Norrie Paramor

Norrie Paramor
Paramor in 1960
Background information
Birth name	Norman William Paramor
Also known as	Norman Sidney, B-side Norrie
Born	15 May 1914 London, England, UK
Origin	English
Died	9 September 1979 (aged 65) Barnet, England, UK
Genres	light orchestra pop music rock music swing music easy listening
Occupation(s)	Record producer Composer Arranger Conductor pianist band leader
Instruments	piano
Years active	1950–1979
Labels	EMI Music publishing (imprint Capitol Records)
Associated acts	Cliff Richard, the Shadows, Frank Ifield, Helen Shapiro, Ruby Murray, Michael Holliday
Notable instruments
Piano, Baton (conducting)

Norrie Paramor (born Norman William Paramor; 15 May 1914^[1] – 9 September 1979)^[2] was a British record producer, composer, arranger, pianist, band leader and orchestral conductor. He is best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, both together and separately having steered their early career—producing and arranging most of their material from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Paramor was a composer of studio albums, theatrical productions and soundtracks for film scores.

Producer

Although the term "producer" was not in circulation at the time Paramor started producing records (the usual term being Artiste and Repertoire Manager or A&R Man), he effectively began this role in 1952 when he became Recording Director for EMI's Columbia Records. As well as being producer for Cliff Richard and the Shadows, he produced records for Frank Ifield, Helen Shapiro, Ruby Murray, Eddie Calvert, Michael Holliday, and The Mudlarks among others. Until George Martin—his opposite number at EMI sister label Parlophone—produced "Candle In The Wind 97" for Sir Elton John, Paramor and Martin jointly held the record for having produced the most UK Number 1 hit singles, despite Paramor having died 18 years earlier.

Paramor recorded one of the biggest-selling albums from Capitol Records' Capitol of the World import series: In London in Love, which featured the soprano Patricia Clarke, who was used in many subsequent selling albums. This became his trademark orchestral signature sound, and was featured on Autumn, Amor Amor, In London, In Love Again, Warm and Willing, My Fair Lady and Moods among others.

Film Scores

Paramor also composed music for films, including Serious Charge (1959), Expresso Bongo (1959), The Young Ones (1961), No My Darling Daughter (1961), The Frightened City (1961), A Pair of Briefs (1962), Two and Two Make Six (1962), The Wild and the Willing (1962), The Fast Lady (1963), Doctor in Distress (1963), Father Came Too! (1963) and My Lover, My Son (1970).^[3] He also co-wrote the 1962 hit song "Let's Talk About Love" for Helen Shapiro. In 1968, he was the musical director for the Eurovision Song Contest, staged at the Royal Albert Hall, the first to be broadcast in colour. He also conducted the UK entry, "Congratulations", performed by Cliff Richard. In 1977, Paramor and his orchestra recorded with the Shadows for a final time, on the track "Return to the Alamo".

The lyricist Tim Rice was Paramor's assistant producer for a time in the early 1960s.

Personal life and death

Paramor was married to actress Gloria Brent; he died of an unspecified cancer on 9 September 1979.^[2] His death came a fortnight after his protege, Richard, had returned to the top of the UK Singles Chart with "We Don't Talk Anymore",^[4] his first number one single in more than ten years. Paramor and Richard had worked together professionally from 1958 to 1972.

Despite his record of success as a producer, he died in relative obscurity without receiving any public recognition from any British institution.

In Popular Culture

In 1962, Paramor was the subject of a scathing critique by David Frost on the satirical British television programme That Was the Week that Was for, the programme claimed, taking undeserved songwriting credits and royalties on other people's work and making popular music more bland and "ordinary".^[5]

References

1. "Robert Farnon Society". Rfsoc.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
2. Doc Rock. "The 1970s". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
3. "Norrie Paramor : Composer". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
4. Rice, Jo (1982). The Guinness Book of 500 Number One Hits (1st ed.). Enfield, Middlesex: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. p. 198. ISBN 0-85112-250-7.
5. "That Was the Week That Was, 15 Dec. 1962". Retrieved 2014-06-30.

External links

• Norrie Paramor at the Internet Movie Database
• Norrie Paramor discography at Discogs