Ross Hannaman
Encyclopedia
Ross Hannaman was a British singer in the 1960s.
She was born Rosalind Judith Hannaman and raised in London
. Ross signed to EMI
in 1967 to pursue a career in pop music. She was initially managed by Tim Rice
, and he and Andrew Lloyd Webber
wrote both of her singles and their subsequent b-sides. Her debut single, "Down Thru’ Summer," (b/w “I’ll Give All My Love To Southend”) was released in 1967. Shortly after, her second single, “1969”, was released. Its b-side was a lush ballad entitled “Probably on Thursday." Like its predecessor, “1969” went nowhere on the charts and Hannaman's solo career ended. Both of the singles are very rare and highly sought after by Andrew Lloyd Webber
and Tim Rice
collectors.
Ross was named "face" of the year in 1968 by the Evening Standard
, and she then married EMI
producer Mark Wirtz
. They wrote songs using the aliases “Philwit and Bigsby”. Together and under the name “The Sweetshop,” Wirtz and Hannaman recorded the song "Barefoot and Tiptoe" as part of his unfinished recording “A Teenage Opera
.” Wirtz and Hannaman divorced and she now lives in Vermont
in the United States
with her two children from her marriage to her current husband Robert Fritz
.
She was born Rosalind Judith Hannaman and raised in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Ross signed to EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
in 1967 to pursue a career in pop music. She was initially managed by Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
, and he and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
wrote both of her singles and their subsequent b-sides. Her debut single, "Down Thru’ Summer," (b/w “I’ll Give All My Love To Southend”) was released in 1967. Shortly after, her second single, “1969”, was released. Its b-side was a lush ballad entitled “Probably on Thursday." Like its predecessor, “1969” went nowhere on the charts and Hannaman's solo career ended. Both of the singles are very rare and highly sought after by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
and Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
collectors.
Ross was named "face" of the year in 1968 by the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
, and she then married EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
producer Mark Wirtz
Mark Wirtz
Mark P. Wirtz is an Alsatian born pop music record producer, composer, singer, musician, author, and stand-up comedian. As a producer, Wirtz's most famous output is from the mid to late 1960s, when he worked at Abbey Road Studios with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, under contract to EMI...
. They wrote songs using the aliases “Philwit and Bigsby”. Together and under the name “The Sweetshop,” Wirtz and Hannaman recorded the song "Barefoot and Tiptoe" as part of his unfinished recording “A Teenage Opera
A Teenage Opera
A Teenage Opera is a musical project from the 1960s and was the creation of record producer Mark Wirtz.- History :According to Wirtz, he had been working on an idea for a rock opera since January 1966, when he was experimenting in his London studio and produced a piece of music entitled "A Touch of...
.” Wirtz and Hannaman divorced and she now lives in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her two children from her marriage to her current husband Robert Fritz
Robert Fritz
Robert Jordan Fritz is an author, management consultant, composer, and filmmaker. He is known for his development of "Structural Dynamics," the study of how structural relationships impact behavior from individuals to organizations...
.
Songs
- Down Thru’ Summer
- I’ll Give All My Love To Southend
- 1969
- Probably On Thursday
- Barefoot and Tiptoe
Singles
- Down Thru’ Summer / I’ll Give All My Love To Southend (1967, Columbia DB8217)
- 1969 / Probably On Thursday (1967, Columbia DB8288)
- Barefoot and Tiptoe (Parlophone R5707) (Also appears on the RPM CD “A Teenage OperaA Teenage OperaA Teenage Opera is a musical project from the 1960s and was the creation of record producer Mark Wirtz.- History :According to Wirtz, he had been working on an idea for a rock opera since January 1966, when he was experimenting in his London studio and produced a piece of music entitled "A Touch of...
”)
Re-Releases
- “Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever” 5-CD Box Set (2003) contains “Down Thru’ Summer” (although an edited version) and “I’ll Give All My Love To Southend” on Disc 5.
- “Go Girl: Dream Babes Volume Four” (2003) contains an edited version of “Down Thru’ Summer” (identical to the "Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now & Forever" release) as well as a mini-biography of Hannaman. It also includes a photo from a magazine article and a very rare color photo of Hannaman with Mark WirtzMark WirtzMark P. Wirtz is an Alsatian born pop music record producer, composer, singer, musician, author, and stand-up comedian. As a producer, Wirtz's most famous output is from the mid to late 1960s, when he worked at Abbey Road Studios with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, under contract to EMI...
.
- "That’s My Story” by Tim Rice & Friends (2006) contains both singles from 1967 as well as their b-sides.
- This re-release contains "Down Thru' Summer" in its entirety, as it appears on the original vinyl single; when re-released on the other compilations listed, two unique lines were cut near the end of the song.
Song covers
- A French version of the song “I’ll Give All My Love To Southend,” titled “Je N'Aimerai Plus Jamais Personne” was recorded by the French singer Daniele Noel, and released on a 4-song EP single in 1967.
- A demo version of the song “Probably On Thursday” was recorded with a slightly different melody as well as some lyric changes in 1989 by Sarah BrightmanSarah BrightmanSarah Brightman is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves and singing in the whistle register...
, the wife of Andrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd WebberAndrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
at the time, and was released in 2005 on the CD “Love Changes Everything (Sarah Brightman album)Love Changes Everything (Sarah Brightman album)Love Changes Everything - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Collection, Volume 2 is an album by English soprano Sarah Brightman. It contains songs from various shows for which Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the music. The album contains eight previously released songs along with six new recordings.Note: The song...
,” a compilation of Brightman’s work with Lloyd Webber. The title is mis-printed on the album packaging as "Probably On A Thursday." Brightman never sings the word "a" during the song.