Laurence Holloway obit

Former Strictly and Parkinson musical director Laurence Holloway dies aged 86

 

He was not on the list.

Laurence “Laurie” Holloway, a former musical director on Strictly Come Dancing and talk show Parkinson, has died aged 86, his family have confirmed.

The English composer, who started off as a pianist in dance bands, died after a “short illness” on Thursday, his daughter Abigail Holloway told the PA news agency.

During his career, the jazz musician worked with the singer Engelbert Humperdinck, Sir Tom Jones, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Mel Torme, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Humphries and Ronnie Corbett along with his late wife Marion Montgomery.

“An inspiration to his family, those he worked with and many who followed his illustrious musical career.

“He was extremely proud of the charity The Montgomery Holloway Music Trust that he created with his late wife the singer Marion Montgomery supporting young singers, for which he was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

“He will be deeply missed and remembered with great affection.”

American jazz singer Montgomery, who had lived in England for more than 30 years, became a household name in the 1960s and 1970s when she was a resident singer on Sir Michael Parkinson’s chat show, where Holloway was later a musical director.

Montgomery died in Bray, Berkshire, aged 67 in 2002.

In 2013, Holloway became an MBE for services to music.

At his investiture ceremony, he told the late Queen of the time he played piano for her and Princess Margaret at Buckingham Palace, and recorded nursery rhymes for the Queen Mother’s 90th birthday.

“I don’t think she remembered, but I reminded her,” he said.

Holloway is also known for composing TV theme tunes including for Cilla Black game show Blind Date, game show Game For A Laugh and hidden camera programme Beadle’s About.

He received a gold badge from the Ivors Academy in 1993, when the body was known as the British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors (BASCA).

The composer also contributed to the recording of Petula Clark’s 1960s hit Downtown.

In the 1970s, he was the Musical Director for the singer Englebert Humperdinck, and on the television talk show Parkinson. From 2004 to 2006, he was the original Musical Director for the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing.

Holloway was born in Oldham and began playing piano at the age of four, taking his first formal lessons aged seven. Aged 12, he was the organist and choirmaster at his local church. He began performing at ballroom dances and turned professional in 1954 when he joined Syd Willmott and his Band as a pianist. He later played with Geraldo on cruise ships, with the Cyril Stapleton band, and then as a studio session musician, playing on many tracks, including on Downtown by Petula Clark with musical director Tony Hatch in 1964. He was musical director for Englebert Humperdinck from 1970 to 1975, working on his albums and touring the US, including Las Vegas.

Holloway became more associated with jazz after working as musical director for the singer Cleo Laine, which soon led to him joining the John Dankworth Band as pianist and arranger. He worked with Dankworth on the 1967 album The $1,000,000,000 Collection, and on subsequent Dankworth albums. However, more studio and television work soon took over. The list of artists he worked with include Stephane Grappelli, Tom Jones, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr., Gilbert O’Sullivan, Mel Torme, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Lesley Garrett, Bob Monkhouse, Barry Humphries and Ronnie Corbett. He composed several well-known theme tunes such as Game for a Laugh, Wicked Women, Maggie and Her, Blind Date and Beadle's About. He also composed "Hook, Line and Sinker" for the 1970 LWT fishing series Casting Around.

In 1990, Holloway accompanied Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, Princess Margaret, on the piano for a recording the two made of Scottish childhood songs at Buckingham Palace for the 90th birthday of their mother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. A single cassette was produced featuring a dozen songs, but the recording was lost after the Queen Mother's death

Holloway is survived by his daughters, Karon and Abigail and three grandsons Freddie, Henry and Alfie.