Ray Dorset, the front man of Mungo Jerry, shot to fame in 1970, when the band’s feel-good classic In the Summertime topped the charts for seven weeks. The song, which he wrote in 10 minutes, went to No 1 in a further 25 countries including France and Germany, and made the top three in America, selling millions worldwide. It has been covered by a host of artists and has notched up about 70m views on YouTube.
The success of the song sparked so-called Mungomania, and the band had further hits with songs such as Baby Jump, which also got to No 1 in the UK, and Alright, Alright, Alright.
Dorset, 72, has six children and lives with his third wife, Britta, in Bournemouth. He is