Johnny Arthey, Date of Birth, Date of Death

    

Johnny Arthey

British bandleader, conductor and composer

Date of Birth: 24-Sep-1930

Date of Death: 27-Oct-2007

Profession: composer, conductor, bandleader

Nationality: United Kingdom

Zodiac Sign: Libra


Show Famous Birthdays Today, United Kingdom

👉 Worldwide Celebrity Birthdays Today

About Johnny Arthey

  • John Raymond "Johnny" Arthey (24 September 1930 – 27 October 2007) was a British conductor and composer.
  • He was responsible for arranging many hit pop records in the 1960s and 1970s. Johnny Arthey started his career as a pianist with a military orchestra during his National Service.
  • He became a much sought-after arranger in the 1960s and 1970s, working with Engelbert Humperdinck, Mary Hopkin, Clodagh Rodgers, Vince Hill, Jonathan King, Julie Rogers, Joe Dassin, Xil Ríos, Camilo Sesto and many more.
  • He wrote the orchestration to hit records such as "Eloise" by Barry Ryan, "Young, Gifted and Black" by Bob and Marcia, and "You Can Get It If You Really Want" by Desmond Dekker.
  • Through his string arrangements, added to Jamaican recordings, he helped reggae artists such as The Pioneers trying to force a breakthrough on the British market.
  • He also arranged the Piglets' hit "Johnny Reggae", and led a recording outfit called The Reggae Strings.
  • In 1972, he formed the studio group Blue Haze with Phillip Swern; their reggae cover version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" reached no.32 on the UK Singles Chart.With his Johnny Arthey Orchestra, he released a string of instrumental recordings of popular titles.
  • He conducted orchestras for various BBC broadcasts, and conducted three Eurovision Song Contest entries: two for the UK in 1970 and 1971 and one for Luxembourg in 1977.Arthey died on 27 October 2007, of a stomach tumour.

Read more at Wikipedia