years_active label article_title background instrument birth_date origin name
1968 -- 1972 decca neil reid
 solo_singer guitar , vocals 1959 glasgow , united kingdom neil reid
neil reid

: `` for the 20th-century atlanta-based architect , see neel reid '' neil reid -lrb- born 1959 -rrb- is a scottish former child singing star , winner of itv 's `` opportunity knocks , '' and the holder of the title youngest person to reach number one on the uk albums chart .
known also as `` wee neil reid '' , he was eight when he was discovered singing at a pensioners ' party in 1968 .
reid won `` opportunity knocks '' on 13 december 1971 singing his version of `` mother of mine '' , which , when released commercially by decca records shortly afterwards , went to number two on the uk singles chart following a performance on `` top of the pops . ''
the `` mother of mine '' record sold over 250,000 copies in the united kingdom , and over 2.5 million globally .
it also sold around 400,000 copies in japan alone .
reid 's self-titled album went to number one in 1972 , making reid the youngest person to reach number one on the uk albums chart , at the age of 12 years 9 months ... this remains one of the very few number 1 selling albums that has never had an official cd release and as such is unavailable in this format .
the youngest girl to top the chart is canadian artist avril lavigne at 17 years and 3 months with `` let go '' in 2003 .
reid 's follow-up single three months later `` that 's what i want to be '' peaked at number 45 , and reid quickly faded from national prominence to performing on the northern england working men 's club circuit .
two years after winning `` opportunity knocks , '' reid 's voice broke and as a result he gave up professional singing .
reid is now an independent financial adviser living in blackpool , lancashire ; and was interviewed by amanda holden about his child stardom for itv1 's `` when britain first had talent '' in january 2008 .
