Ruby Murray (March 29 1935 – December 17 1996, Torquay, England) was a popular singer from Northern Ireland. Murray was born on the Donegall Road in south Belfast.[LINK: http://www.culturenorthernireland.org/town_Home.aspx?co=15&to=286&ca=0&sca=0&navID=1] Culture Northern Ireland website. Her voice's unique sound was a result of an operation on her throat in early childhood.[LINK: http://www.rubymurray.org/] Official Website. She toured as a child singer, and first appeared on television at the age of 12. Her first single, Heartbeat, reached the UK top 5 in 1954. Softly, Softly, her second single, reached No.1 the following year. That song was one of five in the Top Twenty in the same week in March — a record which still stands to this day.[LINK: http://www.rubymurray.org/bio.shtml] Official website states that Guinness Book of