Roger Ferris

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Roger Ferris [1] is a British pop music composer, prevalent throughout the 1970s and 1980s. [2] He is father of British pianist, arranger, and producer and Steinway & Sons global ambassador Dominic Ferris. [3] [4]

Contents

Composition work

In 1975 Ferris wrote the Top 30 UK chart hit single [5] [6] "My Last Night With You" for The Arrows. [7] The song was produced by Mickie Most on his RAK label, [8] [9] and as recorded by The Arrows was also a top 30 chart hit in Switzerland. [10] Ferris wrote two more songs for The Arrows, both released in 1975 in the UK and Europe: "Hard Hearted" and "Broken Down Heart", both released in 1975. "Broken Down Heart" was the B-side of the first version of "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" [11] (made famous in the US by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1981). [12]

In 1979, Ferris went on to co-write with Glo Macari a further two international hits for RAK. These were "Boy Oh Boy", [7] recorded by Racey and also produced by Mickie Most, and "Babe It's Up To You", recorded by Smokie. [13] Both songs charted in various European territories. [14] [15] [16] [17]

Prior to his association with RAK, Ferris was the lyricist for the theme song of the 1970s comedy film, On the Buses . [18] [3]

Sound engineering work

Ferris was a sound engineer on recordings by The Beatles at Abbey Road Studios in the late 1960s. [19] He assisted on the following tracks on Let It Be (1970): [20] [21]

1990s - 2010s

Since the 1990s, Ferris has been the bass player and co-writer for the British blues trio Smokestack. [22] The band were invited to guest for a live session on the Paul Jones blues programme on BBC Radio 2 in 1999. [23]

He has a musical duo with songwriter and musician Glo Macari. [3] Glo Macari is part of the Macari family, who run the musical instrument store Macari's on Denmark Street, London. [24] [3] [4]

Family

Roger Ferris's son is the British pianist, music producer and arranger Dominic Ferris. [4] Dominic graduated from the Royal College of Music. [25] [26] [3] He is a global ambassador for Steinway & Sons pianos, [27] [28] [29] and currently tours the world with various musical acts.

Dominic arranged and recorded piano at Abbey Road Studios [30] for the UK number one album by Elvis Presley: If I Can Dream . Dominic joined the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra as Assistant Musical Director and pianist for the accompanying UK arena tour and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for the US anniversary tour. The arena tour finished with a performance at Graceland with Priscilla Presley for the Elvis 40th Anniversary Celebrations. [31] [32] [33] [34]

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References

  1. ↑ "Artist: Roger Ferris". Secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "Roger Ferris". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "LATEST NEWS LIVE Glo Macari and Roger Ferris" . Retrieved 23 April 2023– via YouTube.
  4. 1 2 3 "DOMINIC FERRIS". Dominicferris.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. ↑ "my last night with you | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. ↑ "Retro Charts". Everyhit.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Discogs - Tracks Beta". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "45cat - Arrows - My Last Night With You / Movin' Next Door To You - RAK - Netherlands - 5C 006-96260". 45cat.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ↑ "Arrows - My Last Night With You". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. ↑ "Arrows - My Last Night With You". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. ↑ "Arrows - I Love Rock 'n' Roll". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Outsight Radio Hours interview, 12 February 2012" . Retrieved 18 March 2012.
  13. ↑ "Smokie - Babe It's Up To You". Discogs.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. ↑ "spanishcharts.com - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You" . Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  15. ↑ "austriancharts.at - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You" . Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "dutchcharts.nl - Smokie - Babe It's Up To You" . Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  17. ↑ "Smokie - Babe It's Up To You". Swisscharts.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  18. ↑ "Roger Ferris (Hon Member)". Onthebusesfanclub.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  19. ↑ Matteo, Steve (1 October 2004). The Beatles' Let It Be 33/1/3. Continuum. p. 109. ISBN   0826416349.
  20. ↑ Margotin, Philippe; Guesdon, Jean-Michel (22 October 2013). All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Beatles Release. Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN   978-1579129521.
  21. ↑ Lifton, Dave. "The Day Phil Spector Finished Work on the Beatles' 'Let It Be'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  22. ↑ "Smokestack". Smokestack.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  23. ↑ "Smokestack". Smokestack.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  24. ↑ "Macaris (official website)" . Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  25. ↑ "Why is it important to transform the entrance of the Royal College of Music?" . Retrieved 23 April 2023– via YouTube.
  26. ↑ "5 minutes with Dominic Ferris, The Piano Brothers". 5 Minutes With. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  27. ↑ "Pianist Dominic Ferris records original piano arrangements for Steinway Spirio". Pianist Magazine. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  28. ↑ "DOMINIC FERRIS Official on Instagram: "Film shoot at Steinway Hall London today presenting the new Steinway & Sons online brochure. Thank you to everyone at @steinwayhalluk for looking after us and to our fabulous director @somiarian. Always a pleasure to play these gorgeous instruments". Instagram. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  29. ↑ "Steinway & Sons" . Retrieved 23 April 2023– via YouTube.
  30. ↑ "Bridge Over Troubled Water (ABBEY ROAD RECORDING for Elvis Presley's 'If I Can Dream' album)" . Retrieved 23 April 2023– via YouTube.
  31. ↑ "Elvis Presley scores new chart record with 12th UK Number 1 album". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  32. ↑ "Discogs.com Dominic Ferris profile". Discogs.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  33. ↑ "Allmusic.com Dominic Ferris profile". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  34. ↑ "ElvisMatters In Gesprek Met Dominic Ferris". ElvisMatters. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
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