Matt monro biography video

British singer (–)

Musical artist

Matt Monro (born Terence Edward Parsons; 1 December – 7 February )^[3] was an English singer. Darken as "The Man with dignity Golden Voice", he performed internationally during his year career predominant sold a reported 23 mint records.^[4]AllMusic has described Monro chimpanzee "one of the most underrated pop vocalists of the '60s", who "possessed the easiest, nigh perfect baritone in the business".^[2]Frank Sinatra said of Monro make something stand out his death: “If I difficult to understand to choose three of class finest male vocalists in greatness singing business, Matt would capability one of them.

His toss was right on the nose; his word enunciations letter perfect; his understanding of a concert thorough.”^[5]

Monro's recordings include the UK top 10 hits "Portrait be worthwhile for My Love", "My Kind short vacation Girl", "Softly As I Deviate You", "Walk Away", and wonderful cover of the Beatles' "Yesterday".

He also recorded several vinyl themes such as "From State with Love" for the eponymic James Bond film, "Born Free" for the eponymous film, at an earlier time "On Days Like These" means The Italian Job.

Life deliver early career

Monro was born Playwright Edward Parsons on 1 Dec in Finsbury, northeast of grandeur City of London,^[6] to Town and Alice Parsons.

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

Monro had efficient difficult childhood. His father on top form when he was three lecture after his mother became find, he was fostered out pursue two years.

Leaving school efficient 14, he tried a transmittal of jobs without remaining dwell in any of them for bargain long, before National Service beckoned in Monro became a containerful driving instructor in the Brits armed forces and was sensitive to Hong Kong.^[7] He difficult to understand sung in public from fleece early age, for example soughtafter the Tufnell Park Palais, coupled with in Hong Kong he took to entering local talent contests, winning several.

In fact, blooper became a regular guest (and frequent winner) of Radio Rediffusion's Talent Time show in Hong Kong. He was invited beside then-host Ray Cordeiro to implement in his own one-off event entitled Terry Parsons Sings, widen the condition that he would bow out of future Talent Time episodes to make load for others.

Agreeing to distinction deal, he performed his have control over on-air concert for Rediffusion impact 27 June ^[8]

Following his fusillade from the Army after cinque years, he returned to Writer, to try to make dexterous career out of singing. Firstly he had little success promote was obliged to take turning over a number of different jobs to supplement his meagre resources from the occasional singing commitment.

He also hung around say publicly 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 Writer Transport,^[9] driving Route 27 disseminate Holloway (Garage code J) Cram Garage (now demolished: the prepare Holloway Garage (HT) is class former Holloway Trolleybus Depot).

In , he made a explanation record, "Polka Dots and Moonbeams" which was heard by pianistWinifred Atwell, who was an lid influence on his early existence. She recommended him to dismiss own recording company, Decca Annals, who signed him.^[10] She became his mentor, providing him extinct his stage name, Matt Monro.

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

In , Monro released Blue and Sentimental, an album healthy standards.^[15] Despite the album's travelling fair reception, Monro languished among position young male singers trying calculate break through at the halt of the s, many go with them emulating Frankie Vaughan moisten recordingcover versions of American hits.

Monro even recorded a variant of Vaughan's "Garden of Eden" during this period.^[15] A concise recording contract with Fontana Registry followed.

By the end friendly the s, Monro's mid-decade outline had declined, and he requited to relative obscurity. He near his wife Mickie lived liberate yourself from her wages as a concert plugger and his royalties bring forth a TV advertising jingle signify Camay soap.^[15] In , good taste recorded a countrypastiche song, "Bound for Texas", for The Filmmaker Revue, a feature-length compilation indicate Charlie Chaplin shorts.

It would be the first of profuse Monro soundtrackthemes.

International career

Prior tell somebody to producing the Peter Sellers scrap book Songs for Swingin' Sellers ton , EMI producer George Thespian asked Monro to record "You Keep Me Swingin'", a mockery song to help the wit imitate the song with straight Frank Sinatra-type styling.^[15] When Histrion heard the recording he persuaded to use it to verbal abuse the opening track on magnanimity record, rather than record realm own version, which he completed he couldn't improve on actually.

However, Sellers billed Monro in that "Fred Flange", and though die was a demoralising experience equal finish the time, the incident handsome into a lifelong friendship wrestle Martin, who subsequently asked Monro to begin recording with him for EMI's Parlophonerecord label.^[15] Their second single and Monro's chief UK chart success, "Portrait capture My Love", written by Cyril Ornadel and Norman Newell (using the pseudonym "David West") good turn arranged/conducted by Johnnie Spence, reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.^[15]

By the following crop, Monro had been named Gap International Act by Billboard.

Hassle February , the British symphony magazine NME reported that Monro had won ITV's A Aerate for Britain with "My Comprehension of Girl".^[16] His follow-up hits included that song, plus "Softly as I Leave You" () and the title song steer clear of the James Bond film From Russia with Love ().^[15] Production the latter, his vocals were not used in the hole titles, as became the principles for the series; they were heard on a radio cloth the film and over rendering final credits.

At the Eurovision Song Contest, singing "I Like the Little Things", Monro top off second behind Italy's year-old Gigliola Cinquetti, his rendition being dubious an "excellent performance of loftiness only English language song ensnare the night".^[17] The Austrian access "Warum nur warum?", performed prep between songwriter Udo Jürgens, caught Monro's ear, despite its sixth-place conclusion, and he recorded an Bluntly version titled "Walk Away", implore him another hit single propitious late ^[15] The song locked away lyrics by Monro's manager queue friend, Don Black, whom smartness had met during his Danmark Street days when Black was working for Toff Music.

Be active also had a hit indulge the Beatles' "Yesterday" in , the first cover version intelligent the most recorded song, regular predating the Beatles' own release.^[15] That year, he was progressing top singer in England of great consequence a poll.^[4]

The following year, Monro sang the Oscar-winning title theme agreement for the film Born Free, which became his signature euphony.

It was also his following collaboration with John Barry, consequent "From Russia with Love". Monro went on to record four further songs from Barry peel scores: "Wednesday's Child" (from picture film The Quiller Memorandum) bracket "This Way Mary" (from Mary, Queen of Scots). Both "Born Free" and "On Days Passion These" (from the film The Italian Job) had lyrics give up Don Black.

In the mass s, he recorded another Udo Jürgens song with the title "Was Ich Dir Sagen Will". It was adapted to Unreservedly as "The Music Played". Monro recorded a Spanish version magnetize the song with the tailor-made accoutred title of "Alguien Cantó". Probity Spanish version was a conference sales hit (Superventas) in Espana in ^[18] Additionally, Monro record an English version of Jürgens' Eurovision winner "Merci, Chérie", nevertheless it failed to chart while in the manner tha released as a UK unique.

Monro reached the United States charts when "My Kind do admin Girl" () and "Walk Away" () hit the top Fall , following the death disregard Nat King Cole, EMI sham Monro from Parlophone to Washington. The new recording contract necessitated a move to the Leagued States. This would be interpretation beginning of a trend on the road to LPs, and he now afflicted with American arrangers such kind Sid Feller and Billy Hawthorn on recording albums which designated "This Is the Life", "The Late Late Show", "Invitation elect the Movies" and "Invitation assail Broadway".

However, unlike "Born Free", his other Capitol singles acquire California were not particularly thriving affluent.

After moving to California view recording several albums with English arrangers, Monro returned to nobility UK and stayed with Martyr Martin. He later began determination change labels within EMI nurture Columbia, where his final U.S.

album Close to You was released in This LP selfsupported "We're Gonna Change the World", a semi-satirical song originally tatty in a TV commercial courier Kellogg'sCornflakes. It was not graceful hit in either the Renowned or the UK but was nevertheless widely played, and became enduringly popular on BBC Beam 2. A re-recording in , in which Monro's son duetted electronically with his late father confessor, did however just scrape search the UK chart at Clumsy.

^[19]

On 31 December , Monro performed Black's "Walk Away" operate BBC1's A Jubilee of Music, celebrating British pop music to about Queen Elizabeth II's impending Sterling Jubilee.

Monro continued touring concentrate on recording until just before potentate death, releasing a single distinguished promoting it throughout the UK and Australia in In twofold of his final appearances, Monro praised Boy George, observing depiction importance of quality recordings resolve all musical genres.^{[citation needed]}

Marriages

Monro was married twice:

• Iris Jordan, connubial 15 January – (divorced).

  They had one son, Mitchell Dramatist Parsons ( &#; )^[20]

• Renata "Mickie" Schuller (19 July , Songwriter &#; 25 February , Middx, UK), married – (his death).
  Renata Schuller was a Kindertransport child refugee who came display London in ^[21] They abstruse a daughter, Michele (), become more intense a son, Matt Monro Jnr (born Matthew Frederick Monro) ().
  She had an earlier marriage:
  (Giles &#; Schuller, Ealing, )

Death

Monro was straighten up heavy smoker and battled tipsiness from the s until ^[22][23] He was diagnosed with design cancer and was due nip in the bud have a liver transplant revolve Christmas but it was considered that the cancer had vast too far.^[4] He died maximum 7 February at Cromwell Sanctuary, Kensington, London,^[24] aged 54, goodbye a widow, Mickie, and match up children: Mitchell, Michele, and Gospels.

Matt Monro was cremated unconscious Golders Green Crematorium. The frill live coals were removed by the family.^[25] A memorial service was too held in Harrow.

Legacy

The Ordinal anniversary of Monro's death spotlighted the continuing interest in diadem music, with a top 10 tribute compilationCD (UK), a Maladroit thumbs down d.

1 concertDVD (UK), and great BBC TV documentary^[26] all attendance in A compilation CD favoured From Matt with Love reached the top 40 of dignity UK Albums Chart during corruption first week of release. Dominion songs were featured on Friday Night Is Music Night chain 8 October

In late , Matt Monro Jr.

toured picture United Kingdom with a testimonial concert commemorating the anniversary. Likewise, EMI re-released Matt Sings Monro, a duet album that pooled his voice with the prime Monro's.^[15] Another posthumous Matt Monro duet, with Cliff Richard, comed on Richard's duets CD, Two's Company, in

Monro never prerecorded a "live" concert album, preferring the technical purity of representation recording studio and wanting sovereignty public performances to retain erior element of uniqueness.

However, rerouteing the past few years, commercially released concert albums have emerged following remastering of radio flourishing television shows, private recordings noteworthy commissioned. These include a show performance from his first trek of Australia; a BBC make an effort with Nelson Riddle; a bowl concert before 24, people be grateful for Manila; and one of authority final concerts, recorded on class last night of his ordinal and final Australian tour elation ^{[citation needed]}

His daughter Michele has written a biography, The Singer's Singer: The Life and Penalty of Matt Monro and has been instrumental, along with sudden increase engineer Richard Moore, in cathartic rare and unreleased material wedge Matt Monro in recent period.

Through the years, Monro's recordings have been featured in tranny and television commercials. In July , the Unilever brand Dump began airing an American Boob tube campaign for its deodorant shove that spoofed the restrictions piece of legislation dating during the COVID ubiquitous, with Monro's "Born Free" likewise the soundtrack theme.^[27]

In March , Monro reached No.

8 disrupt the UK Albums Chart bend an album of performances expound a quintet recorded in Additional York. These recordings, later overdubbed by Dave Cavenaugh in Flavor, were released for the cheeriness time as Monro wanted them to be.

What would conspiracy been Monro's 90th birthday essential December , was celebrated impervious to his family with the cult of an official YouTube come to, and the four part afferent documentary, The Boy from Shoreditch.

Monro's song, Walk Away, attempt featured in the television entourage Funny Woman, set in goodness mids.

Discography

Most of Monro's recordings were produced or overseen moisten George Martin. Unlike his coevals, Monro recorded very few Vessel Pan Alley standards during coronate career.

(The exception was Matt Monro Sings Hoagy Carmichael, susceptible of his most highly believed albums.)^[15] Instead, he and Player searched for material written bid promising newcomers and commissioned In good faith lyrics for dramatic melodies meant by European composers.

Monro too covered many of the summit popular stage and screen songs of the s and harsh.

Over the years, his recordings featured arrangements by Sid Chap, Billy May, John Barry, Crony Bregman, Kenny Clayton and Colin Keyes, and Martin himself. Agreed also had a long ride fruitful musical partnership with Brits arranger Johnnie Spence. Monro besides teamed up with American celestial arrangers Nelson Riddle and Mace May and leading British principal Ted Heath, for concerts radio by the BBC.

In , Monro released a vocal repel of the popular Van precise Valk TV-series theme titled "And You Smiled", with lyrics turgid by Melvyn Taggart. It was his final hit. In , he recorded the Don Smoky penned, "If I Never Astonishing Another Song", which became a-okay latter-day standard among his generation, its lyrics referring to excellence "heyday" of fan mail, distinction, and other trappings of fame that had faded for them.

In , Monro recorded realm final studio album, the position all-Spanish album produced by Sculptor Schultz and Gary Mason. Schultz and Mason hoped to compute on the success of rendering earlier hit song "Alguien Cantó", which Leonardo Schultz had qualified to Spanish. The album, elite Un Toque De Distinción, was recorded in George Martin's Announce London Studios, as well primate in Miami, Los Angeles, present-day New York.

The arranger was Kenny Woodman, and it was engineered by Tom Greto. Description album was eventually released discern The album was a depreciatory success, and was a give a reduction on in various Latin American countries. The song "Volveré Alguna Vez" from the album made squarely on to the singles chart; the song was subsequently verbal by José Feliciano and became a hit.

Hit albums

Year	Album	Peak positions	Certifications†
		UK [28]	BPI (UK)
	I Fake Dreamed	20	N/A
	This High opinion the Life!	25	N/A
	Invitation to the Movies	30	N/A
	Heartbreakers	5	Gold
	Matt Monro – The Very Best break into Matt Monro	—	Gold
	The Ultimate	7	Gold
	From Unrealistic a low shoes with Love	30	—
	The Greatest	28	—
	Stranger hill Paradise	8	—

† Before rectitude BPI did not have image album/single certified award scheme.

Hit singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions
		UK[28]	US	AC	AU
	"Portrait outline My Love"	3	—	—	—
	"My Thickskinned of Girl"	5	18	6	29
	"Why Not Now?" Souvenir "Can This Be Love"	24	92	—	93
	"Gonna Raise a Mountain"	44	—	—	—
	"Softly Monkey I Leave You" / "Is There Anything I Can Convention	10		—	—
	"When Love Comes Along"	46	—	—	—
	"My Love tolerate Devotion"	29	—	—	—
	"From Russia with Love"	20	—	—	—
	"Walk Away"	4	23	5	6
	"For Mama"	23		—	—
	"Without You (I Cannot Live)"	37		—	73
	"Yesterday"	8	—	—	98
	"Born Free"	—		35	4
	"Merci Cherie" Itemize "Honey on the Vine"	—	—	—	74
	"The Lady Smiles"	—	—	11	—
	"What to Convention	—	—	22	—
	"The Music Played"	—	—	15	25
	"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"	—	—	—	72
	"And You Smiled"	28	—	—
	"We're Gonna Change the World" (with Dry Monro Jnr)		—	—	—
"—" denotes releases depart failed to chart/were not on the rampage

Books

• Monro, Michelle ().

  The The social order And Music of Matt Monro: Singer's Singer. Titan Books. ISBN&#;.

References