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| Fleeting Focus on Billy Thorburn |
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| 4th Jan 2024, 10:43 AM | #1 REPORT | |
 | Mike Wilson1 Musicologist Member since Dec 2019 26 Points | Fleeting Focus No. 4 - Billy Thorburn was a British pianist, arranger & Dance Band leader who was born on May 12th 1900. He was the son of a church verger who encouraged his sons enthusiasm for playing the organ so much so that at age 9 Billy was offered the position as Church Organist at Holy Trinity, North Kensington….During his early years after World War I he played at The Regent Palace Hotel, met and fell in love with Ivy who he married in 1923 and did his first Radio Broadcasts as “Uncle Jazz”….He was then given a multiplicity of opportunities such as being employed in the position of a pianist with Debroy Somers and The Savoy Orpheans at the Savoy Hotel…He also played “Rhapsody In Blue” with George Gershwin himself when the composer played the piece here whilst on tour……He then played with Jay Wilbur and was the pianist when Elsie Carlisle recorded “Go Home & Tell Your Mother”. Positions with Jerry Hoey at The Piccadilly Hotel and Sydney Kyle followed until he formed his own band in 1936 known as Billy Thorburn & His Music at the Bournemouth Royal Bath Hotel…..Around this time he began his recordings with Parlophone……Also in this year he joined forces with Reginald Foort on a broadcast that conceived the idea of The Organ, The Dance Band & Me….And a legend was born !!!! A supreme talent, his best work being on recordings as it was impossible to bring a huge organ with him on tour, indeed some crowds shouted “Where’s Your Organ ?”….All the well known songs of the day got the Billy Thorburn treatment with great success….In 1940 he released a tune called “If Tears Could Bring You Back To Me” on Parlophone F 1786 and this is the only one from that era that I have been unable to procure…..Please look and see if you have this and let me know….Billy’s music brings a smile still and a cherished memory from an era that should be celebrated with much fanfare. |
| 7th Jan 2024, 12:54 AM | #2 REPORT | |
| Whyperion SUBS🍰 Too Many Records , Too Little Time Member since Jan 2013 306 Points | The strange thing for me Is I dont remember Billy Thorburn being mentioned on the Radio in the 1970s/80s at all when I both listened to The Organist Entertains and Malcolm Laycock/Brian Rust/Sandy Forbes programs on BBC and Capital. I only found (but not listened to) when I came into the possession of a moderate number of Cassette Tapes ) (which I havent played - but I think were all transferred to the Organised Encores radiocast website - but the specific track you mention appears omitted from their otherwise fairly comprehensive collection |
| 7th Jan 2024, 5:57 PM | #3 REPORT | |
| Mike Wilson1 Musicologist Member since Dec 2019 26 Points |
Whyperion wrote:
The strange thing for me Is I dont remember Billy Thorburn being mentioned on the Radio in the 1970s/80s at all when I both listened to The Organist Entertains and Malcolm Laycock/Brian Rust/Sandy Forbes programs on BBC and Capital. I only found (but not listened to) when I came into the possession of a moderate number of Cassette Tapes ) (which I havent played - but I think were all transferred to the Organised Encores radiocast website - but the specific track you mention appears omitted from their otherwise fairly comprehensive collection
I have had this difficulty with others who say that they have found loads of his tracks bar that one, I guess that it must be somewhere, just waiting for the one member to say "Ive Got That" |
| 26th Jan 2024, 1:33 PM | #4 REPORT | |
 | mister_tmg Also on 78rpm Member since Apr 2012 1118 Points | He needs a Wikipedia article! I like his version of I've Got Sixpence. Included on an LP of WW2 songs, but not issued on CD I don’t think. |
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