she teamed up with the Nevada and enjoyed Irish Top 10 success anew with "I'll Do It All Again". The title proved morbidly prophetic for the following year Tina was again involved in a road accident as a passenger. In an identical incident, the Nevada, like the Real McCoy, saw their van collide with a car. Tina, despite wearing a seat belt, suffered serious leg injuries and was forced to retire again. Indomitable as ever, she returned to showbusiness for a career in cabaret.

-->