Paul Layton
Encyclopedia
Paul Layton is an English musician and former child actor. He is best known for being the bassist
and vocalist of the group The New Seekers
. In his career he has sold more than 35 million records worldwide.
s I Could Go On Singing
(with Judy Garland
), and Beckett; and television appearances in Dixon of Dock Green
and Emergency Ward 10
amongst the three hundred in which he had acted in by the age of seventeen. Layton secured a recording contract
in 1969, and released his first single
"Mister Mister". The single was produced
by Ossie Byrne
, who was responsible for bringing the Bee Gees
over to the UK
from Australia
. "Mister Mister" was a minor success in Holland. Byrne was told by Marty Kristian
that The New Seekers
were looking for a bass guitarist, and informed Layton who was accepted into the group.
in 1970, when original group members Sally, Chris and Laurie decided to leave. New recruits Layton, Lyn Paul
and Peter Doyle
rehearsed for a fortnight with their musical director, Colin May. The New Seekers version
of "What Have They Done to my Song Ma?" was selling well in the US
having been recorded prior to the change in line-up. The three new performers began life with the group as it entered a successful and busy period, splitting their time between visits to the States and Europe
. Layton played on a number of television programmes in the US, such as The Ed Sullivan Show
and The Andy Williams Show
. He has remained a member of The New Seekers to the present day.
Layton is also the father of the model turned singer Lucy Layton.
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
and vocalist of the group The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
. In his career he has sold more than 35 million records worldwide.
Background
Layton studied acting, leaving school at fourteen to train at the Aida Foster Stage School. As a teenager he had parts in the filmFilm
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s I Could Go On Singing
I Could Go On Singing
I Could Go On Singing is a 1963 film starring Judy Garland and Dirk Bogarde.Although not a huge box office success on release, it won Garland much praise for her performance...
(with Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
), and Beckett; and television appearances in Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green
Dixon of Dock Green was a popular BBC television series that ran from 1955 to 1976, and later a radio series. Despite being a drama series, it was initially produced by the BBC's light entertainment department.-Overview:...
and Emergency Ward 10
Emergency Ward 10
Emergency – Ward 10 is a British television series shown on ITV between 1957 and 1967. Like The Grove Family, a series shown by the BBC between 1954 and 1957, Emergency – Ward 10 is considered to be one of British television's first major soap operas.-Overview:The series was made by the ITV...
amongst the three hundred in which he had acted in by the age of seventeen. Layton secured a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
in 1969, and released his first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"Mister Mister". The single was produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
by Ossie Byrne
Ossie Byrne
Oswald Russell "Ossie" Byrne was an Australian record producer, best known for producing the early recordings of The Bee Gees, including their first international hit, "New York Mining Disaster 1941"....
, who was responsible for bringing the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
over to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. "Mister Mister" was a minor success in Holland. Byrne was told by Marty Kristian
Marty Kristian
Marty Kristian is a German-born Australian musician, he was a singer and 1970s heartthrob who was best known as a member of The New Seekers....
that The New Seekers
The New Seekers
The New Seekers are a British-based pop group, formed in 1969 by Keith Potger after the break-up of his group, The Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music had rock as well as folk influences...
were looking for a bass guitarist, and informed Layton who was accepted into the group.
Career
The New Seekers were about to begin a summer season at Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
in 1970, when original group members Sally, Chris and Laurie decided to leave. New recruits Layton, Lyn Paul
Lyn Paul
Lyn Paul is an English pop singer and actress. She came to fame as a member of the international chart-topping pop group The New Seekers in the early 1970s...
and Peter Doyle
Peter Doyle (singer)
Peter John Doyle was an Australian pop singer who had success with a number of Top 40 hits in Australia in the 1960s, then success internationally as a member of the New Seekers in the early 1970s, before resuming a solo career in 1973.-Early career:He started his career at the age of 9 appearing...
rehearsed for a fortnight with their musical director, Colin May. The New Seekers version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "What Have They Done to my Song Ma?" was selling well in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
having been recorded prior to the change in line-up. The three new performers began life with the group as it entered a successful and busy period, splitting their time between visits to the States and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Layton played on a number of television programmes in the US, such as The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
and The Andy Williams Show
The Andy Williams Show
The Andy Williams Show is a television variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 , and a short-lived run in syndication, beginning in the fall of 1976...
. He has remained a member of The New Seekers to the present day.
Layton is also the father of the model turned singer Lucy Layton.
External links
- http://thenewseekers.com/ The New Seekers fansite