David Whitfield

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David Whitfield (born 2 February 1925, Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire — died 16 January 1980, Sydney, Australia) was a a popular British male vocalist. This operatic-style tenor had a formidable and predominately female fan base in the 1950s. [1]

Contents

[edit] Career

Whitfield notched up a string of hits in the 1950s, and was the most successful UK male singer in the U.S. during the pre-rock years.[1] He used a variety of popular orchestras of his day, including Stanley Black, Mantovani, and the Roland Shaw orchestra to supply him with his backing accompaniment.

He was the first ever UK vocalist to earn a gold disc; the first to have a hit placed in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100; and the first artist from Britain to sell over one million copies of one disc in America.[2]

His most popular recordings were:-

  • "Cara Mia" - which earned him that gold disc and gave him his first Number One in the UK Singles Chart.
  • "Answer Me" - his other UK chart topper.
  • "My September Love" - a big crowd pleaser.

"Cara Mia" spent ten weeks at the pole position in the UK, making it one of the biggest selling British records in the pre-rock days. That recording co-credits Mantovani and his Orchestra and Chorus. Like many others, Whitfield's work was usurped by the tidal wave of rock and roll. Nevertheless, when the hits dried up, he continued to perform regularly across the globe, despite keeping a home close to his roots in Hull.

He never managed to make the amount of money that his success would have brought him if it had happened ten years later. When he died, during a singing tour in Australia from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 54, he left only £3,000 but his renown was exemplified by the corresponding, four column obituary notice, afforded him in The Times.[3]

[edit] UK Decca singles discography

  • F10062 "Marta" / "I'll Never Forget You"
  • F10099 "I Believe" / "I'll Make You Mine"
  • F10129 "The Bridge of Sighs" / "I'm the King of Broken Hearts" - 1953 - Number 9 (UK Singles Chart throughout)
  • F10192 "Answer Me" / "Dance Gypsy Dance" - 1953 - Number 1
  • F10207 "Rags to Riches" / "Mardi Gras" - 1953 - Number 3
  • F10242 "The Book" / "Heartless" - 1954 - Number 5
  • F10279 "Laugh" / "It's Never Too Late to Pray"
  • F10327 "Cara Mia" / "Love, Tears and Kisses" - 1954 - Number 1; Number 5 U.S.
  • F10355 "Smile" / "How, When or Where"
  • F10399 "Santo Natale (Merry Christmas)" / "Adeste Fidales (Oh Come All Ye Faithful)" - 1954 - Number 2
  • F10458 "Beyond The Stars" / "Open Your Heart" - 1955 - Number 8
  • F10515 "Mama" / "Ev'rywhere" - 1955 - Number 12/Number 3
  • F10562 "The Lady" / "Santa Rosa Lea Rose"
  • F10596 "Lady of Madrid" / "I'll Never Stop Loving You"
  • F10627 "When You Lose The One You Love" / "Angelus" - 1955 - Number 7
  • F10690 "My September Love" / "The Rudder and the Rock" - 1956 - Number 3
  • F10752 "It's Almost Tomorrow" (All Star Hit Parade)
  • F10769 "My Son John" / "My Unfinished Symphony" - 1956 - Number 22/Number 29
  • F10833 "The Adoration Waltz" / "If I Lost You" - 1957 - Number 9
  • F10864 "I'll Find You" / "I'd Give You the World" - 1957 - Number 27
  • F10890 "Without Him" / "Dream of Paradise"
  • F10931 "Martinella" / "Ev'rything"
  • F10978 "Cry My Heart" / "My One True Love" - 1958 - Number 22
  • F11018 "On the Street Where You Live" / "Afraid" - 1958 - Number 16
  • F11039 "The Right to Love" / "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" - 1958 - Number 30
  • F11079 "This is Lucia" / "Love is a Stranger"
  • F11101 "William Tell" / "Willingly"
  • F11144 "A Million Stars" / "Farewell My Love"
  • F11161 "Oh, Tree" / "Our Love Waltz"
  • F11196 "Song of the Dreamer" / "My Only Love"
  • F11221 "Angela Mia" / "A Tear, A Kiss, A Smile"
  • F11289 "I Believe" / "Hear My Song, Violetta" - 1960 - Number 49
  • F11336 "A Scottish Soldier" (withdrawn)
  • F11339 "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" / "The Sound of Music"

Notable Albums

  • 1954 - Yours from the Heart
  • 1958 - Whitfield Favourites
  • 1958 - From David With Love
  • 1960 - My Heart and I
  • 1961 - Alone
  • 1966 - Great Songs For Young Lovers
  • 1975 - Hey There

[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums, 19th, London: Guinness World Records Limited, p. 43. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
  2. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs, 2nd, London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd, p. 71. ISBN 0-214-20512-6. 
  3. ^ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits, 1st, Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd, p. 14. ISBN 0-85112-250-7. 

[edit] External links

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