Paramor, Norrie (15th May 1914-9th September 1979)

He was an orchestral conductor, bandleader, arranger, composer, pianist and record producer born Norman William Paramor in London, England who worked as a pianist and bandleader during the 1930s and ’40s and later recorded some tracks with the singer Marie Benson on the Oriole label. During WWII he was in the RAF and entertained the servicemen alongside Max Wall and others as well as writing scores for Jack Buchanan, Noel Coward and Mantovani and being Ralph Reader’s Gang Shows musical director.

He became the recording director for EMI’s Columbia Records in 1952. This led to him becoming one of the first people to be known by the term “producer” as previously terms like A&R man had been used.

In 1955 hr put together Norrie Paramor & His Orchestra and in 1956 their release of In London in Love became one of the Capitol of the World import series biggest sellers. They released more albums over the years that include Amor Amor, Autumn, In Love Again, Moods along with many others and had a chart entry at No. 36 with “Theme from a Summer Place” in 1960.

From 1950s he was the prolific record producer for many artists of the time including the Avons, Eddie Calvert, Frank Ifield, Helen Shapiro, Ricky Valance, Frankie Vaughan and possibly best known for his work with Cliff Richard and the Shadows, who he had first signed as Cliff Richard and the Drifters in 1958. According to the Guinness Book of Hit Singles he jointly held the record for producing the No. 1 singles with George Martin until 1997 when “Candle in the Wind ’97” by Elton John was produced 18 years later. In the late 1960s he decided to leave EMI and start production with his own company and saw success with the Scaffold when they reached No. 1 with “Lily the Pink”.

His work as a composer for films was much called for and from 1959 until 1970 he wrote music for films that include Expresso Bongo, The Young Ones, The Frightened City, Two and Two Make Six, Doctor in Distress, Father Came Too! and My Lover, My Son along with several others.

In 1960 he arranged and conducted Judy Garland’s British recording sessions and was her musical director at the London Palladium and other European shows.

As a songwriter he wrote the song “Let’s Talk About Love” for Helen Shapiro which reached No. 23 on the UK chart in 1962. That same year David Frost did the sketch “A Tribute to Norrie Paramor” for the satirical TV series That Was the Week That Was.

In 1968 he worked at the Royal Albert Hall at the Eurovision Song Contest as the musical director and conducted Cliff Richard with the UK entry “Congratulations”. Two years later he worked for BBC Midland Radio Orchestra as their resident conductor and remained there until his death.

In 1977 he and his orchestra worked with The Shadows on their “Return to the Alamo” which would be the final time he recorded with them.

He died of cancer in Barnet, London in 1979 when he was 65 years old.

Frank Ifield recordings
I’m Smiling Now (Frank Ifield)
Columbia 45-DB 4960
The Wayward Wind (Stanley Lebowsky/Herb Newman)
Columbia 45-DB 4960

Sources:

Paramor, Norrie (15th May 1914-9th September 1979)

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