Les Reed (songwriter)

Reed was born and grew up in Woking, Surrey.{{cite news|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/tributes-after-death-of-les-reed-the-master-songwriter-who-helped-pen-leeds-united-anthem-marching-on-together-1-9714618|title=Tributes after death of Les Reed, the master songwriter who helped pen Leeds United anthem Marching on Together|work=Yorkshire Evening Post|date=16 April 2019|access-date=16 April 2019}} He was an accomplished musician by the age of 14, playing the piano, accordion and vibraphone. He studied at the London College of Music before joining the Willis Reed Group, with whom he toured for four years. Having been called up for National Service, he played piano and clarinet in the Royal East Kent Military Band. In 1959, he joined The John Barry Seven as their pianist.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/apr/16/les-reed-songwriter-dies-age-83-tom-jones-delilah-its-not-unusual|title=Les Reed, songwriter for Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck, dies age 83|author=Laura Snapes|newspaper=The Guardian|date=16 April 2019|access-date=17 April 2019}}

In the mid-1960s, Reed began a successful songwriting partnership with Geoff Stephens which yielded such hits as "Tell Me When", a hit for The Applejacks; "Here It Comes Again" for The Fortunes; "Leave A Little Love" for Lulu; and "There's a Kind of Hush", a 1967 success for Herman's Hermits. During 1964, Reed penned "It's Not Unusual" with ex-Viscounts member and Tom Jones' manager Gordon Mills, which was Jones' debut recording and gave him a UK number 1.{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=289}} Reed also arranged the song and played the piano for the recording.

Around this time, Reed struck up a songwriting partnership with Barry Mason. They wrote a song for Kathy Kirby, "I'll Try Not To Cry", as Britain's entry in 1965 for the Eurovision Song Contest held in Naples. The song was beaten by "I Belong".{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovision.tv/page/history/by-year/contest?event=282|title=Eurovision Song Contest 1965 | Year page | Eurovision Song Contest – Malmö 2013|publisher=Eurovision.tv|access-date=29 December 2012}} The songwriters had a 1967 hit in "Everybody Knows" by The Dave Clark Five—who also recorded a Reed–Mason follow-up—and another success in 1968 with "Delilah", again a Top 10 hit for Tom Jones. "Delilah" was originally written for P. J. Proby, and later covered by The Sensational Alex Harvey Band in 1975. Reed and Mason also wrote "The Last Waltz", which became a million selling UK number one for Engelbert Humperdinck in September 1967.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2012/nov/04/uk-million-selling-singles-full-list|title=UK's million-selling singles: the full list|author=Ami Sedghi|publisher=Guardian|date=4 November 2012|access-date=4 November 2012}}

Mason and Reed wrote "Who's Doctor Who?", a novelty song recorded by Doctor Who star Frazer Hines in 1967, but it failed to chart.{{cite web | url= https://whatculture.com/tv/5-best-worst-doctor-who-songs-of-all-time?page=3 | title= 5 Best & Worst Doctor Who Songs Of All Time | work=WhatCulture | date= 28 December 2014 | access-date=29 February 2020}} In 1968, the duo scored another UK number 1 hit with Des O'Connor's recording of "I Pretend".{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=403}} That same year, "I've Got My Eyes on You", written by Reed and Jackie Rae, was recorded by Petula Clark, Ray Conniff, P. J. Proby and The Vogues. Following Petula Clark's original version, Connie Francis recorded "Kiss Me Goodbye" on her album Connie Francis Sings the Songs of Les Reed, which featured Reed as producer and pianist; the album was released in November 1969.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-the-songs-of-les-reed-mw0000964032|title=Sings the Songs of Les Reed – Connie Francis : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=29 December 2012}}

In 1970, Reed's orchestra recorded "Man of Action" which was used as the theme tune for Radio North Sea International until 1974. In 1971, "When There's No You" by Reed and Jackie Rae was recorded by Engelbert Humperdinck and became Humperdinck's second of four number ones on the US easy-listening chart, reaching number one in April 1971.{{cite book|title=Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–2001|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|author-link=Joel Whitburn|year=2002|publisher=Record Research|page=120}} In 1972, he co-wrote Leeds United F.C.'s anthem "Marching On Together".

At the 1973 Tokyo Music Festival, Reed and Stephens won the Silver Star for "Sandy Sandy", whilst in 1977 Reed and Tony Macaulay triumphed at the International Song Contest in Majorca with "You and I". Reed and Roger Greenaway were awarded the Grand Prix Award in Seoul for "Everytime You Go". Reed's songs have been recorded by Elvis Presley ("Girl of Mine", "Sylvia" and "This Is Our Dance"), Shirley Bassey ("Does Anybody Miss Me") and Bing Crosby ("That's What Life Is All About"). Reed's film score composition credits include those for The Girl on a Motorcycle (1968), The Bushbaby (1969), One More Time (1970), George and Mildred (1980), Creepshow 2 (1987) and Parting Shots (1999).

Reed composed music for stage-musical productions including The Magic Show (1974), American Heroes and And Then I Wrote. In 1994, Reed produced an album for Max Bygraves to raise money for the Lest We Forget Association. Reed co-composed, with Roger Cook, the score for the 2004 musical Beautiful and Damned, based on the lives of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

His songs gained a number of Gold discs for high sales, and Ivor Novello Awards for artistic merit. Reed won the British Academy Gold Badge of Merit in 1982. He was honoured as a Freeman of the City of London for his contributions to the music industry. In 1998, Reed was given an Order of the British Empire.

Reed also conducted his own band, The Les Reed Orchestra, and was billed under various names. His orchestra's recordings included:

• 1962 - "Dr. Finlay's Casebook (March From "A Little Suite")" – The Les Reed Strings (September 1962, Piccadilly Records, 7N.35080){{Cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/p/piccadilly-uk.html|title=45 Discography for Piccadilly Records - UK|website=Globaldogproductions.info|access-date=16 April 2019}}
• 1963 - "Minuet Mash/Nightfall" – The Les Reed Piano (January 1963, (Piccadilly Records, 7N.35097)
• 1963 - "On the Scene/High Society" – The Les Reed Piano (May 1963, (Piccadilly Records, 7N.35122)
• 1964 - "Spanish Armada/Madrid" – The Les Reed Combo (March 1964, (Fontana Records, TF455){{Cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/f/fontana-uk-1.html|title=Singles Discography for Fontana Records - UK - H & TF to 999|website=Globaldogproductions.info|access-date=16 April 2019}}
• 1964 - "Little Leprechaun/Come Take My Hand" – Les Reed Orchestra (November 1964, (Fontana Records, H496)
• 1965 - "Poor Little Rich Girl/High Bright Sun" – Les Reed Orchestra (February 1965, (Fontana Records, TF545)
• 1965 - "Hot Line/Ten Feet Tall" – Les Reed Orchestra (May 1965, Fontana, TF576)
• 1966 - "Good Kings Went Ridiculous/Valley Of The Kings" – Les Reed Orchestra (November 1966, (Fontana Records, TF765)
• 1967 - "Imogene/The Pay Off 28" – Les Reed Orchestra (Deram Records, DMA-1013){{Cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/d/deram-oz.html|title=45 Discography for Deram Records - OZ|website=Globaldogproductions.info|access-date=17 April 2019}}
• 1967 - "Copacabana Girl/Imogene" (Deram Records, 85010){{Cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/d/deram-us.html|title=45 discography for Deram Records - US|website=Globaldogproductions.info|access-date=17 April 2019}}
• 1967 - "Fly Me To The Sun" (Deram Records, SML 1008)
• 1967 - "New Dimensions" (Deram Records, DML 709) as The Les Reed Sound
• 1968 - "Theme From 'Candice'/The Last Waltz" – Les Reed Orchestra (DMA-1019)
• 1969 - "Love Is All" (London Records, SP 44136), with The Eddie Lester Singers
• 1969 - "Big Drum/Don't Linger With Your Finger on the Trigger" (Deram Records, 7525)
• 1970 - "Man of Action/Madrid" Chapter 1, CH 126
• 1971 - "The hit making world of Les Reed" (Decca Records, SPA 386)
• 1973 - "Man of Action" (Decca Records, 6835 122)
• 1974 - "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue/The Hawk" – Les Reed Orchestra (Bell Records, BELL1342){{Cite web|url=http://www.globaldogproductions.info/b/bell-uk.html|title=45 Discography for Bell Records - UK|website=Globaldogproductions.info|access-date=17 April 2019}}

He was married to June, who predeceased him; the couple had a daughter.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://johnbarry.org.uk/index.php/jb7/drumbeat/drumbeat-general-page John Barry Website (with complete Drumbeat listings)]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120511122447/http://www.baltimorenetradio.com/ "In the Spotlight with Les Reed" hosted by Ron Roberts] an internet radio program devoted to Reed's music
• {{Discogs artist|Les Reed}}
• [http://www.songwriter.co.uk/page729.html Interview with Les Reed in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine"]

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Category:1935 births

Category:2019 deaths

Category:English male songwriters

Category:English pianists

Category:British music arrangers

Category:People from Woking

Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Deram Records artists

Category:21st-century British pianists

Category:English conductors (music)