finetune artist: Ted Heath Orchestra

b. 30 March 1900, Wandsworth, London, England, d. 18 November 1969, Virginia Water, Surrey, England. After playing tenor horn at the age of six, Heath later switched to trombone and throughout the 20s and 30s played with top orchestras such as Jack Hylton, Al Sarita, Sydney Lipton, and in the early 40s with Geraldo. On 7 May 1945 (VJ Day), he formed his own band, some of the early finance being provided by royalties from the songs "That Lovely Weekend" and "I'm Gonna Love That Guy", written by Heath and his wife Moira. Kenny Baker, Jack Parnell, Ronnie Chamberlain and Don Lusher were just some of the top musicians who played for him, plus vocalists Paul Carpenter and Beryl Davis. In 1946 the band provided the musical background for the first major UK movie musical, London Town. Taking a big chance, Heath hired the London Palladium for a Sunday Night Swing Session, which proved to be so successful, that it ran for several years. The addition of singers Lita Roza, Dennis Lotis and Dickie Valentine in the early 50s gave the band more teenage appeal, and they appeared in three more films, Dance Hall (1950), It's A Wonderful World (1956) and Jazz Boat (1960). Their theme, "Listen To My Music", introduced many specialities including "Opus One", "The Champ", "Dragnet", "Skin Deep", "Hot Toddy" and "Swingin' Shepherd Blues'. The Heath band was the first unit to go to the USA when Musicians" Union restrictions were relaxed and Anglo-American exchanges began in 1955, and subsequently toured there many times.

Listen to Ted Heath Orchestra at Finetune.

(1996) A Salute to Glenn Miller

In the Mood
Little Brown Jug
Pennsylvania 65000
Serenade In Blue
American Patrol