Johnnie Spence

Johnnie Spence

Johnnie Spence, born John Spence Abrahams (4 February 1936 – 15 August 1977), sometimes spelt Johnny Spence, was a British musical arranger, director, and orchestra leader. He is credited with the arrangements and musical direction of numerous records and television light entertainment works throughout the 1960s and 1970s, and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction of a Variety, Musical or Dramatic Program for his work on the 1969 television series This Is Tom Jones.He built a reputation as a pianist and arranger in the second part of the 1950s under the wings of Jack Parnell at ATV. (Bandleader and Musician Jack Parnell was appointed musical director for ATV in 1956). At ATV much music was prepared for so many shows. The orchestrations department at Elstree was large and famous, boasting such arrangers and orchestrators on its books as Eric Rogers, David Lindup, Arthur Greenslade, Max Harris, Kenny Powell, Derek Scott and Johnnie Spence. Jack held the post until 1982. He also composed 'The Muppet Show Theme' for ITC Entertainment and served as conductor for the entire series. In the late 50's Spence became piano accompanist to the singer Anne Shelton, a popular English vocalist. Spence's early work was predominantly in comedy records for Parlophone Records, occasionally working alongside Sir George Martin, who would later find fame as producer of The Beatles. Spence's credits at this time included such work as the Bernard Cribbins single "Right Said Fred". In 1960 George Martin decided to use Johnnie Spence, who had just been signed to Parlophone as a musical director, for the upcoming session with his new recording-act Terry Parsons, aka Matt Monro. George Martin threw everything at this session, including a 23-piece orchestra for a big sound. Two tapemachines were running at the same time: one in stereo and one in mono, doubling the cost of tape. From 2 November recording session emerged a song that reached no.3 in the charts:'Portrait Of My Love', the song that won Monro the Ivor Novello Award for 'The Most Outstanding Song Of 1960' from the Songwriter's Guild of Great Britain. Johnnie Spence went on to become one of the most respected arrangers, conductors and composers in the business. With the success of Parlophone as a pop label, he became orchestral arranger for recordings and television shows for such acts as Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and Cilla Black, Petula Clark and — during the 1970s — Gilbert O'Sullivan.Since his early twenties, Johnnie was rapidly building a reputation as one of the country's most brilliant and imaginative musical directors and was very much in demand by now on both sides of the Atlantic. Spence ultimately chose to become musical director for Tom Jones in 1969, working for the MAM organization (Management Agency and Music Ltd.), one of the most successful show business agencies, founded by Gordon Mills. In his new capacity, Johnnie Spence became responsible for creating the sound on all the major hitrecordings. Also through producer Gordon Mills he became arranger/conductor for Gilbert O'Sullivan (1970/72) and musical director for a BBC-TV show:'Gilbert O'Sullivan In Concert'(1971) and 'The Music Of Gilbert O'Sullivan' (1972). While becoming a frequent visitor to America, he had also plenty of work in the UK as a music arranger/musical director for television and radio shows as well as live-performances, such as: 'Elizabeth Taylor in London'(1963), 'The Tommy Steele Show'(1964/65), Matt Monro at The Talk Of The Town'(1965), BBC Show of the Week:'Ella Fitzgerald Sings'(1965),several TV Shows with: Cilla Black,'Cilla At The Savoy'(1966), 'The Shirley Bassey Show'(1968/69),'The Royal Varety Performance'(1969), a Tom Jones UK-Tour, with a 35-piece orchestra led by Johnnie Spence (1970) and various TV specials with Tom Jones (1970-1972) 'This Is Tom Jones', and Petula Clark: 'The Sound Of Petula'(1974),featuring Gilbert O'Sullivan and the Peter Knight Orchestra & Chorus, with arrangements from Peter Knight, Steve Gray and Johnnie Spence. Johnnie Spence and his Orchestra released several of their own records, predominantly of television and film themes; 'Wheels' and 'First Romance', a Jerry Lordan composition from his album: 'All My Own Work'(1961). 'The Dr. Kildare Theme' became a number 15 hit for Parlophone in 1962, his own composition 'Sugar Beat', B-side of the single "Baby Elephant Walk" [Henry Mancini] (1962) and 'Step Inside Love'(1967), a Paul McCartney composition for Cilla Black. (1967). He also recorded as The Johnnie Spence Big Band, 'Why Not'(1968), on the Verve label, a swinging jazz album featuring Don Lusher(tb), Johnny Scott, Eddie Blair(tp) and Kenny Clare on drums. During 1963 Spence recorded an album with jazz singer Annie Ross: 'Sings A Handful Of Songs' In April 1964 Ella Fitzgerald recorded three songs, to which Johnnie Spence wrote the arrangements, at EMI Recording Studios, Abbey Road, London, for her new album: 'Hello Dolly'. The single 'Can't Buy Me Love' was a minor hit at #34. On 2 July 1964 Cilla Black recorded the Lennon/McCartney song 'It's For You', with a sort of jazzy waltz arrangement by Spence. 'It displayed a degree of sophistication' according to producer George Martin, who also directed. Spence also recorded in his final years with a smaller group as Johnnie Spence and The Family Tree a disco single 'The Caves'(1976), as well as composing the music for the CBS TV-series:'The Amazing Spiderman'(1977). Among his other compositions are:'This Time'(1961),(using the pseudonym 'Jack Abrahams', co-written with 'Graham Fisher'aka George Martin) and 'Going Places', together with Don Black (1964), both recorded by Matt Monro. For the soundtrack of the film 'The Limbo Line' Spence wrote the music to: "Here I Go Again", again with a Don Black lyric. Johnnie Spence married Marion Horton (b.1937) at St. Mary's Church, South Kensington on 5 January 1964, with Matt Monro as his best man. Their two children were born on 2 April 1965 (Sarah Jane) and 15 February 1973 (Jonathan Adam). The family lived in Ewell, Epsom (Surrey) England, before moving to the United States permanently. From 1969 onwards the family lived in rented houses in California, close to Los Angeles recording studios. Because of his work as an arranger/conductor/composer, he made the decision in the summer of 1976 to take the leap and move to the US full-time with his family. They eventually moved into a comfortable home in Encino, CA. He was able to secure lucrative work arranging and directing music for both television shows and movies. Johnnie had just signed a contract with the Joey Bishop Show for ABC network when fate struck; he died suddenly at home in Los Angeles of a heart attack on 15 August 1977, only 41 years old. The funeral took place at Forest Lawn Cemetery, LA, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills on 20 August 1977 with among the pallbearers Tom Jones and Gilbert O'Sullivan. "Johnnie Spence was one of the best musicians I've ever known.he was a marvellous arranger, a great band man and his scores for brass, saxes, rhythm and strings were the best I've ever had, much better than I could do. His work with Matt Monro was one of the highlights, one of the joys of my life. he always turned up with a very tasteful score. He was a lovely man, a great character. He did tend to burn the candle at both ends though, and in the middle! It was a great tragedy when he died, it was such a shock, he was so young"- Sir George Martin.

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