Marian Davies
Singer, The Vernons Girls / The Ladybirds
Marian Davies was a Welsh singer from Crynant, a village in the Dulais Valley near Neath, who built a career as a backing and session vocalist through the 1960s, 70s and 80s. She began with The Vernons Girls, the large female vocal group originally assembled by the Vernons football pools company in Liverpool, before going on to sing with The Ladybirds - the vocal group best known for their long-running association with The Benny Hill Show and for providing backing vocals on BBC television's Top of the Pops.
Note for clarity: this Marian Davies should not be confused with the famous 1920s-30s Hollywood actress with a similar name 'Marion', who was American and had no connection to Wales - they are entirely different people. Precise biographical details for the Welsh singer Marion Davies are harder to pin down than for most subjects on this site; much of what is documented about her comes from local community memory rather than published press coverage.
What is well attested is her connection to Crynant: she was the former president of the Crynant Male Voice Choir, a role reflecting her standing in the local community's musical life. She died at the end of January 2008, reportedly aged 70.