Donald Peers
Encyclopedia
Donald Peers was a popular Welsh
singer. His best remembered rendition and signature song
was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook".
mining town of Ammanford. His father was a colliery worker and a prominent member of the Plymouth Brethren
who disapproved of the variety theatre, and never heard or saw his son work. Donald's family were hoping he would become a schoolteacher, but he had other ambitions and left home at the age of sixteen to live his life elsewhere.
Donald travelled around the country working as a house painter and, for a time, went to sea as a mess steward on ships. He met his wife in 1930 in Richmond, North Yorkshire
and they had a daughter Sheila in 1931. He joined a dance band as a singer and continued his day job as a painter. His first BBC Radio
broadcast took place on 17 December 1927, with the popular comedy duo, Clapham and Dwyer. One of his songs he sang was, "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook", which became his most requested song and, later, his signature tune. His London
debut took place in a revue at the Bedford Theatre in 1929. He struggled on until 1933 when, after an appearance on the BBC Music Hall programme, he got a recording contract
with HMV Records.
In 1940 Donald enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps
as a clerk, where he served until D-Day
in 1944, when he was invalided out. When in service, he entertained his fellow troops in shows. In 1944 he recorded "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook", written
by E.G. Nelson and Harry Pease in 1927. Other 1940s recordings
included "I Can't Begin To Tell You
", "Bow Bells", "Far Away Places
", "On The 5.45" (a vocal
version of "Twelfth Street Rag
", with lyrics
by Andy Razaf), "Powder Your Face With Sunshine
" (one of his biggest successes), "Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
", "A Strawberry Moon (In A Blueberry Sky)", "Everywhere You Go", "Clancy Lowered the Boom
", "It Happened in Adano", "A Rose in a Garden of Weeds", "I'll String Along with You
" and "Down in the Glen".
He toured in variety, building up quite a following in the provinces, and, in 1948, after a big break on BBC Radio
, became a West End
star
. Henry Hall
booked him with Billy Russell and Norman Wisdom
for a new show called, Buttons & Bows in 1949 and, in the same year, he performed his one-man show at the Royal Albert Hall
and the London Palladium
. Peers appeared in the 1950 Royal Variety Performance
. He was given his own radio show, Cavalier of Song, and had hits
with, "On a Slow Boat to China". At the height of his fame he was receiving 3,000 fan letters a week. In the early 1960s Peers was given his own television program
me, Donald Peers Presents, and, in that programme, he introduced Tom Jones
.
He appeared in several film
s including, String Along With Me, and continued recording with songs such as, "The Last Mile Home", "Dear Hearts and Gentle People
", "Out of a Clear Blue Sky", "Music! Music! Music!
", "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
", "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)", "Dearie
", "I Remember the Cornfields", "Beloved, Be Faithful", "Me and My Imagination", "Mistakes", "In a Golden Coach" (a celebratory number for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
), "Is It Any Wonder" and "Changing Partners
".
After several years at the top Peers left for Australia
, where he stayed for two years. When he returned to the UK
, his fans had all but forgotten him and he had to work back to stardom via the club circuit, which had taken over from the variety theatres
. He made a comeback with "Please Don't Go", which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart
in 1969. Eddy Arnold
had pop and country success with his cover version
, the melody
extracted from 'Tales Of Hoffman'. This was followed by a string of singles
and album
s by Peers, but it was not until 1972 that he had another hit
with "Give Me One More Chance", which reached the UK
Top 40.
Peers died in a Hove
nursing home
on 9 August 1973 at the age of 65, with The Brighton & Hove Gazette announcing his demise. He was cremated in the Downs Crematorium, Brighton. His memorial tablet in the Garden of Remembrance is weather-beaten and reads, 'Donald Peers, August 1973, Loved by Kates, "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook"'.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
singer. His best remembered rendition and signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook".
Biography
He was born Donald Rhys Hubert Peers in the WelshWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
mining town of Ammanford. His father was a colliery worker and a prominent member of the Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
who disapproved of the variety theatre, and never heard or saw his son work. Donald's family were hoping he would become a schoolteacher, but he had other ambitions and left home at the age of sixteen to live his life elsewhere.
Donald travelled around the country working as a house painter and, for a time, went to sea as a mess steward on ships. He met his wife in 1930 in Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
and they had a daughter Sheila in 1931. He joined a dance band as a singer and continued his day job as a painter. His first BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
broadcast took place on 17 December 1927, with the popular comedy duo, Clapham and Dwyer. One of his songs he sang was, "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook", which became his most requested song and, later, his signature tune. His London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
debut took place in a revue at the Bedford Theatre in 1929. He struggled on until 1933 when, after an appearance on the BBC Music Hall programme, he got a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with HMV Records.
In 1940 Donald enlisted in the Royal Army Service Corps
Royal Army Service Corps
The Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
as a clerk, where he served until D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
in 1944, when he was invalided out. When in service, he entertained his fellow troops in shows. In 1944 he recorded "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook", written
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
by E.G. Nelson and Harry Pease in 1927. Other 1940s recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
included "I Can't Begin To Tell You
I Can't Begin to Tell You
"I Can't Begin to Tell You" is a popular song with music written by James V. Monaco and lyrics by Mack Gordon. The song was published in 1945.The song was introduced by John Payne and reprised by Betty Grable in the film The Dolly Sisters. A version by Bing Crosby was the best-known recording,...
", "Bow Bells", "Far Away Places
Far Away Places
"Far Away Places" is an American popular song. It was written by Joan Whitney and Alex Kramer and published in 1948.The recording by Bing Crosby was released by Decca Records as catalog number 24532. It first reached the Billboard magazine Best Seller chart on December 31, 1948 and lasted 18 weeks...
", "On The 5.45" (a vocal
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
version of "Twelfth Street Rag
Twelfth Street Rag
"Twelfth Street Rag" was composed by Euday L. Bowman in 1914. It is one of the most famous and best-selling rags of the ragtime era. It has been recorded by many artists, ranging from Louis Armstrong to Lester Young. Bowman worked as a pianist in some of the bordellos of Kansas City...
", with lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
by Andy Razaf), "Powder Your Face With Sunshine
Powder Your Face with Sunshine
"Powder Your Face with Sunshine" is a popular song written by Carmen Lombardo and Stanley Rochinski, and published in 1948. The two biggest hit versions of the song were recorded by Evelyn Knight and by the Sammy Kaye Orchestra....
" (one of his biggest successes), "Lavender Blue (Dilly Dilly)
Lavender Blue
"Lavender Blue," also called "Lavender's Blue," is an English folk song and nursery rhyme dating to the seventeenth century, which has been recorded in various forms since the twentieth century. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3483...
", "A Strawberry Moon (In A Blueberry Sky)", "Everywhere You Go", "Clancy Lowered the Boom
Clancy Lowered the Boom
"Clancy Lowered the Boom" is a song written by Hy Heath and Johnny Lange in 1947, made famous by Dennis Day on Jack Benny's radio program...
", "It Happened in Adano", "A Rose in a Garden of Weeds", "I'll String Along with You
I'll String Along With You
"I'll String Along with You" is a popular song with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, published in 1934. It features in the 1934 film Twenty Million Sweethearts where it is sung by Dick Powell....
" and "Down in the Glen".
He toured in variety, building up quite a following in the provinces, and, in 1948, after a big break on BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
, became a West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
star
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
. Henry Hall
Henry Hall (bandleader)
Henry Hall was a British bandleader. He played from the 1920s to the 1950s.-Biography:Henry Hall was born in Peckham, South London and served in both the Salvation Army and the British Army...
booked him with Billy Russell and Norman Wisdom
Norman Wisdom
Sir Norman Joseph Wisdom, OBE was an English actor, comedian and singer-songwriter best known for a series of comedy films produced between 1953 and 1966 featuring his hapless onscreen character Norman Pitkin...
for a new show called, Buttons & Bows in 1949 and, in the same year, he performed his one-man show at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
and 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...
. Peers appeared in the 1950 Royal Variety Performance
Royal Variety Performance
The Royal Variety Performance is a gala evening held annually in the United Kingdom, which is attended by senior members of the British Royal Family, usually the reigning monarch. In more recent years Queen Elizabeth II and The Prince of Wales have alternately attended the performance...
. He was given his own radio show, Cavalier of Song, and had hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with, "On a Slow Boat to China". At the height of his fame he was receiving 3,000 fan letters a week. In the early 1960s Peers was given his own television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me, Donald Peers Presents, and, in that programme, he introduced Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
.
He appeared in several film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s including, String Along With Me, and continued recording with songs such as, "The Last Mile Home", "Dear Hearts and Gentle People
Dear Hearts and Gentle People
"Dear Hearts and Gentle People" is a popular song published in 1949 with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Bob Hilliard. They were inspired to write the song based on a scrap of paper with the words "Dear friends and gentle hearts" written on it that was found on the body of Stephen Foster when he...
", "Out of a Clear Blue Sky", "Music! Music! Music!
Music! Music! Music!
"Music! Music! Music!" is a popular song written by Stephen Weiss and Bernie Baum and published in 1949.The biggest-selling version of the song was recorded by Teresa Brewer on December 20, 1949, and released by London Records as catalog number 604. It became a #1 hit and a million-seller in 1950...
", "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake
"If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" is a popular song written by Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill, and Clem Watts and published in 1950.The big hit version in 1950 was recorded by Eileen Barton in January 1950. The recording was released by National Records as catalog number 9103...
", "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think)", "Dearie
Dearie
"Dearie" is a popular song.The music was written by David Mann; the lyrics, by Bob Hilliard. The song was published in 1950.The song is about reminiscences, and often sung as a duet...
", "I Remember the Cornfields", "Beloved, Be Faithful", "Me and My Imagination", "Mistakes", "In a Golden Coach" (a celebratory number for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was the ceremony in which the newly ascended monarch, Elizabeth II, was crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ceylon, and Pakistan, as well as taking on the role of Head of the Commonwealth...
), "Is It Any Wonder" and "Changing Partners
Changing Partners
Not to be confused with the song of the same name by Irving Berlin."Changing Partners" is a pop song with music by Larry Coleman and lyrics by Joe Darion. It was published in 1953.The best-known recording was made by Patti Page...
".
After several years at the top Peers left for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he stayed for two years. When he returned to the UK
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...
, his fans had all but forgotten him and he had to work back to stardom via the club circuit, which had taken over from the variety theatres
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
. He made a comeback with "Please Don't Go", which reached #3 in the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1969. Eddy Arnold
Eddy Arnold
Richard Edward Arnold , known professionally as Eddy Arnold, was an American country music singer who performed for six decades. He was a so-called Nashville sound innovator of the late 1950s, and scored 147 songs on the Billboard country music charts, second only to George Jones. He sold more...
had pop and country success with his cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
, the melody
Melody
A melody , also tune, voice, or line, is a linear succession of musical tones which is perceived as a single entity...
extracted from 'Tales Of Hoffman'. This was followed by a string of singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
and album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s by Peers, but it was not until 1972 that he had another hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
with "Give Me One More Chance", which reached the UK
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...
Top 40.
Peers died in a Hove
Hove
Hove is a town on the south coast of England, immediately to the west of its larger neighbour Brighton, with which it forms the unitary authority Brighton and Hove. It forms a single conurbation together with Brighton and some smaller towns and villages running along the coast...
nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
on 9 August 1973 at the age of 65, with The Brighton & Hove Gazette announcing his demise. He was cremated in the Downs Crematorium, Brighton. His memorial tablet in the Garden of Remembrance is weather-beaten and reads, 'Donald Peers, August 1973, Loved by Kates, "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook"'.