The Nolans are an Anglo-Irish girl group who formed in Blackpool in 1974 as the Nolan Sisters, before changing their name in 1980. Often referred to as Ireland's First Family of Music, they were the first Irish performing family to achieve international success, preceding the likes of the Corrs. Between 1979 and 1982, the group had seven international hits, including "I'm In the Mood for Dancing", "Gotta Pull Myself Together", "Who's Gonna Rock You", "Attention to Me" and "Chemistry". They are one of the world's biggest selling girl groups. They were particularly successful in Japan, becoming the first European act to win the Tokyo Music Festival with "Sexy Music" in 1981, and won a Japanese Grammy (Tokubetsu Kikaku Shō) in 1992. History 1962–1974: Early career Tommy (26 September 1925–1998) and Maureen Nolan (15 December 1926–30 December 2007) met at Clerys Ballroom in Dublin and raised their family in Raheny, Dublin. Tommy had a radio show on RTÉ. Due to the lack of work the young family moved from Dublin to Blackpool in 1962, and launched a family singing group, the Singing Nolans, in 1963. The original line-up comprised the parents, and seven of their eight children: sons Tommy (born 20 July 1949) and Brian (born 19 June 1955), and daughters Anne (born 12 November 1950), Denise (born 6 April 1952), Maureen (born 14 June 1954), Linda (born 23 February 1959), and Bernadette ('Bernie', 17 October 1960 – 4 July 2013). The youngest member, Coleen, (born 12 March 1965), did not formally join the group until 1980 as she was too young to perform with her sisters. The family performed even as the five girls went to school at Blackpool's St Mary's Catholic College. The Nolans also attended The Cardinal Wiseman School in Greenford, West London. The Singing Nolans recorded an album, The Singing Nolans, a single "Blackpool" – which was a song about their local football club, Blackpool F.C., and is still used on match days at Bloomfield Road – and the EP "Silent Night" for the Nevis label in 1972. Tommy Nolan Sr. died of liver cancer in 1998. The Nolans' mother Maureen Nolan died in Blackpool in 2007, aged 81, on 30 December 2007 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Anne Nolan released her autobiography, titled Anne's Song, on 27 March 2008. In the book, co-written with Richard Barber, Anne said she had been repeatedly sexually abused by her