Hedley Ward

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Hedley Ward
Hedley Ward - Mona Lisa - sheet music.jpg
Sheet music for Mona Lisa, featuring a portrait photo of Hedley Ward
Occupation(s)Band leader; band manager
Years active1930s-1960s
Press advert for the 12 January 1962 opening of the Las Vegas Ballroom, Sligo, featuring "Hedley Ward and his 15-piece orchestra" Las Vegas Ballroom Sligo - gala opening - 1962-01-12.jpg
Press advert for the 12 January 1962 opening of the Las Vegas Ballroom, Sligo, featuring "Hedley Ward and his 15-piece orchestra"

Hedley Ward was a leading British bandleader of the 1930s to 1960s, known for his Birmingham-based Hedley Ward Band (sometimes "...Big Band", "...Dance Band", "...Broadcasting Band" or "...Orchestra"), which made many appearances on BBC Radio programmes, including Music While You Work , [1] [2] Shall We Dance? , [3] and regional programmes named for the band. [4] [5]

Among the musicians to appear in the band were drummer Tony Levin. [6]

Ward also created and managed the Hedley Ward Trio in 1948, featuring John "Jack" McKechnie (1918-2002) on guitar, Derek Franklin (second husband of Beryl Reid) on bass and lead vocals, and Bob Carter on piano. [7] In 1953 George Taylor (1926/1927-2019 [8] ) replaced Carter. Listings in The Radio Times show that the trio appeared on the BBC Home Service and Light Programme many times from 1948 onwards. [9] They also featured in the programme Educating Archie . [10] The trio released records on the Melodisc Records label.

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References

  1. "Music While You Work". Radio Times . No. 1325. 6 March 1949. p. 13.
  2. Listener (21 February 1949). "Radio Review". Birmingham Daily Gazette. p. 2.
  3. "Shall We Dance?". Radio Times. No. 1331. 17 April 1949. p. 20.
  4. "Hedley Ward and his Dance Band". Radio Times. No. 1345. 24 July 1949. p. 34.
  5. "The Hedley Ward Band Show". Radio Times. No. 1547. 5 July 1953. p. 32.
  6. "Levin, Tony". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  7. "Lot 838: Hedley Ward Trio signed on reverse of small 3 x 3 b/w photo". Invaluable. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  8. "George Taylor". Bromsgrove Advertiser. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  9. "Hedley Ward Trio". BBC Genome . Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  10. Sheet music: The Ferry Boat Inn, Featuring The Tanner Sisters & Hedley Ward Trio