Leslie Fyson

Last updated

Leslie Fyson
Born13 July 1923
Lambeth, London
Died26 October 1996 (aged 73)
Hounslow, London
GenresOpera
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1940s-80s

Leslie James Fyson (13 July 1923 - 26 October 1996) was an opera singer who was credited on a top 5 hit in the UK singles chart in 1958.

Contents

Career

Opera

He studied music at King's College, Cambridge, although his studies were cut short by the Second World War. In 1942 he enlisted in the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment [1] and transferred to the Royal Artillery in July 1943. [2]

On demob he took up studies once more at the Guildhall School of Music, and his tenor style attracted him to Jani Strasser, the chief vocal coach of the Glyndebourne Operatic Company, resulting in small roles at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera for several years; he made his debut as a servant in Un ballo in maschera by Giuseppe Verdi in 1949. [3]

He was also a member of the Ambrosian Singers and the Cliff Adams Singers, appearing on Sing Something Simple for over 30 years, and chorus master at the English National Opera in the early 1980s. [4] His last known broadcast was appearing in the Gilbert and Sullivan opera Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride on BBC Radio 2 in October 1989. [5]

Chart success

Fyson's one chart success was as one of the quartet singing the theme tune to The Army Game, although he did not appear in the series; he opened the recording with an impression of a stereotypical sergeant-major, [6] and was given a credit. The recording reached number 9 in the Disc [7] and number 10 in the Melody Maker [8] singles charts in June 1958, and number 5 in the New Musical Express [9] and Record Mirror [10] charts the following month.

He appeared on another charting disc, providing vocals to the track "I Like You" on the Donovan album Cosmic Wheels , in 1973. [11]

Personal life

Fyson was married to Isobel Wright in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in October 1949; [12] she died in 1994. Fyson died in the West Middlesex Hospital on 26 October 1996. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Under Pressure</span> 1981 single by Queen and David Bowie

"Under Pressure" is a song by the British rock band Queen and singer David Bowie. Originally released as a single in October 1981, it was later included on Queen's 1982 album Hot Space. The song reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Queen's second number-one hit in their home country and Bowie's third, and also charted in the top 10 in more than 10 countries around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Steele</span> British entertainer (born 1936)

Sir Thomas Hicks, known professionally as Tommy Steele, is an English entertainer, regarded as Britain's first teen idol and rock and roll star.

Dame Felicity Ann Emwhyla Lott, is an English soprano.

The Foundations were a British soul band who were primarily active between 1967 and 1970. The group's background was: West Indian, White British and Sri Lankan. Their 1967 debut single "Baby Now That I've Found You" reached number one in the UK and Canada, and number eleven in the US. Their 1968 single "Build Me Up Buttercup" reached number two in the UK and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a number one hit in the UK in the 1960s.

"Blue Moon" is a popular song written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart in 1934 that has become a standard ballad. Early recordings included those by Connee Boswell and by Al Bowlly in 1935. The song was a hit twice in 1949, with successful recordings in the U.S. by Billy Eckstine and Mel Tormé.

Sir Thomas Boaz Allen is an English operatic baritone. He is widely admired in the opera world for his voice, the versatility of his repertoire, and his acting—leading many to regard him as one of the best lyric baritones of the late 20th century. In October 2011, he was appointed Chancellor of Durham University, succeeding Bill Bryson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owen Brannigan</span> British opera singer (1908-1973)

Owen Brannigan OBE was an English bass, known in opera for buffo roles and in concert for a wide range of solo parts in music ranging from Henry Purcell to Michael Tippett. He is best remembered for his roles in Mozart and Britten operas and for his recordings of roles in Britten, Offenbach and Gilbert and Sullivan operas, as well as recordings of English folk songs.

"Frankie and Johnny" is a murder ballad, a traditional American popular song. It tells the story of a woman, Frankie, who finds her man Johnny making love to another woman and shoots him dead. Frankie is then arrested; in some versions of the song she is also executed.

Ian Bryce Wallace OBE was an English bass-baritone opera and concert singer, actor and broadcaster of Scottish extraction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Now That I've Found You</span> 1967 single by The Foundations

"Baby, Now That I've Found You" is a song written by Tony Macaulay and John Macleod, and performed by the Foundations. Part of the song was written in the same bar of a Soho tavern where Karl Marx is supposed to have written Das Kapital. The lyrics are a plea that an unnamed subject not break up with the singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killer (Adamski song)</span> 1990 single

"Killer" is a song by British DJ and record producer Adamski. It was written by Adamski and British singer-songwriter Seal, who also provided vocals. "Killer" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and spent four weeks at the top in May and June 1990. The single sold over 400,000 copies in the UK, earning it gold certification. It also reached number one in Belgium and Zimbabwe and number two in the Netherlands and West Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Move It</span> 1958 single by Cliff Richard and the Drifters

"Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters. Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single on 29 August 1958 and became his first hit record, reaching number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. It is credited with being one of the first authentic rock and roll songs produced outside the United States. "Schoolboy Crush", written by Aaron Schroeder and Sharon Gilbert, had already been recorded in the US by Bobby Helms. Cliff Richard and the Drifters recorded their own version, which was intended to be the A-side of their debut single. However, when producer Jack Good heard "Move It", he insisted that Richard would have to sing that if he was to appear on Good's TV show Oh Boy! On the planned single, "Move It" was flipped to be the A-side and it went to number 2 in the charts, starting Cliff Richard on a career which included British hits through six decades.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Allandale</span> Dominica musician

Eric Allandale was a trombonist, songwriter, and bandleader. During the 1960s, he was in number of bands in various genres which included jazz pop and soul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ivor Bolton</span> British musician

Ivor Bolton is an English conductor and harpsichordist.

<i>Cosmic Wheels</i> 1973 studio album by Donovan

Cosmic Wheels is the tenth studio album, and eleventh album overall, by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released in both the UK and the US in March 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Artillery Mounted Band</span> Musical artist

The Royal Artillery Mounted Band was a British military band consisting of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, and military unit, founded in 1886, and in existence until 1984, representing the Royal Artillery, and the Royal Horse Artillery, and augmenting the Royal Artillery Band at royal and state occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Philips</span> British composer (born 1969)

Julian Philips is a British composer. Philips' works have been performed at major music festivals, including The Proms, Tanglewood, Three Choirs Festival, at the Wigmore Hall, South Bank Centre and Berlin Philharmonic Chamber Music Hall and by international artists such as Gerald Finley, Dawn Upshaw, Sir Thomas Allen, the Vertavo String Quartet, the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, the BBC orchestras and the Aurora Orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out of the Sinking</span> 1994 single by Paul Weller

"Out of the Sinking" is a song by British singer-songwriter Paul Weller, released in 1994 by Go! Discs as the first single from his third solo album, Stanley Road (1995). Weller wrote the song and produced it with Brendan Lynch. The B-side to the single is a cover of the Beatles' "Sexy Sadie".

Jimmy Parkinson was an Australian singer and presenter, active in the 1950s, who had a top ten single in the UK singles charts in 1956.

References

  1. ↑ Register of Soldiers. Surrey: Queen's Royal Regiment. 1942. p. 77.
  2. ↑ World War II Royal Artillery Tracer Cards, 1939-1948. London: Royal Artillery. 1 July 1943.
  3. ↑ "Leslie Fyson". Operabase. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "Leslie Fyson". The Stage: 32. 14 November 1996.
  5. ↑ "Pick of the radio week". Cambridge Daily News: 65. 20 October 1989.
  6. ↑ Lee, Benny (31 May 1958). "There's lolly in laughter". Aberdeen Evening Express: 9.
  7. ↑ "Top Twenty". Disc: 3. 28 June 1958.
  8. ↑ "Melody Maker UK Chart Hits" (PDF). Pop Music History. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  9. ↑ "The signature tune of The Army Game". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  10. ↑ Jasper, Tony (1975). 20 Years of British Record Charts. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 36.
  11. ↑ Credits on the album sleeve insert.
  12. ↑ Marriages registered in October, November and December 1949. HMSO. 1949. p. 376.
  13. ↑ "Leslie Fyson". The Stage: 32. 14 November 1996.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.