420:"Johnnie Spence was one of the best musicians I've ever known.He was a marvellous arranger, a great band man and his scores for brass, saxes, rhythm and strings were the best I've ever had, much better than I could do. His work with Matt Monro was one of the highlights, one of the joys of my life. He always turned up with a very tasteful score. He was a lovely man, a great character. He did tend to burn the candle at both ends though, and in the middle! It was a great tragedy when he died, it was such a shock, he was so young"- Sir George Martin.
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The family lived in Cheam, Surrey, England, before moving to the United States permanently. From 1969 onwards, the family lived in rented houses in
California, close to Los Angeles recording studios. Because of his work as an arranger/conductor/composer, he made the decision in the summer of 1976 to
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From his early twenties, Spence rapidly built a reputation as one of the country's most brilliant and imaginative musical directors, and was very much in demand by then on both sides of the
Atlantic. He ultimately chose to become musical director for Tom Jones in 1969, working for the MAM
167:, one of the most successful show business agencies. In his new capacity, Spence became responsible for creating the sound on all their major hit recordings. Through producer Gordon Mills he became arranger/conductor for Gilbert O'Sullivan (1970/72) and musical director for a BBC-TV show
111:. George Martin threw everything at this session, including a 23-piece orchestra for a big sound. Two tape machines were running at the same time: one in stereo and one in mono, doubling the cost of tape. From 2 November recording session emerged a song that reached no. 3 in the
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Johnnie Spence went on to become one of the most respected arrangers, conductors and composers in the business. With the success of
Parlophone as a pop label, he became orchestral arranger for recordings and television shows for such acts as
417:, Hollywood Hills on 20 August 1977 with among the pallbearers Tom Jones and Gilbert O'Sullivan. Matt Monro was holidaying in Barbados and could not get a flight to Los Angeles in time for the funeral.
34:, and orchestra leader. He is credited with the arrangements and musical direction of numerous records and television light entertainment works throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was nominated for an
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was appointed musical director for ATV in 1956). At ATV, music was prepared many shows. The orchestrations department at
Elstree was large and famous, boasting such arrangers and orchestrators as
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Spence also recorded in his final years with a smaller group as
Johnnie Spence and The Family Tree, with a disco single "The Caves" (1976), as well as composing the music for the CBS TV-series
107:". In 1960, George Martin decided to use Johnnie Spence, who had just been signed to Parlophone as a musical director, for the upcoming session with his new recording-act Terry Parsons, aka
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Although becoming a frequent visitor to
America, he had plenty of work in the UK as a music arranger/musical director for television and radio shows, as well as live-performances, such as
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for "The Most
Outstanding Song Of 1960" from the Songwriter's Guild of Great Britain. Spence became Matt's arranger and musical director, his name as closely associated with Matt Monro as
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Among his other compositions are "This Time" (1961) (using the pseudonym "Jack
Abrahams", co-written with "Graham Fisher" aka George Martin), and "Going Places", with
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when fate struck; he died suddenly at home in Los
Angeles of a heart attack on 15 August 1977, at the age of 41. The funeral took place at
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recorded three songs, to which
Johnnie Spence wrote the arrangements, at EMI Recording Studios, Abbey Road, London, for her new album
220:(1969), a Tom Jones UK-Tour with a 35-piece orchestra led by Johnnie Spence (1970), and various TV specials with Tom Jones, including
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for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction of a Variety, Musical or Dramatic Program for his work on the 1969 television series
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Spence built a reputation as a pianist and arranger in the second part of the 1950s under the wings of Jack Parnell at
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Johnnie Spence and his Orchestra released several of their own records, predominantly of television and film themes; "
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take the leap and move to the US full-time with his family. They eventually moved into a comfortable home in
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259:" became a number 15 hit for Parlophone in 1962, his own composition "Sugar Beat", B-side of the single "
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composition for Cilla Black. (1967). Spence also arranged Bob Hope singing
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Johnnie Spence married Marion Horton (b. 1937) at St. Mary's Church,
360:(1964), both recorded by Matt Monro. For the soundtrack of the film
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on drums. During 1963, Spence recorded an album with jazz singer
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On 2 July 1964, Cilla Black recorded the Lennon/McCartney song "
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organization (Management Agency and Music Ltd.), founded by
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540:"The Truth About Michael Jackson (feat. Jonathan Spence)"
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British musical arranger, director and orchestra leader
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The Singer's Singer - the Life and Music of Matt Monro
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In the late 1950s, Spence became piano accompanist to
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and Johnnie Spence. Parnell held the post until 1982.
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306:(tb), Johnny Scott, Eddie Blair (tp) and
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302:label, a swinging jazz album featuring
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608:British male television composers
333:" was a minor UK hit at no. 34.
173:The Music Of Gilbert O'Sullivan
119:", the song that won Monro the
208:(1965), and several TV shows:
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529:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
512:. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
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464:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
447:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
279:'s "Call Me Bwana" from the
218:The Royal Variety Performance
169:Gilbert O'Sullivan In Concert
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251:composition from his album:
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281:1963 film of the same name
185:Elizabeth Taylor in London
491:Awards for Johnnie Spence
415:Forest Lawn Memorial Park
247:" and "First Romance", a
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316:Sings A Handful Of Songs
603:British music arrangers
510:imdb.com/Johnnie Spence
458:Johnnie Spence: Credits
214:The Shirley Bassey Show
350:The Amazing Spiderman
344:, who also directed.
257:The Dr. Kildare Theme
206:Ella Fitzgerald Sings
190:The Tommy Steele Show
145:Engelbert Humperdinck
240:and Johnnie Spence.
202:BBC Show of the Week
198:The Talk Of The Town
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226:The Sound Of Petula
117:Portrait Of My Love
261:Baby Elephant Walk
210:Cilla At The Savoy
157:Gilbert O'Sullivan
121:Ivor Novello Award
527:Rateyourmusic.com
331:Can't Buy Me Love
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271:" (1967), a
267:(1962) and "
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228:(1974) with
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127:'s was with
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598:1977 deaths
593:1936 births
544:Mjfacts.com
411:ABC network
327:Hello Dolly
308:Kenny Clare
216:(1968/69),
192:(1964/65),
171:(1971) and
149:Cilla Black
97:The Beatles
78:Derek Scott
62:Eric Rogers
587:Categories
424:References
312:Annie Ross
304:Don Lusher
238:Steve Gray
194:Matt Monro
180:John Barry
109:Matt Monro
89:Parlophone
74:Max Harris
36:Emmy Award
358:Don Black
255:(1961). "
141:Tom Jones
48:Biography
380:best man
353:(1977).
212:(1966),
200:(1965),
188:(1963),
175:(1972).
103:single "
32:director
550:29 July
296:Why Not
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400:Encino
245:Wheels
224:, and
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263:" by
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552:2020
495:IMDb
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