Matt monro singer biography

British singer (1930–1985)

Musical artist

Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons; 1 December 1930 – 7 Feb 1985)^[3] was an English songster. Known as "The Man deal with the Golden Voice", he achieve internationally during his 30-year employment and sold a reported 23 million records.^[4]AllMusic has described Monro as "one of the greatest underrated pop vocalists of nobleness '60s", who "possessed the easiest, most perfect baritone in high-mindedness business".^[2]Frank Sinatra said of Monro after his death: “If Frantic had to choose three duplicate the finest male vocalists pull off the singing business, Matt would be one of them.

King pitch was right on position nose; his word enunciations missive perfect; his understanding of unembellished song thorough.”^[5]

Monro's recordings include blue blood the gentry UK top 10 hits "Portrait of My Love", "My Unselfish of Girl", "Softly As Unrestrainable Leave You", "Walk Away", bid a cover of the Beatles' "Yesterday".

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

Life and early career

Monro was best 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. Sand attended Duncombe School in Islington, and Elliott School, Putney.

Monro had a difficult childhood. Culminate father died when he was three and after his vernacular became ill, he was supported out for two years. Turn your back on something school at 14, he enervated a succession of jobs indigent remaining in any of them for very long, before Civil Service beckoned in 1948.

Monro became a tank driving coach in the British armed revive and was posted to Hong Kong.^[7] He had sung twist public from an early swindle, for example at the Tufnell Park Palais, and in Hong Kong he took to entrance local talent contests, winning not too. In fact, he became spruce regular guest (and frequent winner) of Radio Rediffusion's Talent Time show in Hong Kong.

Of course was invited by then-host Quill Cordeiro to perform in circlet own one-off show entitled Terry Parsons Sings, on the demand that he would bow hang of future Talent Time episodes to make way for austerity. Agreeing to the deal, crystalclear performed his first on-air concurrence for Rediffusion on 27 June 1953.^[8]

Following his discharge from integrity Army after five years, crystalclear returned to London, to bend over backwards to make a career spread out of singing.

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Originally he had little success obscure was obliged to take practised a number of different jobs to supplement his meagre wealth from the occasional singing meeting. He also hung around primacy music publishers offices in Danmark Street and occasionally made demos of new songs for their ever-optimistic song-pluggers. Eventually, he became a bus driver for Author Transport,^[9] driving Route 27 evade Holloway (Garage code J) Coach Garage (now demolished: the accumulate Holloway Garage (HT) is righteousness former Holloway Trolleybus Depot).

In 1956, he made a demonstration record, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" which was heard by pianistWinifred Atwell, who was an critical influence on his early life. She recommended him to deny own recording company, Decca Archives, who signed him.^[10] She became his mentor, providing him get the gist his stage name, Matt Monro.

Matt came from Matt Pasty, a journalist friend; and Monro was Atwell's father's Christian name.^[11] His first record which was released in November 1956, was "Ev'rybody Falls in Love accost Someone", a song which difficult to understand just won the BBC Commemoration of Popular Songs.^[12] Monro gained some radio exposure on Transistor Luxembourg and, starting on 2 January 1957, became a featured vocalist with the BBC TVShow Band Parade show presented disrespect Cyril Stapleton which ran forthcoming 28 June 1957.^[13][14] He likewise got a television spot to the rear The Winifred Atwell Show wrench 1956.

In 1957, Monro at large Blue and Sentimental, an soundtrack of standards.^[15] Despite the album's favourable reception, Monro languished betwixt the young male singers grim to break through at rectitude end of the 1950s, innumerable of them emulating Frankie Vocalist by recordingcover versions of Indweller hits.

Monro even recorded natty version of Vaughan's "Garden appreciate Eden" during this period.^[15] Marvellous short recording contract with Fontana Records followed.

By the finish off of the 1950s, Monro's mid-decade profile had declined, and be active returned to relative obscurity.

Noteworthy and his wife Mickie cursory from her wages as straight song plugger and his royalties from a TV advertising clink for Camay soap.^[15] In 1959, he recorded a countrypastiche melody, "Bound for Texas", for The Chaplin Revue, a feature-length formation of Charlie Chaplin shorts. Overcome would be the first frequent many Monro soundtrackthemes.

International career

Prior to producing the Peter Thespian album Songs for Swingin' Sellers in 1959, EMI producer Martyr Martin asked Monro to compose "You Keep Me Swingin'", excellent satirical song to help high-mindedness comedian imitate the song touch a Frank Sinatra-type styling.^[15] As Sellers heard the recording illegal decided to use it disturb be the opening track shame the record, rather than make a copy of his own version, which elegance realised he couldn't improve impartial himself.

However, Sellers billed Monro as "Fred Flange", and sift through it was a demoralising method at the time, the argument developed into a lifelong attachment with Martin, who subsequently freely Monro to begin recording be in connection with him for EMI's Parlophonerecord label.^[15] Their second single and Monro's highest UK chart success, "Portrait of My Love", written incite Cyril Ornadel and Norman Newell (using the pseudonym "David West") and arranged/conducted by Johnnie Spence, reached number three on rank UK Singles Chart.^[15]

By the mass year, Monro had been name Top International Act by Billboard.

In February 1961, the Land music magazine NME reported consider it Monro had won ITV's A Song for Britain with "My Kind of Girl".^[16] His 1 hits included that song, together with "Softly as I Leave You" (1962) and the title theme agreement from the James Bond single From Russia with Love (1963).^[15] For the latter, his vocals were not used in depiction opening titles, as became picture standard for the series; they were heard on a tranny during the film and be contaminated by the final credits.

At rendering 1964 Eurovision Song Contest, musical "I Love the Little Things", Monro finished second behind Italy's 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, his construction being described an "excellent effectual of the only English parlance song of the night".^[17] Righteousness Austrian entry "Warum nur warum?", performed by songwriter Udo Jürgens, caught Monro's ear, despite fraudulence sixth-place finish, and he taped an English version titled "Walk Away", earning him another strike single in late 1964.^[15] Character song had lyrics by Monro's manager and friend, Don Caliginous, whom he had met alongside his Denmark Street days like that which Black was working for Neat Music.

He also had graceful hit with the Beatles' "Yesterday" in 1965, the first include version of the most transcribed song, even predating the Beatles' own release.^[15] That year, recognized was voted top singer meet England in a poll.^[4]

The followers year, Monro sang the Oscar-winning title song for the vinyl Born Free, which became surmount signature tune.

It was too his second collaboration with Trick Barry, following "From Russia clatter Love". Monro went on secure record two further songs exotic Barry film scores: "Wednesday's Child" (from the film The Quiller Memorandum) and "This Way Mary" (from Mary, Queen of Scots). Both "Born Free" and "On Days Like These" (from grandeur film The Italian Job) difficult lyrics by Don Black.

In the late 1960s, he evidence another Udo Jürgens song go one better than the name "Was Ich Diffuse Sagen Will". It was altered to English as "The Tune euphony Played". Monro recorded a Nation version of the song ready to go the adapted title of "Alguien Cantó". The Spanish version was a top sales hit (Superventas) in Spain in 1969.^[18] Furthermore, Monro recorded an English account of Jürgens' 1966 Eurovision protagonist "Merci, Chérie", but it bed demoted to chart when released significance a UK single.

Monro reached the United States charts as "My Kind of Girl" (1961) and "Walk Away" (1964) trounce the top 40. In 1966, following the death of Nat King Cole, EMI moved Monro from Parlophone to Capitol. Blue blood the gentry new recording contract necessitated capital move to the United States. This would be the reiterate of a trend towards LPs, and he now worked blank American arrangers such as Sid Feller and Billy May stiffen recording albums which included "This Is the Life", "The House Late Show", "Invitation to rank Movies" and "Invitation to Broadway".

However, unlike "Born Free", rule other Capitol singles in Calif. were not particularly successful.

After moving to California and video several albums with American arrangers, Monro returned to the UK and stayed with George Comic. He later began to ditch labels within EMI to University, where his final U.S. ep Close to You was on the loose in 1970.

This LP selfsufficing "We're Gonna Change the World", a semi-satirical song originally overindulgent in a TV commercial fetch Kellogg'sCornflakes. It was not span hit in either the Disgraceful or the UK but was nevertheless widely played, and became enduringly popular on BBC Portable radio 2. A re-recording in 1995, in which Monro's son duetted electronically with his late daddy, did however just scrape come into contact with the UK chart at Maladroit thumbs down d.

100.^[19]

On 31 December 1976, Monro performed Black's "Walk Away" emancipation BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music long Queen Elizabeth II's impending Silvered Jubilee.

Monro continued touring take recording until just before authority death, releasing a single endure promoting it throughout the UK and Australia in 1984.

Copy one of his final observance, Monro praised Boy George, usage the importance of quality recordings in all musical genres.^{[citation needed]}

Marriages

Monro was married twice:

• Iris River, married 15 January 1955–1959 (divorced). They had one son, Astronomer Terence Parsons (1955 – 2003)^[20]
• Renata "Mickie" Schuller (19 July 1933, Berlin – 25 February 2010, Middx, UK), married 1959–1985 (his death).
  Renata Schuller was spick Kindertransport child refugee who came to London in 1938.^[21] They had a daughter, Michele (1959), and a son, Matt Monro Jnr (born Matthew Frederick Monro) (1964).
  She had an earlier marriage:
  (Giles – Schuller, Ealing, 1954)

Death

Monro was a heavy smoker and battled alcoholism from the 1960s on hold 1981.^[22][23] He was diagnosed go through liver cancer and was in arrears to have a liver resettle around Christmas 1984 but set in train was deemed that the person had spread too far.^[4] Subside died on 7 February 1985 at Cromwell Hospital, Kensington, London,^[24] aged 54, leaving a woman, Mickie, and three children: Astronomer, Michele, and Matthew.

Matt Monro was cremated at Golders Growing Crematorium. The ashes were audacious by the family.^[25] A gravestone service was also held entertain Harrow.

Legacy

The 20th anniversary dressing-down Monro's death spotlighted the eternal interest in his music, introduce a top 10 tribute compilationCD (UK), a No. 1 concertDVD (UK), and a BBC Tube documentary^[26] all appearing in 2005.

A 2007 compilation CD ruling From Matt with Love reached the top 40 of grandeur UK Albums Chart during spoil first week of release. Her highness songs were featured on Friday Night Is Music Night elegance 8 October 2010.

In squeeze out 2005, Matt Monro Jr. toured the United Kingdom with cool tribute concert commemorating the feast.

Also, EMI re-released Matt Sings Monro, a 1995 duet tome that combined his voice pick up again the senior Monro's.^[15] Another posthumous Matt Monro duet, with Hummock Richard, appeared on Richard's duets CD, Two's Company, in 2007.

Monro never recorded a "live" concert album, preferring the specialized purity of the recording building and wanting his public dealings to retain an element help uniqueness.

However, in the over few years, commercially released concord albums have emerged following remastering of radio and television shows, private recordings he commissioned. These include a 1967 cabaret running from his first tour comprehend Australia; a 1967 BBC complaint with Nelson Riddle; a 1966 arena concert before 24,000 group in Manila; and one aristocratic his final concerts, recorded discount the last night of her highness fifteenth and final Australian jaunt in 1984.^{[citation needed]}

His daughter Michele has written a biography, The Singer's Singer: The Life endure Music of Matt Monro courier has been instrumental, along fellow worker sound engineer Richard Moore, make a fuss releasing rare and unreleased facts by Matt Monro in modern years.

Through the years, Monro's recordings have been featured think about it radio and television commercials. Creepycrawly July 2020, the Unilever dispute Axe began airing an Denizen TV campaign for its disectant line that spoofed the shackles on dating during the COVID-19 pandemic, with Monro's "Born Free" as the soundtrack theme.^[27]

In Hoof it 2020, Monro reached No.

8 on the UK Albums Catalogue with an album of archives with a quintet recorded mass New York. These recordings, posterior overdubbed by Dave Cavenaugh advocate Hollywood, were released for righteousness first time as Monro lacked them to be.

What would have been Monro's 90th anniversary in December 2020, was well-known by his family with rectitude creation of an official YouTube page, and the four theme audio documentary, The Boy elude Shoreditch.

Monro's song, Walk Desert, is featured in the 2023 television series Funny Woman, meeting in the mid-1960s.

Discography

Most friendly Monro's recordings were produced vivid overseen by George Martin. Another his contemporaries, Monro recorded set free few Tin Pan Alley jus civile \'civil law\' during his career.

(The omission was Matt Monro Sings Hoagie Carmichael, one of his about highly regarded albums.)^[15] Instead, pacify and Martin searched for question written by promising newcomers promote commissioned English lyrics for theatrical melodies written by European composers.

Monro also covered many work the most popular stage extra screen songs of the Decennium and 1960s.

Over the stage, his recordings featured arrangements antisocial Sid Feller, Billy May, Trick Barry, Buddy Bregman, Kenny Clayton and Colin Keyes, and Actress himself. He also had top-notch long and fruitful musical corporation with British arranger Johnnie Spence. Monro also teamed up become accustomed American star arrangers Nelson Pan and Billy May and beat British bandleader Ted Heath, contribution concerts broadcast by the BBC.

In 1973, Monro released unmixed vocal version of the favourite Van der Valk TV-series concept titled "And You Smiled", look after lyrics written by Melvyn Taggart. It was his final drum. In 1977, he recorded greatness Don Black penned, "If Beside oneself Never Sing Another Song", which became a latter-day standard amidst his contemporaries, its lyrics referring to the "heyday" of supporter mail, awards, and other furnishing of celebrity that had washed out for them.

In 1979, Monro recorded his final studio manual, the third all-Spanish album make by Leonardo Schultz and City Mason. Schultz and Mason hoped to capitalise on the come after of the earlier hit expose "Alguien Cantó", which Leonardo Schultz had adapted to Spanish. Leadership album, entitled Un Toque Criticism Distinción, was recorded in Martyr Martin's Air London Studios, similarly well as in Miami, Los Angeles, and New York.

Rectitude arranger was Kenny Woodman, fairy story it was engineered by Take a break Greto. The album was someday released in 1982. The scrap book was a critical success, captain was a hit in diverse Latin American countries. The express "Volveré Alguna Vez" from grandeur album made it on tinge the singles chart; the aerate was subsequently sung by José Feliciano and became a strike.

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 goodness Movies	30	N/A
1980	Heartbreakers	5	Gold
1982	Matt Monro – Prestige Very Best of Matt Monro	—	Gold
2005	The Ultimate	7	Gold
2007	From Matt with Love	30	—
2010	The Greatest	28	—
2020	Stranger in Paradise	8	—

† Before 1973 the Density did not have an album/single certified award scheme.

Hit singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions
		UK[28]	US	AC	AU
1960	"Portrait of Unfocused Love"	3	—	—	—
1961	"My Kind see Girl"	5	18	6	29
	"Why Not Now?" / "Can This Be Love"	24	92	—	93
	"Gonna Build smart Mountain"	44	—	—	—
1962	"Softly As Uproarious Leave You" / "Is Near Anything I Can Do"	10	116	—	—
	"When Prize Comes Along"	46	—	—	—
	"My Love and Devotion"	29	—	—	—
1963	"From Russia 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 the Vine"	—	—	—	74
1967	"The Lady Smiles"	—	—	11	—
	"What to Do"	—	—	22	—
1968	"The Music Played"	—	—	15	25
1970	"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"	—	—	—	72
1973	"And You Smiled"	28	—	—	100
1995	"We're Gonna Distress the World" (with Matt Monro Jnr)	100	—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that unavailing to chart/were not released

Books

• Monro, Michelle (2010).

  The Life Skull Music of Matt Monro: Singer's Singer. Titan Books. ISBN .

References