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.
397:
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
162:
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
134:
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
60:
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
347:
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
178:
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
123:
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
356:
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
256:
382:. Their two children were born on 2 April 1965 (Sarah Jane) and 15 February 1973 (Jonathan Adam). Jonathan was known for his close relationship with
413:
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
414:
607:
325:
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
38:
for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction of a Variety, Musical or Dramatic Program for his work on the 1969 television series
612:
573:
402:, California. He was able to secure lucrative work arranging and directing music for both television shows and movies.
349:
52:
Spence built a reputation as a pianist and arranger in the second part of the 1950s under the wings of Jack Parnell at
243:
Johnnie Spence and his Orchestra released several of their own records, predominantly of television and film themes; "
340:", with a sort of jazzy waltz arrangement by Spence. "It displayed a degree of sophistication" according to producer
602:
244:
539:
144:
410:
398:
take the leap and move to the US full-time with his family. They eventually moved into a comfortable home in
77:
387:
259:" became a number 15 hit for Parlophone in 1962, his own composition "Sugar Beat", B-side of the single "
184:
457:
233:
232:, featuring Gilbert O'Sullivan and the Peter Knight Orchestra & Chorus, with arrangements by
474:
104:
61:
237:
179:
156:
84:
73:
53:
597:
592:
357:
330:
8:
399:
116:
440:
260:
140:
120:
569:
494:
87:, a popular English vocalist. His early work was predominantly in comedy records for
69:
40:
375:
268:
112:
100:
31:
27:
522:
383:
337:
322:
284:
22:, born John Spence Abrahams (4 February 1936 – 15 August 1977), sometimes spelt
362:
288:
272:
136:
586:
490:
366:, Spence wrote the music to "Here I Go Again", again with a Don Black lyric.
341:
299:
280:
264:
128:
124:
92:
391:
276:
275:
composition for Cilla Black. (1967). Spence also arranged Bob Hope singing
248:
229:
164:
152:
65:
57:
307:
148:
96:
506:
311:
303:
193:
108:
88:
35:
374:
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
379:
310:
on drums. During 1963, Spence recorded an album with jazz singer
336:
On 2 July 1964, Cilla Black recorded the Lennon/McCartney song "
163:
organization (Management Agency and Music Ltd.), founded by
99:. Spence's credits at this time included such work as the
540:"The Truth About Michael Jackson (feat. Jonathan Spence)"
16:
British musical arranger, director and orchestra leader
566:
The Singer's Singer - the Life and Music of Matt Monro
83:
In the late 1950s, Spence became piano accompanist to
80:
and Johnnie Spence. Parnell held the post until 1982.
394:'s son, who was also five years old at the time.
584:
294:He recorded as The Johnnie Spence Big Band,
405:Spence had just signed a contract with the
95:, who would later find fame as producer of
386:, whom he got to know while attending the
378:on 5 January 1964, with Matt Monro as his
435:
433:
306:(tb), Johnny Scott, Eddie Blair (tp) and
302:label, a swinging jazz album featuring
283:. It is the only non-Bond film made by
585:
430:
91:, occasionally working alongside Sir
13:
14:
624:
608:British male television composers
369:
333:" was a minor UK hit at no. 34.
173:The Music Of Gilbert O'Sullivan
119:", the song that won Monro the
558:
532:
515:
499:
484:
467:
450:
208:(1965), and several TV shows:
1:
529:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
512:. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
481:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
464:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
447:. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
423:
279:'s "Call Me Bwana" from the
218:The Royal Variety Performance
169:Gilbert O'Sullivan In Concert
613:British television composers
251:composition from his album:
47:
7:
56:. (Bandleader and Musician
10:
629:
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
155:and — during the 1970s —
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
576:, (TitanBooks/2010)
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
222:This Is Tom Jones
70:Arthur Greenslade
41:This Is Tom Jones
620:
577:
562:
556:
555:
553:
551:
536:
530:
519:
513:
503:
497:
488:
482:
471:
465:
454:
448:
437:
407:Joey Bishop Show
376:South Kensington
269:Step Inside Love
113:UK Singles Chart
101:Bernard Cribbins
76:, Kenny Powell,
28:musical arranger
26:, was a British
628:
627:
623:
622:
621:
619:
618:
617:
583:
582:
581:
580:
564:Michele Monro,
563:
559:
549:
547:
546:. 4 August 2015
538:
537:
533:
520:
516:
504:
500:
489:
485:
472:
468:
455:
451:
445:www.discogs.com
438:
431:
426:
384:Michael Jackson
372:
323:Ella Fitzgerald
321:In April 1964,
298:(1968), on the
285:Eon Productions
253:All My Own Work
105:Right Said Fred
50:
17:
12:
11:
5:
626:
616:
615:
610:
605:
600:
595:
579:
578:
574:978-1848566187
557:
531:
523:Johnnie Spence
514:
498:
483:
475:Johnnie Spence
466:
449:
441:Johnnie Spence
428:
427:
425:
422:
388:Buckley School
371:
368:
363:The Limbo Line
329:. The single "
289:Cubby Broccoli
273:Paul McCartney
137:Shirley Bassey
49:
46:
20:Johnnie Spence
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
625:
614:
611:
609:
606:
604:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
590:
588:
575:
571:
567:
561:
545:
541:
535:
528:
524:
518:
511:
507:
502:
496:
492:
487:
480:
479:Hollywood.com
476:
470:
463:
459:
453:
446:
442:
436:
434:
429:
421:
418:
416:
412:
408:
403:
401:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
370:Personal life
367:
365:
364:
359:
354:
352:
351:
345:
343:
342:George Martin
339:
334:
332:
328:
324:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
300:Verve Records
297:
292:
290:
287:and producer
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
266:
265:Henry Mancini
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
241:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
211:
207:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
186:
181:
176:
174:
170:
166:
160:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
132:
130:
129:Frank Sinatra
126:
125:Nelson Riddle
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
93:George Martin
90:
86:
81:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
45:
43:
42:
37:
33:
29:
25:
24:Johnny Spence
21:
565:
560:
548:. Retrieved
543:
534:
526:
517:
509:
501:
486:
478:
469:
462:Allmusic.com
461:
452:
444:
419:
406:
404:
396:
392:Tito Jackson
373:
361:
355:
348:
346:
338:It's for You
335:
326:
320:
315:
295:
293:
277:Monty Norman
271:" (1967), a
267:(1962) and "
252:
249:Jerry Lordan
242:
234:Peter Knight
230:Petula Clark
228:(1974) with
225:
221:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
189:
183:
177:
172:
168:
165:Gordon Mills
161:
153:Petula Clark
133:
127:'s was with
85:Anne Shelton
82:
66:David Lindup
58:Jack Parnell
51:
39:
23:
19:
18:
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
572:
400:Encino
245:Wheels
224:, and
390:with
263:" by
570:ISBN
552:2020
495:IMDb
409:for
204:and
147:and
525:",
508:",
493:at
477:",
460:",
443:",
196:at
182:'s
115:: "
54:ATV
589::
568:.
542:.
432:^
318:.
314:,
291:.
236:,
159:.
151:,
143:,
139:,
131:.
72:,
68:,
64:,
44:.
30:,
554:.
521:"
505:"
473:"
456:"
439:"
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.