Alan A. Freeman
Encyclopedia
Alan A. Freeman was an English
record producer
, remembered for being Petula Clark
's producer from 1949 until 1963, when his role was taken over by Tony Hatch
. It may have been Hatch who made Petula an international recording star, but Freeman had nurtured her musically since she was 17.
Freeman's dream had always been to have a record label and make his own records with it. In 1949 he was working for the Eddie Kazner music publishing company as a song plugger, when he inherited some money, and began to go ahead with his project. His friend, Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson
knew the young Clark whose father Leslie was keen to launch her as a recording artist. Joe introduced Alan to Leslie, who invested some money of his own (or Petula's) in the new label.
The label, Polygon Records
, was a brave attempt of Alan's to gain a footing in the British record market, at a time when it was dominated by Decca
and HMV
(EMI
). The earliest recordings were actually made for the Australian market as Alan had a contact there, and he wanted to test the water. By 1950, Polygon was up and running and during its lifetime over 180 records were made over five years, all of them produced by Alan, including over 50 titles by Petula.
By 1955, the label had been a small success, gathering a few chart hits (the biggest of which was The Little Shoemaker
by Clark, reaching #7), but no runaway success. Alan was approached by New Zealand
businessman Hilton Nixon who had a similar dream to Alan's. Hilton wanted to establish Nixa Records
but had run into problems with distribution. And so it was that Polygon was swallowed up by Nixa and became Pye Nixa Records. Freeman continued to produce records, but shared responsibilities with several others. In 1959 the company had dropped the 'Nixa' part and evolved into simply Pye Records
.
Clark was still recording for Pye, but with little success. Freeman found a song that was to relaunch her British career. The song was "Sailor", written by David West, aka Norman Newell
. It made #1 in February 1961.
Clark began her professional relationship with Tony Hatch, and became a world-famous singer. But she never forgot the man who gave her the chance to start recording, and on the occasion of Freeman's 50th birthday in 1968, whilst she was in Geneva, she rang him up in Australia to sing him a happy birthday.
Freeman also produced recordings of London performances by Marlene Dietrich
and records featuring British comedian Tony Hancock
; the re-enactments of "The Blood Donor
" and "The Radio Ham" for an LP was a best seller in 1961. During the 1970s, Alan was a frequent panellist on ATV
's Saturday night talent programme, New Faces
.
He is sometimes confused with the late DJ Alan "Fluff" Freeman
. Alan Freeman died on 15 March 1985 in Carshalton (Surrey), survived by his sister Pat.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, remembered for being Petula Clark
Petula Clark
Petula Clark, CBE is an English singer, actress, and composer whose career has spanned seven decades.Clark's professional career began as an entertainer on BBC Radio during World War II...
's producer from 1949 until 1963, when his role was taken over by Tony Hatch
Tony Hatch
Anthony Peter "Tony" Hatch is an English composer, songwriter, pianist, music arranger and producer.-Early life and early career:...
. It may have been Hatch who made Petula an international recording star, but Freeman had nurtured her musically since she was 17.
Freeman's dream had always been to have a record label and make his own records with it. In 1949 he was working for the Eddie Kazner music publishing company as a song plugger, when he inherited some money, and began to go ahead with his project. His friend, Joe "Mr Piano" Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
knew the young Clark whose father Leslie was keen to launch her as a recording artist. Joe introduced Alan to Leslie, who invested some money of his own (or Petula's) in the new label.
The label, Polygon Records
Polygon Records
Polygon Records was one of the first British independent record labels.It was started in 1949 as the Polygon Record Company Ltd. by Alan A. Freeman and Leslie Clark, who was anxious to control distribution of his daughter Petula Clark's recordings...
, was a brave attempt of Alan's to gain a footing in the British record market, at a time when it was dominated by Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
and HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
(EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
). The earliest recordings were actually made for the Australian market as Alan had a contact there, and he wanted to test the water. By 1950, Polygon was up and running and during its lifetime over 180 records were made over five years, all of them produced by Alan, including over 50 titles by Petula.
By 1955, the label had been a small success, gathering a few chart hits (the biggest of which was The Little Shoemaker
The Little Shoemaker
"The Little Shoemaker" is a popular song based on the French song, "Le petit cordonnnier," by Rudi Revil. The original French lyric was written by Francis Lemarque. The English language lyrics were written by Geoffrey Claremont Parsons, Nathan Korb and John Turner.In the United States, the...
by Clark, reaching #7), but no runaway success. Alan was approached by New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
businessman Hilton Nixon who had a similar dream to Alan's. Hilton wanted to establish Nixa Records
Nixa Records
Nixa Record Company Ltd. was founded in 1950 by F. H. B. Nixon. Nixa was the second company, after Decca, in Britain to release LP records. At the time, EMI was attempting to promote 45 rpm records over 33 LP records...
but had run into problems with distribution. And so it was that Polygon was swallowed up by Nixa and became Pye Nixa Records. Freeman continued to produce records, but shared responsibilities with several others. In 1959 the company had dropped the 'Nixa' part and evolved into simply Pye Records
Pye Records
Pye Records was a British record label. In its first incarnation, perhaps Pye's best known artists were Lonnie Donegan , Petula Clark , The Searchers , The Kinks , Sandie Shaw and Brotherhood of Man...
.
Clark was still recording for Pye, but with little success. Freeman found a song that was to relaunch her British career. The song was "Sailor", written by David West, aka Norman Newell
Norman Newell
Norman Newell, OBE was born in Plaistow, Essex , and was a successful British record producer in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as co-writer of many notable songs...
. It made #1 in February 1961.
Clark began her professional relationship with Tony Hatch, and became a world-famous singer. But she never forgot the man who gave her the chance to start recording, and on the occasion of Freeman's 50th birthday in 1968, whilst she was in Geneva, she rang him up in Australia to sing him a happy birthday.
Freeman also produced recordings of London performances by Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich
Marlene Dietrich was a German-American actress and singer.Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself, professionally and characteristically. In the Berlin of the 1920s, she acted on the stage and in silent films...
and records featuring British comedian Tony Hancock
Tony Hancock
Anthony John "Tony" Hancock was an English actor and comedian.-Early life and career:Hancock was born in Southam Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, England, but from the age of three was brought up in Bournemouth, where his father, John Hancock, who ran the Railway Hotel in...
; the re-enactments of "The Blood Donor
The Blood Donor
"The Blood Donor" is an episode from comedy series Hancock, the final BBC series featuring British comedian Tony Hancock. First transmitted on 23 June 1961, the show was written by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson, and was produced by Duncan Wood. Supporting Hancock were Patrick Cargill, Hugh Lloyd,...
" and "The Radio Ham" for an LP was a best seller in 1961. During the 1970s, Alan was a frequent panellist on ATV
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
's Saturday night talent programme, New Faces
New Faces
New Faces was a British television talent show popular in the 1970s and 1980s, presented originally by Derek Hobson. It was produced by ATV Network Limited for the ITV Network. The first run of the show was from 29 September 1973 to 2 April 1978 and was recorded at the ATV Centre, Birmingham...
.
He is sometimes confused with the late DJ Alan "Fluff" Freeman
Alan Freeman
Alan Leslie "Fluff" Freeman, MBE was a British disc jockey and radio personality in the United Kingdom for 40 years.-Career:...
. Alan Freeman died on 15 March 1985 in Carshalton (Surrey), survived by his sister Pat.