Laurie Holloway | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Laurence Holloway |
| Born | (1938-03-31)31 March 1938 Oldham,Lancashire, England |
| Died | 9 January 2025(2025-01-09) (aged 86) Bray, Berkshire, England |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1954–2020 |
Laurence HollowayMBE (31 March 1938 – 9 January 2025) was an English pianist, musical director and composer fromOldham,Lancashire.[1] In the 1970s, he was the Musical Director for the singerEngelbert Humperdinck, and on the television talk showParkinson. From 2004 to 2006, he was the original Musical Director for theBBC'sStrictly Come Dancing.
Holloway was born inOldham on 31 March 1938. He was playing piano from the age of four, taking his first formal lessons aged seven. Aged 12, he was the organist and choirmaster at his local church. He began performing at ballroom dances and turned professional in 1954 when he joined Syd Willmott and his Band as a pianist. He later played withGeraldo on cruise ships, with theCyril Stapleton band, and then as a studio session musician, playing on many tracks, including onDowntown byPetula Clark with musical directorTony Hatch in 1964.[2] Holloway composed two musical stage comedies withBob Grant in the 1960s.Instant Marriage, a farce starringJoan Sims, ran for most of 1964 at thePiccadilly Theatre. His second,Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, didn't make it to the stage.[3]
Holloway became more associated with jazz after working as musical director for the singerCleo Laine, which soon led to him joining theJohn Dankworth Band as pianist and arranger. He worked with Dankworth on the 1967 albumThe $1,000,000,000 Collection and on subsequent Dankworth albums. However, more studio and television work soon took over. From 1970 until 1975 he was musical director for Engelbert Humperdinck, working on his albums and touring the US, includingLas Vegas.[4] Other artists he worked with includeStephane Grappelli,Tom Jones,Judy Garland,Liza Minnelli,Sammy Davis Jr.,Gilbert O’Sullivan,Mel Torme,Dame Kiri Te Kanawa,Lesley Garrett,Bob Monkhouse,Barry Humphries andRonnie Corbett.[5] He composed several well-known television theme tunes such asGame for a Laugh,Wicked Women,Maggie and Her,Blind Date andBeadle's About.[6] He also composed "Hook, Line and Sinker" for the 1970LWT fishing seriesCasting Around.
In 1990, Holloway accompaniedQueen Elizabeth II and her sister,Princess Margaret, on the piano for a recording the two made of Scottish childhood songs at Buckingham Palace for the 90th birthday of their mother,Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. A single cassette was produced featuring a dozen songs, but the recording was lost after the Queen Mother's death.[7]
His professional association withMichael Parkinson (aBerkshire neighbour and friend) began in 1998 when he became the second musical director of theParkinson chat show (after Harry Stoneham, who composed the theme tune and directed the first run from 1971 to 1982).[2] He worked on the show until 2004 for BBC, and when the show transferred to ITV from 2004 to 2007.[8] In 2004, he became the Musical Director for the first three series of the popular dance showStrictly Come Dancing, for which he provided many arrangements every week.
Holloway was awarded the Gold Badge of Merit by theBritish Academy of Composers and Songwriters and he appeared as a subject ofThis Is Your Life.[9] He was appointedMember of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the2013 Birthday Honours for services to music.[10]
He was married to the singerMarion Montgomery from 1965[6] until her death in 2002.[11] They had a daughter, Abigail (born 1967).[12] He lived in The Fisheries,Bray, Berkshire.[8]
Holloway died after a brief illness in Berkshire, on 9 January 2025, at the age of 86.[13][14]
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