Alyn Ainsworth
Encyclopedia
Alyn Ainsworth was a singer and dance band conductor in the late 20th century
who signed him up to tour with his dance band. When his voice broke he learnt to play the guitar and played in local dance bands whilst working as hat salesman then for Bolton Parks Department and later as a golf pro. He then joined Oscar Rabin
's orchestra where he both played with the band and did musical arrangements, they also broadcast on the radio. He also worked with Geraldo
but turned down an offer from Val Parnell
to conduct the London Palladium
Orchestra and chose in 1951 to join the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
, the BBC's then in-house big band, as its arranger-conductor.
his engagement to Teddie Beverley of the Beverley Sisters
. They could not marry immediately and in 1957 he announced that the engagement was cancelled.
He resigned from the BBC in 1960 and went freelance. He was signed up by Granada TV to replace Peter Knight
as presenter of Spot the Tune",
In 1965 he conducted the orchestra at the Royal Command Performance
at the London Palladium for the third time. He conducted in the Eurovision Song Contest
five times, 1975, 1976, 1977 for Belgium, 1978 and 1990. He was the musical director for the BBC
's anniversary programme Fifty Years Of Music
broadcast in 1972.
Education and early career
He was educated at Canon Slade Grammar School on a scholarship but never completed his education there because at the age of 14 his talent as a singer was recognised by Herman DarewskiHerman Darewski
Herman Darewski was a British composer and conductor of light music. His most successful work was perhaps The Better 'Ole, which ran for over 800 performances in its original London production in 1917...
who signed him up to tour with his dance band. When his voice broke he learnt to play the guitar and played in local dance bands whilst working as hat salesman then for Bolton Parks Department and later as a golf pro. He then joined Oscar Rabin
Oscar Rabin
Oscar Rabin was a Latvian born English bandleader and musician. He was notable for being the musical director of the Oscar Rabin Band....
's orchestra where he both played with the band and did musical arrangements, they also broadcast on the radio. He also worked with Geraldo
Gerald Bright
Gerald Walcan Bright, better known as Geraldo was a British bandleader....
but turned down an offer from Val Parnell
Val Parnell
Valentine Charles Parnell , known as Val Parnell, was a British television producer and theatrical impresario.-Life and career:...
to conduct the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
Orchestra and chose in 1951 to join the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
BBC Northern Dance Orchestra
The BBC Northern Dance Orchestra was a big band run by the BBC and formed in 1951 as the successor to the BBC's Northern Variety Orchestra. Known to listeners as the NDO, it broadcast on the radio daily from the Playhouse Theatre in Hulme before moving to the BBC studios in Oxford Road...
, the BBC's then in-house big band, as its arranger-conductor.
Later career
Ainsworth achieved a huge degree of success with the BBC NDO whose reputation as one of the top bands in the UK was in no small amount due to his hard work and high standards. In 1956 he announced during Sunday Night at the London PalladiumSunday Night at the London Palladium
Sunday Night at the London Palladium is a British television variety show produced by ATV for the ITV network, originally running from 1955 to 1967, with a brief revival in 1973 and 1974...
his engagement to Teddie Beverley of the Beverley Sisters
Beverley Sisters
The Beverley Sisters are a British female vocal trio, popular during the 1950s and 1960s. The trio consists of eldest sister Joy and the twins, Teddie...
. They could not marry immediately and in 1957 he announced that the engagement was cancelled.
He resigned from the BBC in 1960 and went freelance. He was signed up by Granada TV to replace Peter Knight
Peter Knight (composer)
Peter Knight was an English musical arranger, conductor and composer.-Career:Knight was born in Exmouth, Devon, England. He worked with Independent Television light entertainment stars from 'Spot The Tune' with Jackie Rae and Marion Ryan to the comedy series 'Home to Roost' ...
as presenter of Spot the Tune",
In 1965 he conducted the orchestra at the Royal Command Performance
Royal Command Performance
For the annual Royal Variety Performance performed in Britain for the benefit of the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund, see Royal Variety Performance...
at the London Palladium for the third time. He conducted in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
five times, 1975, 1976, 1977 for Belgium, 1978 and 1990. He was the musical director for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's anniversary programme Fifty Years Of Music
Fifty Years Of Music
Fifty Years Of Music is a one-off BBC Television production, broadcast to coincide with the BBC's Fiftieth Anniversary in 1972. Originally broadcast on BBC2 on 6 November 1972, from 8:50 – 10:05pm, it was later repeated on BBC1 on 27 December 1972, at 5:45pm...
broadcast in 1972.