Norrie Paramor

Norrie Paramor

Paramor in 1960
Background information
Birth name Norman William Paramor
Born 15 May 1914
London, England, UK
Died 9 September 1979 (aged 65)
Barnet, England, UK
Occupation(s) Record producer
Years active 1950–79
Associated acts Cliff Richard, the Shadows, Frank Ifield, Helen Shapiro, Ruby Murray, Michael Holliday

Norrie Paramor (born Norman William Paramor; 15 May 1914[1] – 9 September 1979)[2] was a British record producer, composer, arranger and orchestral conductor. He is best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, having steered their early career—producing and arranging most of their material from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s.

Producer

Although the term "producer" was not in circulation at the time Paramor started producing records (the usual term being Artiste and Repertoire Manager or A&R Man), he effectively began this role in 1952 when he became Recording Director for EMI's Columbia Records. As well as being producer for Cliff Richard and the Shadows, he produced records for Frank Ifield, Helen Shapiro, Ruby Murray, and Michael Holliday among others. Until George Martin—his opposite number at EMI sister label Parlophone—produced "Candle In The Wind 97" for Sir Elton John, Paramor and Martin jointly held the record for having produced the most UK Number 1 hit singles, despite Paramor's death 18 years earlier.

Paramor recorded one of the biggest-selling albums from Capitol Records' Capitol of the World import series: In London in Love, which featured the soprano Patricia Clarke, who was used in many subsequent selling albums. This became his trademark orchestral signature sound, and was featured on Autumn, Amor Amor, In London, In Love Again, Warm and Willing, My Fair Lady, Moods and several more.

Paramor also composed music for several films, including Serious Charge (1959), Expresso Bongo (1959), The Young Ones (1961), No My Darling Daughter (1961), The Frightened City (1961), The Wild and the Willing (1962), The Fast Lady (1962), Father Came Too! (1963) and Doctor in Distress (1963).[3] He also co-wrote the 1962 hit song "Let's Talk About Love" for Helen Shapiro. In 1968, he was the musical director for the Eurovision Song Contest, staged at the Royal Albert Hall, the first to be broadcast in colour. He also conducted the UK entry, "Congratulations", performed by Cliff Richard. In 1977, Paramor and his orchestra recorded with the Shadows for a final time, on the track "Return to the Alamo".

Paramor died of cancer on 9 September 1979.[2] His death came a fortnight after his protege, Richard, had returned to the top of the UK Singles Chart with "We Don't Talk Anymore",[4] his first number one single in more than ten years. Paramor and Richard had worked together professionally from 1958 to 1972.

Despite his record of success as a producer, he died in obscurity without receiving any public recognition from any British institution.

In Popular Culture

In 1962, Paramor was the subject of a scathing critique on the satirical British television program That Was the Week that Was for, the program claimed, taking undeserved songwriting credits and royalties on other people's work and making popular music more bland.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Robert Farnon Society". Rfsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Doc Rock. "The 1970s". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  3. ↑ "Norrie Paramor : Composer". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  4. ↑ Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 198. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
  5. ↑ "That Was the Week That Was, 15 Dec. 1962". Retrieved 2014-06-30.

External links

Preceded by
Austria Johannes Fehring		 Eurovision Song Contest conductor
1968 		Succeeded by
Spain Augusto Algueró