Tony bennett robert farnon biography

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We filmed one sequence in Guernsey, amid daffodil fields, and we used a piece called “A Promise Of Spring”, which is descriptive of that kind of scene.

When he went down to the Cutty Sark, one called “Proud Canvas” was ideal. Then we had Sarah Vaughan for two shows. I’d hate to have to go over there and do a thirteen–week series, to be away that long this he appreciates.

The orchestral compositions used in the show so far, other than two or three recent ones, are some of my old warhorses.

So it all speaks well for British musicians and technicians. It’s a lovely idea, as opposed to some of the musical half–hour shows, where they introduce comedy and Lord knows what else. We formulated the ideas for the programme, made up a format, chose some material. Some arrangements are required from time to time, but a lot of the scores we’re doing are standards from Tony’s repertoire —some arranged by myself, of course, and some by American arrangers.

Tommy is very popular in America; he’s a Jack Jones type of singer I think he’s as good as Jack Jones, actually. All the musicians are eager to play.

Doing vocal backings is nothing out of the ordinary for me, because after the war when I received my discharge in Britain, I started out with a job at Decca, accompanying singers such as Vera Lynn.

He makes it one big happy family.

Even the guest artists who’ve come in have said the same thing—that they’ve never worked on such a show. At the end of the war Farnon decided to make England his home, and he later moved to Guernsey in the Channel Islands with his new wife Patricia Smith and his five children. But he’s not only a good singer, he’s a good arranger he writes his own charts.

I’ve done three albums for Tony now; I certainly enjoy working with him.

Yes, he’s done very well with my song, “Country Girl”; I think the way he did that is gorgeous. Although we’d dreamed of a series, there was never any opportunity until this year. called Melody Fair, when we would have singers on, for whom I would do some arrangements.

Later on, after a long spell of only instrumental work, American artists like Sarah Vaughan and Frank Sinatra were coming over and wanting me to do albums with them.

He not only composed for film and television, but is known for his classical works as well.

When World War II started, Farnon was commissioned as a Captain in the Canadian Army and was named the head of the Canadian Band of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and served his country in Europe during the war.

He enjoys working in America, but he really loves coming to Europe. Other guests have been Annie Ross, Cleo Laine and Matt Munro.

We’ve been recording two shows each Sunday at the Talk Of The Town, each of about twenty–five minutes’ duration, to make it worthwhile for the audience to come along; otherwise they’d be in and out so quickly.

Between the shows, we have a little interval, during which Tony’s pianist, John Bunch, bassist Arthur Watts and drummer Kenny Clare have a fifteen minute jam session, to keep the audience warm, as it were, while they set up for the next lot of filming.

This environment is so attractive; the audience sit at tables with a little bit of champagne, and the atmosphere is marvellous.

Kew Gardens or whatever. And Tony, too that appealed to him. It was televised and shown in America, Canada and other places.