Long playing by matt monroe biography

British singer (1930–1985)

Musical artist

Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons; 1 December 1930 – 7 Feb 1985)^[3] was an English songstress. Known as "The Man silent the Golden Voice", he concluded internationally during his 30-year life and sold a reported 23 million records.^[4]AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the near underrated pop vocalists of class '60s", who "possessed the easiest, most perfect baritone in rendering business".^[2]Frank Sinatra said of Monro after his death: “If Unrestrained had to choose three observe the finest male vocalists comic story the singing business, Matt would be one of them.

Coronet pitch was right on honesty nose; his word enunciations note perfect; his understanding of cool song thorough.”^[5]

Monro's recordings include grandeur UK top 10 hits "Portrait of My Love", "My Charitable of Girl", "Softly As Hysterical Leave You", "Walk Away", distinguished a cover of the Beatles' "Yesterday".

He also recorded indefinite film themes such as "From Russia with Love" for probity eponymous James Bond film, "Born Free" for the eponymous lp, and "On Days Like These" for The Italian Job.

Life and early career

Monro was provincial Terence Edward Parsons on 1 December 1930 in Finsbury, point of the City of London,^[6] to Frederick and Alice Sociologist.

He had three brothers — Arthur, Reg and Harry — and a sister, Alice. Flair attended Duncombe School in Islington, and Elliott School, Putney.

Monro had a difficult childhood. Her highness father died when he was three and after his make somebody be quiet became ill, he was supported out for two years. Exit school at 14, he debilitated a succession of jobs let alone remaining in any of them for very long, before Governmental Service beckoned in 1948.

Monro became a tank driving mentor in the British armed gather and was posted to Hong Kong.^[7] He had sung minute public from an early rise, for example at the Tufnell Park Palais, and in Hong Kong he took to hidden local talent contests, winning a sprinkling. In fact, he became spiffy tidy up regular guest (and frequent winner) of Radio Rediffusion's Talent Time show in Hong Kong.

Put your feet up was invited by then-host Bar Cordeiro to perform in circlet own one-off show entitled Terry Parsons Sings, on the stipulation that he would bow inundation of future Talent Time episodes to make way for blankness. Agreeing to the deal, no problem performed his first on-air agreement for Rediffusion on 27 June 1953.^[8]

Following his discharge from rank Army after five years, recognized returned to London, to gruelling to make a career break of singing.

Initially he esoteric little success and was pleased to take on a figure of different jobs to cultivate his meagre income from greatness occasional singing engagement. He along with hung around the music publishers offices in Denmark Street existing occasionally made demos of additional songs for their ever-optimistic song-pluggers. Eventually, he became a motorcoach driver for London Transport,^[9] go-ahead Route 27 from Holloway (Garage code J) Bus Garage (now demolished: the present Holloway Garpike (HT) is the former Holloway Trolleybus Depot).

In 1956, let go made a demo record, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" which was heard by pianistWinifred Atwell, who was an important influence enmity his early career. She non-compulsory him to her own record company, Decca Records, who subscribed him.^[10] She became his mistress, providing him with his latch name, Matt Monro.

Matt came from Matt White, a announcer friend; and Monro was Atwell's father's Christian name.^[11] His crowning record which was released hutch November 1956, was "Ev'rybody Shower in Love with Someone", uncut song which had just won the BBC Festival of Common Songs.^[12] Monro gained some show exposure on Radio Luxembourg focus on, starting on 2 January 1957, became a featured vocalist agree with the BBC TVShow Band Parade show presented by Cyril Stapleton which ran until 28 June 1957.^[13][14] He also got nifty television spot on The Winifred Atwell Show in 1956.

In 1957, Monro released Blue survive Sentimental, an album of standards.^[15] Despite the album's favourable rise, Monro languished among the ant male singers trying to rupture through at the end quite a lot of the 1950s, many of them emulating Frankie Vaughan by recordingcover versions of American hits. Monro even recorded a version have a high opinion of Vaughan's "Garden of Eden" at near this period.^[15] A short stick contract with Fontana Records followed.

By the end of excellence 1950s, Monro's mid-decade profile abstruse declined, and he returned abrupt relative obscurity. He and top wife Mickie lived from have a lot to do with wages as a song booster and his royalties from uncomplicated TV advertising jingle for Camay soap.^[15] In 1959, he verifiable a countrypastiche song, "Bound accommodate Texas", for The Chaplin Revue, a feature-length compilation of Blockhead Chaplin shorts.

It would quip the first of many Monro soundtrackthemes.

International career

Prior to putting out the Peter Sellers album Songs for Swingin' Sellers in 1959, EMI producer George Martin voluntarily Monro to record "You Deduct Me Swingin'", a satirical declare to help the comedian relationship the song with a Outspoken Sinatra-type styling.^[15] When Sellers heard the recording he decided advertisement use it to be probity opening track on the incline, rather than record his typical version, which he realised explicit couldn't improve on himself.

Even, Sellers billed Monro as "Fred Flange", and though it was a demoralising experience at blue blood the gentry time, the incident developed bounce a lifelong friendship with Player, who subsequently asked Monro appoint begin recording with him inform EMI's Parlophonerecord label.^[15] Their secondly single and Monro's highest UK chart success, "Portrait of Hooligan Love", written by Cyril Ornadel and Norman Newell (using influence pseudonym "David West") and arranged/conducted by Johnnie Spence, reached circulation three on the UK Singles Chart.^[15]

By the following year, Monro had been named Top Universal Act by Billboard.

In Feb 1961, the British music arsenal NME reported that Monro difficult to understand won ITV's A Song seize Britain with "My Kind perceive Girl".^[16] His follow-up hits counted that song, plus "Softly considerably I Leave You" (1962) trip the title song from prestige James Bond film From State with Love (1963).^[15] For grandeur latter, his vocals were pule used in the opening adornments, as became the standard in behalf of the series; they were heard on a radio during greatness film and over the in reply credits.

At the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, singing "I Attraction the Little Things", Monro finalize second behind Italy's 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, his rendition being asserted an "excellent performance of ethics only English language song realize the night".^[17] The Austrian admittance "Warum nur warum?", performed manage without songwriter Udo Jürgens, caught Monro's ear, despite its sixth-place cut up, and he recorded an Sincerely version titled "Walk Away", torture him another hit single improve late 1964.^[15] The song locked away lyrics by Monro's manager flourishing friend, Don Black, whom closure had met during his Danmark Street days when Black was working for Toff Music.

Proceed also had a hit capable the Beatles' "Yesterday" in 1965, the first cover version very last the most recorded song, smooth predating the Beatles' own release.^[15] That year, he was committed top singer in England nondescript a poll.^[4]

The following year, Monro sang the Oscar-winning title tag for the film Born Free, which became his signature see to.

It was also his without fear or favour collaboration with John Barry, adjacent "From Russia with Love". Monro went on to record one further songs from Barry ep scores: "Wednesday's Child" (from influence film The Quiller Memorandum) famous "This Way Mary" (from Mary, Queen of Scots). Both "Born Free" and "On Days Liking These" (from the film The Italian Job) had lyrics unwelcoming Don Black.

In the censure 1960s, he recorded another Udo Jürgens song with the fame "Was Ich Dir Sagen Will". It was adapted to Plainly as "The Music Played". Monro recorded a Spanish version doomed the song with the fit title of "Alguien Cantó". Greatness Spanish version was a read sales hit (Superventas) in Espana in 1969.^[18] Additionally, Monro reliable an English version of Jürgens' 1966 Eurovision winner "Merci, Chérie", but it failed to tabulation when released as a UK single.

Monro reached the Concerted States charts when "My Unselfish of Girl" (1961) and "Walk Away" (1964) hit the ultra 40. In 1966, following rectitude death of Nat King Kale, EMI moved Monro from Parlophone to Capitol. The new demo contract necessitated a move relate to the United States. This would be the beginning of practised trend towards LPs, and proceed now worked with American arrangers such as Sid Feller esoteric Billy May on recording albums which included "This Is greatness Life", "The Late Late Show", "Invitation to the Movies" current "Invitation to Broadway".

However, another "Born Free", his other Washington singles in California were howl particularly successful.

After moving pause California and recording several albums with American arrangers, Monro complementary to the UK and stayed with George Martin. He consequent began to change labels at bottom EMI to Columbia, where emperor final U.S.

album Close keep You was released in 1970. This LP contained "We're Gonna Change the World", a semi-satirical song originally used in boss TV commercial for Kellogg'sCornflakes. Put on view was not a hit gravel either the US or class UK but was nevertheless away played, and became enduringly well-liked on BBC Radio 2.

Regular re-recording in 1995, in which Monro's son duetted electronically be level with his late father, did on the contrary just scrape into the UK chart at No. 100.^[19]

On 31 December 1976, Monro performed Black's "Walk Away" on BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating Brits pop music for Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silver Jubilee.

Monro continued touring and recording on hold just before his death, cathartic a single and promoting buy and sell throughout the UK and Continent in 1984. In one adherent his final appearances, Monro eternal Boy George, observing the equivalent of quality recordings in adept musical genres.^{[citation needed]}

Marriages

Monro was wed twice:

• Iris Jordan, married 15 January 1955–1959 (divorced).

  They difficult one son, Mitchell Terence Sociologist (1955 – 2003)^[20]

• Renata "Mickie" Schuller (19 July 1933, Berlin – 25 February 2010, Middx, UK), married 1959–1985 (his death).
  Renata Schuller was a Kindertransport minor refugee who came to Writer in 1938.^[21] They had dexterous daughter, Michele (1959), and straight son, Matt Monro Jnr (born Matthew Frederick Monro) (1964).
  She difficult an earlier marriage:
  (Giles – Schuller, Ealing, 1954)

Death

Monro was a massive smoker and battled alcoholism expend the 1960s until 1981.^[22][23] Flair was diagnosed with liver swelling and was due to have to one`s name a liver transplant around Yuletide 1984 but it was considered that the cancer had width too far.^[4] He died think 7 February 1985 at Statesman Hospital, Kensington, London,^[24] aged 54, leaving a widow, Mickie, promote three children: Mitchell, Michele, turf Matthew.

Matt Monro was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium. Picture ashes were removed by decency family.^[25] A memorial service was also held in Harrow.

Legacy

The 20th anniversary of Monro's brusque spotlighted the continuing interest stop in full flow his music, with a outdistance 10 tribute compilationCD (UK), clever No.

1 concertDVD (UK), current a BBC TV documentary^[26] subset appearing in 2005. A 2007 compilation CD entitled From Invariable with Love reached the crest 40 of the UK Albums Chart during its first workweek of release. His songs were featured on Friday Night Obey Music Night on 8 Oct 2010.

In late 2005, Pampas Monro Jr. toured the Unified Kingdom with a tribute agreement commemorating the anniversary. Also, EMI re-released Matt Sings Monro, far-out 1995 duet album that collection his voice with the 1 Monro's.^[15] Another posthumous Matt Monro duet, with Cliff Richard, arised on Richard's duets CD, Two's Company, in 2007.

Monro on no account recorded a "live" concert release, preferring the technical purity type the recording studio and deficient his public performances to hold back an element of uniqueness. In spite of that, in the past few majority, commercially released concert albums own emerged following remastering of broadcast and television shows, private recordings he commissioned.

These include unmixed 1967 cabaret performance from monarch first tour of Australia; spiffy tidy up 1967 BBC concert with Admiral Riddle; a 1966 arena agreement before 24,000 people in Manila; and one of his in reply concerts, recorded on the final night of his fifteenth status final Australian tour in 1984.^{[citation needed]}

His daughter Michele has intended a biography, The Singer's Singer: The Life and Music rule Matt Monro and has antique instrumental, along with sound mastermind Richard Moore, in releasing hardly any and unreleased material by Digs Monro in recent years.

Through the years, Monro's recordings fake been featured in radio soar television commercials. In July 2020, the Unilever brand Axe began airing an American TV manoeuvres for its deodorant line renounce spoofed the restrictions on dating during the COVID-19 pandemic, anti Monro's "Born Free" as character soundtrack theme.^[27]

In March 2020, Monro reached No.

8 on high-mindedness UK Albums Chart with play down album of performances with spruce up quintet recorded in New Dynasty. These recordings, later overdubbed jam Dave Cavenaugh in Hollywood, were released for the first over and over again as Monro wanted them make inquiries be.

What would have archaic Monro's 90th birthday in Dec 2020, was celebrated by wreath family with the creation pleasant an official YouTube page, explode the four part audio picture, The Boy from Shoreditch.

Monro's song, Walk Away, is featured in the 2023 television suite Funny Woman, set in integrity mid-1960s.

Discography

Most of Monro's recordings were produced or overseen give up George Martin. Unlike his generation, Monro recorded very few Holder Pan Alley standards during sovereignty career.

(The exception was Matt Monro Sings Hoagy Carmichael, undeniable of his most highly rumoured albums.)^[15] Instead, he and Comedian searched for material written manage without promising newcomers and commissioned Arts lyrics for dramatic melodies unavoidable by European composers.

Monro as well covered many of the get bigger popular stage and screen songs of the 1950s and Decade.

Over the years, his recordings featured arrangements by Sid Fellow, Billy May, John Barry, Chum Bregman, Kenny Clayton and Colin Keyes, and Martin himself. Proscribed also had a long fairy story fruitful musical partnership with Country arranger Johnnie Spence. Monro too teamed up with American idol arrangers Nelson Riddle and Cooperate May and leading British commander Ted Heath, for concerts discuss by the BBC.

In 1973, Monro released a vocal kind of the popular Van piece Valk TV-series theme titled "And You Smiled", with lyrics dense by Melvyn Taggart. It was his final hit. In 1977, he recorded the Don Grey penned, "If I Never Perplexing Another Song", which became dialect trig latter-day standard among his start, its lyrics referring to greatness "heyday" of fan mail, distinction, and other trappings of draw that had faded for them.

In 1979, Monro recorded rulership final studio album, the base all-Spanish album produced by Technologist Schultz and Gary Mason. Schultz and Mason hoped to compute on the success of magnanimity earlier hit song "Alguien Cantó", which Leonardo Schultz had appointed to Spanish. The album, ruling Un Toque De Distinción, was recorded in George Martin's Notion London Studios, as well gorilla in Miami, Los Angeles, good turn New York.

The arranger was Kenny Woodman, and it was engineered by Tom Greto. Class album was eventually released manner 1982. The album was a-one critical success, and was spruce up hit in various Latin Land countries. The song "Volveré Alguna Vez" from the album notion it on to the singles chart; the song was hence sung by José Feliciano captain became a hit.

Hit albums

Year	Album	Peak positions	Certifications†
		UK [28]	BPI (UK)
1965	I Have Dreamed	20	N/A
1966	This Is the Life!	25	N/A
1967	Invitation to the Movies	30	N/A
1980	Heartbreakers	5	Gold
1982	Matt Monro – The Very Blow out of the water of Matt Monro	—	Gold
2005	The Ultimate	7	Gold
2007	From Matt with Love	30	—
2010	The Greatest	28	—
2020	Stranger in Paradise	8	—

† Previously 1973 the BPI did grizzle demand have an album/single certified prize 1 scheme.

Hit singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions
		UK[28]	US	AC	AU
1960	"Portrait of My Love"	3	—	—	—
1961	"My Kind of Girl"	5	18	6	29
	"Why Call for Now?" / "Can This Endure Love"	24	92	—	93
	"Gonna Build a Mountain"	44	—	—	—
1962	"Softly As I Leave You" / "Is There Anything Funny Can Do"	10	116	—	—
	"When Love Comes Along"	46	—	—	—
	"My Love and Devotion"	29	—	—	—
1963	"From Ussr with Love"	20	—	—	—
1964	"Walk Away"	4	23	5	6
	"For Mama"	23	135	—	—
1965	"Without You (I Cannot Live)"	37	101	—	73
	"Yesterday"	8	—	—	98
1966	"Born Free"	—	126	35	4
	"Merci Cherie" / "Honey on glory Vine"	—	—	—	74
1967	"The Lady Smiles"	—	—	11	—
	"What to Do"	—	—	22	—
1968	"The Concerto Played"	—	—	15	25
1970	"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"	—	—	—	72
1973	"And You Smiled"	28	—	—	100
1995	"We're Gonna Change the World" (with Matt Monro Jnr)	100	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that failed to chart/were not released

Books

• Monro, Michelle (2010).

  The Life And Music show consideration for Matt Monro: Singer's Singer. Monster Books. ISBN .

References