BILLY THORBURN's:- 'THE ORGAN, THE DANCE BAND AND ME'

William Arthur Thorburn:- born: London 12^th May 1900, retired 1954, died: London 4^th April 1971 at age 70.

Go to Organ Dance Band gallery to see more photos

Go to Organ Dance Band cassette to see contents

23 tracks on Empress RAJCD843 UK 1995

20 tracks on BMG 74321447132 Australia 1996

23 tracks on GCMD 516 UK 1999 Only 4 tracks are duplicated on the above two cd's. ( No photo of cover yet. )

14 tracks on TAPE Only 4 tracks are not in above 3 cd's.

Billy Thorburn learnt piano and organ at an early age with a view to a career in serious music, but service in WW1 introduced him to jazz and changed all that, and he became hooked on popular music. Billy began working in concert parties and eventually became a dance band musician with Jack Hylton's Queens Hall Roof Orchestra from 1922 to 1924. Following this he became involved with many groups including the Savoy Orpheans directed by Debroy Somers in 1926, Sydney Kyte's Piccadilly Hotel Band in 1930, and had recorded with Jay Wilbur's Orchestra, as well as spending three years or so with Jack Payne from 1932 to 1936.

In general the leaders of Britain's great dance bands in the thirties were rather a conservative lot. Every now and then one of the bandleaders would come up with an idea designed to break away from the basic format and instrumentation of the standard dance band. One such was the pianist Billy Thorburn, a famous figure on the dance band scene.

After some time leading an average sort of dance band, (Billy Thorburn and His Music) formed in 1936, he hit on what must, at the time (1938), have seemed a somewhat bizarre idea to anyone but himself. He had made several records with Parlophone between 1936 and 1938. The first track was 'The One Rose' on 6th October 1936 (CE-7861-1, F-584) with Ken Crossley as vocalist. In 1938 Billy discovered and signed a sixteen-year-old singer, Terry Devon, who became one of Britain's top 1940's vocalists. He retained the personnel of his group but added an organ to the usual lineup. Thus from 1938 what had been Billy Thorburn and His Music often became a new aggregation known as The Organ, The Dance Band and Me, which made the assumption that everyone would know who 'me' was, (Billy, of course).

It was a novel concept that produced many fascinating records in which the organ was skilfully blended with the rest of the band. A number of famous organists were used, starting with Reginald Foort, but mainly using H. Robinson Cleaver. At times the old format was also used to make tracks under their previous name. He broadcast and made records. The organ used was EMI's newly installed three manual Compton unit.

The accurate identification of band personnel (which ranged from a few musicians to quite a large ensemble) is rather difficult, but included Phil Trix on alto saxophone (later Freddy Gardner), and Arthur Watkins on guitar. Some of the best vocalists of the time were used such as:- Chick Henderson, Alan Kane, Helen Raymond, Julie Dawn, Terry Devon, Kay Harding, Helen Clare, Don Adams, George Barclay, Harry Kaye and Bob Dale. Some of these sides were ascribed to 'Wally Windsor' but experts are convinced that this was Bob Dale. One of the first vocalists was Eddie Gurlay. Fortunately Parlophone nearly always named the vocalist on the label. The usual composition was:- Billy Thorburn piano, directing trumpet, 2 alto sax, tenor sax, guitar, string bass, drums and organ. Featured on several later discs were the Bobolinks who were assembled and led by Rita Williams. Another highly regarded group was The Stargazers who also gave vocals on later discs.

Recordings were always on the EMI Parlophone 78 rpm label in London, and about 288 tracks were made. Nearly all releases were the first take. They recorded into the mid 1950's. The last recording made was probably on F-2527 in January 1954 [ Rags To Riches & Ricochet ]. Later in the 1950's Billy's recordings were confined to a more strict-tempo nature. The last was in 1957 as Billy Thorburn's Strict Tempo Orchestra on Parlophone 45 rpm number R-4276.

The first track recorded by the new group The Organ, The Dance Band and Me was 'Cry, Baby Cry' on 20th April 1938, matrix CE-9085-1, released on UK Parlophone F-1124, with the vocalist being Helen Raymond, which had been deleted from the Australian EMI catalogue of 1939 and 1946. An example of a track released by 'Billy Thorburn and His Music' after this date is:- 'Poor Contrary Mary' vocal George Barclay (CE-9680-1 & F-1441) in 1939.

Thus Billy Thorburn recorded under three names:- ‘Billy Thorburn and His Music’ [73 tracks], ‘The Organ, The Dance Band and Me’ [288 tracks], and ‘Billy Thorburn’s Strict Tempo Orchestra’ [28 tracks] from 1936 to 1957.

Some of the prized recordings [F for UK, and A for Australian] are:-

1939

CE-10004-1 Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye, Terry Devon, F-1578

CE-10131-1 Till The Lights Of London Shine Again, George Barclay, F-1593

CE-10177-1 Somewhere In France With You, George Barclay, F-1601, A-7237

1940

CE-10342-1 They Would Wind Him Up, Terry Devon, F-1695, A-7253

CE-10560-1 Let The Bands Play, Chick Henderson, F-1787, A-7336

CE-10638-1 Bless 'Em All, Alan Kane, F-1796, A-7336

1941

CE-10698-1 Down Every Street, Alan Kane, F-1819, A-7365

CE-10738-1 It's Foolish-But It's Fun, Terry Devon, F-1838, A-7365

CE-10753-1 I've Got Sixpence, Alan Kane, F-1844, A-7370

1942

CE-10899-1 What More Can I Say, Julie Dawn, F-1898, A-7405

CE-10900-1 The White Cliffs Of Dover, Don Adams, F-1898, A-7462

CE-10955-1 In The Blue Hills Of Maine, Julie Dawn, F-1935, A-7420

CE-10956-1 Pennsylvania Polka, Julie Dawn, F-1940, A-7420

1943

CE-11068-1 The Soldier Boy From Caroline, Alan Kane, F-1973, A-7439

CE-11139-1 Comin' In On A Wing And A Prayer, Helen Clare, F-2000,

1944

CE-11265-1 Don't Sweetheart Me, No Vocal, F-2039, A-7487

CE-11315-1 My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time, Alan Kane, F-2062, A-7504

CE-11316-1 Let The Rest Of The World Go By, Alan Kane, F-2062, A-7504

1945

CE-11556-1 Cruising Down The River, Rita Williams, F-2127, A-7546

1948

Rambling Rose, Harry Kaye, F-2308,

1950

Goodnight Irene, Stargazers, F-2431,

1951

Mocking Bird Hill, Bobolinks, F-2460,

Beautiful Brown Eyes, Bobolinks, F-2460,

Re-issued compilatons:-

The only three cd’s I have seen are the those pictured above, two from UK and one from Australia. There have been a few individual tracks in other cd nostalgia releases. There is a tape D36 from 'THIS ENGLAND' as shown above. Joe Bream produced a cassette tape HL156 in 1998 "Happy Listening Cassettes UK" containing 30 tracks which had 14 tracks not listed in the above albums.

Two lp’s are known, one released in Australia about 1978 by EMI (PMEO-101163 and all tracks are in the cd’s above) and one by PRESIDENT (PLE514 - 18 tracks, some in above cd's). Some of the EMI World Record Club lp’s had individual tracks also.

Ian McIver of Brisbane has been very helpful in providing specialised data and photos of the Band and Robbie Cleaver, whom he worked with in the UK. Ian is an organ specialist and his information is from the organ point of view.

The grandson of Billy, Bruce Stanford, has some special unreleased recordings. He reports that Billy's wife Ivy died in 1992. He is keen to promote the memory of Billy Thorburn. Bruce has a copy of a 1937 film 'Talking Feet', which has Billy in it. It shows him with his special stance when playing - piano turned toward the audience - playing the pedal with his left foot. There is apparently some Pathe news with Billy in it also. Peter Shelden of NSW has provided copies of many tracks from his collection.

Australian Pressing A-7504 Matrix CE-11316-1, 78 rpm Recorded 11th December 1944 Issued in UK as F-2662

Last update:- 1st April 2002

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