Robert Earl (singer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Earl was an English
singer of traditional pop music
in the United Kingdom
in the 1950s and 1960s, whose style was operatic, like fellow crooner
s David Whitfield
, David Hughes and Edmund Hockridge
. He is the father of Robert Earl
.
, and soon progressed to singing with some of the top big band
s of the day such as those of Sidney Lipton, Nat Temple
and Van Straten. In 1953, he auditioned for Norman Newell
of Philips Records
and was offered a recording contract
.
He enjoyed three chart
hits
during this period, while signed to Philips: "I May Never Pass This Way Again" (#14) and "More Than Ever (Come Prima)
" (#26) in 1958 and "The Wonderful Secret of Love" (#17) in 1959.
His agent was Michael Sullivan
, who also represented Shirley Bassey
. After a 20 year career as a professional singer he retired in 1970, and then devoted much of his time to the Grand Order of Water Rats
, a showbusiness charitable organization
. He now lives in the United States
. There is currently one CD
of his recordings available, The Magic of Robert Earl (Spectrum).
It is a mark of the esteem in which he was held by his peers that, in July 1989 some nineteen years after he retired, Earl sang "You'll Never Walk Alone
", at the memorial service of his fellow Londoner, Tommy Trinder
.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
singer of traditional pop music
Traditional pop music
Traditional pop or classic pop or standards music denotes, in general, Western popular music that either wholly predates the advent of rock and roll in the mid-1950s, or to any popular music which exists concurrently to rock and roll but originated in a time before the appearance of rock and roll,...
in the United Kingdom
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...
in the 1950s and 1960s, whose style was operatic, like fellow crooner
Crooner
Crooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
s David Whitfield
David Whitfield
David Whitfield was a popular British male tenor vocalist. This operatic-style tenor had a formidable and predominantly female fan base in the 1950s.-Life and career:...
, David Hughes and Edmund Hockridge
Edmund Hockridge
Edmund Hockridge was a Canadian baritone and actor who had an active performance career in musicals, operas, concerts, plays, and on radio...
. He is the father of Robert Earl
Robert Earl (businessman)
Robert Ian Earl is the founder of the Planet Hollywood chain of fast-food restaurants and an Everton F.C. director.-Everton Football Club:On October 20 2006 Earl the sandwich king bought shares in Everton from major shareholders Paul and Anita Gregg, they resigned from the board following the sale....
.
Career
He began his singing career at local functions around London's East EndEast End of London
The East End of London, also known simply as the East End, is the area of London, England, United Kingdom, east of the medieval walled City of London and north of the River Thames. Although not defined by universally accepted formal boundaries, the River Lea can be considered another boundary...
, and soon progressed to singing with some of the top big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
s of the day such as those of Sidney Lipton, Nat Temple
Nat Temple
Nat Temple was an English big band leader, and a clarinet and saxophone player.Amongst many others, he worked with Syd Roy, Harry Roy, Geraldo, Ambrose, Joe Daniels, and Lew Stone.-Career:...
and Van Straten. In 1953, he auditioned for Norman Newell
Norman Newell
Norman Newell, OBE was born in Plaistow, Essex , and was a successful British record producer in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as co-writer of many notable songs...
of Philips Records
Philips Records
Philips Records is a record label that was founded by Dutch electronics company Philips. It was started by "Philips Phonographische Industrie" in 1950. Recordings were made with popular artists of various nationalities and also with classical artists from Germany, France and Holland. Philips also...
and was offered 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...
.
He enjoyed three chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
hits
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
during this period, while signed to Philips: "I May Never Pass This Way Again" (#14) and "More Than Ever (Come Prima)
Come Prima
"Come Prima" is a popular song, with lyrics by Mario Panzeri and music by Vincenzo Di Paola and Sandro Taccani....
" (#26) in 1958 and "The Wonderful Secret of Love" (#17) in 1959.
His agent was Michael Sullivan
Michael Sullivan
-Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan , Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan , Australian rugby league footballer*Michael Sullivan -Michael Sullivan:*Michael Sullivan (art historian) (born 1916), Emeritus Fellow of St Catherine's College, Oxford*Michael Sullivan...
, who also represented Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
. After a 20 year career as a professional singer he retired in 1970, and then devoted much of his time to the Grand Order of Water Rats
Grand Order of Water Rats
The Grand Order of Water Rats is an entertainment industry charity, and brotherhood, based in London. The Water Rats were founded in 1889 by comedian Joe Elvin. The first King Rat, as the head of the charity is termed, was music hall singer Harry Freeman. Comedian Dan Leno joined in 1890 and was...
, a showbusiness charitable organization
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
. He now lives in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. There is currently one CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
of his recordings available, The Magic of Robert Earl (Spectrum).
It is a mark of the esteem in which he was held by his peers that, in July 1989 some nineteen years after he retired, Earl sang "You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone (song)
"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the...
", at the memorial service of his fellow Londoner, Tommy Trinder
Tommy Trinder
Thomas Edward Trinder CBE known as Tommy Trinder, was an English stage, screen and radio comedian of the pre and post war years whose catchphrase was 'You lucky people'.-Life:...
.
Singles discography
- "If You Love Me" / "Crying in the ChapelCrying in the Chapel"Crying in the Chapel" is a song written by Artie Glenn for his son Darrell to sing. Darrell recorded it while still in high school in 1953, along with Artie's band the Rhythm Riders. It became a local hit and publishers got a hold of it and it went nationwide. He released the original version as...
" - Philips PB185 - September 1953 - "You Alone" / "Timber" - PB228 - January 1954
- "The Book" / "Yiddisher Tears" - PB238 - February 1954
- "My Son, My SonMy Son, My Son"My Son, My Son" is a traditional popular music song written by Bob Howard, Melville Farley and Eddie Calvert in 1954.The best known recording of the song, by Vera Lynn, climbed to the number one spot in the UK Singles Chart in November that year....
" / "Far Away" - PB331 - September 1954 - "Face Of An Angel" / "Time After Time" - PB406 - February 1955
- "My Loving Hands" / "I Wonder" - PB433 - April 1955
- "Three Galleons" / "Till The Last Rose Has Faded" - PB481 - July 1955
- "He" / "With Your Love" - PB517 - October 1955
- "My September Love" / "Now And Forever" - PB552 - February 1956
- "Believe In Me" / "If You Can Dream" - PB593 - June 1956
- "More" / "Your Home Can Be A Castle" - PB622 - September 1956
- "I'm Free" / "The Golden Key" - PB657 - January 1957
- "All" / "You Alone" - PB684 - April 1957
- "Fascination" / "Song Of The Valley" - PB730 - September 1957
- "My Special Angel" / "There's Only You" - PB767 - November 1957
- "I May Never Pass This Way Again" / "Someone" - PB805 - March 1968
- "More Than Ever (Come Prima)" / "No-one But You" - PB867 - September 1958
- "The Wonderful Secret Of Love" / "The Boulevard of Broken Dreams" - PB891 - January 1959
- "Anything" / "Every Day's A Wonderful Day" - PB927 - 1959
- "The Key" / "The Test of Time" - PB960 - 1959
- "Oh So Wunderbar" / "I'm Rich" - PB986 - 1960
- "A Strange and Wonderful Feeling" / "A Place in The Sun" - PB1015 - 1960
- "Wanderlust" / "One Of The Lucky Ones" - PB1077 - 1960
- "Love Me" / "April Serenade" - PB1129 - 1961
- "Lonely" / "Time Will Tell" - 326556BF - 1962
- "Shalom" / "When You're In Love" - PB1209 - 1962
- "Falling in Love with LoveFalling in Love with LoveFalling in Love with Love is a show tune from the Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse, where it was introduced by Muriel Angelus. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1938...
" / "Give Me My Chance" - BF1289 - 1963 - "Walk Hand in HandWalk Hand in Hand"Walk Hand in Hand" is a popular song by Johnny Cowell, published in 1956.The biggest-selling version recorded of the song was sung by Tony Martin, reaching #10 on the United States Billboard charts in 1956. The same year, it was recorded by Andy Williams, whose version hit #54 on the chart, and by...
" / "Never" - BF1379 - 1964