Georgie Fame

Born: 1943-06-26

Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the only British music act to have achieved three number one hits with his only top 10 chart entries: "Yeh, Yeh" in 1964, "Get Away" in 1966 and "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967. Powell was born at 1 Cotton Street, Leigh, Lancashire, England. He took piano lessons from the age of seven and on leaving Leigh Central County Secondary School at 15 he worked for a brief period in a cotton weaving mill and played piano for a band called the Dominoes in the evenings. After taking part in a singing contest at the Butlins Holiday Camp in Pwllheli, North Wales, he was offered a job there by the band leader, early British rock and roll star Rory Blackwell. At sixteen years of age, Powell went to London and, on the recommendation of Lionel Bart, entered into a management agreement with Larry Parnes, who had given new stage names to artists Marty Wilde and Billy Fury. Fame later recalled that Parnes had given him an ultimatum over his forced change of name: "It was very much against my will but he said, 'If you don't use my name, I won't use you in the show'". Over the following year Fame toured the UK playing beside Wilde, Joe Brown, Dickie Pride, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochran and others. Fame played piano for Billy Fury in his backing band, the Blue Flames. When the backing band got the sack at the end of 1961, it was re-billed as "Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames" and went on to enjoy great success with a repertoire largely of rhythm and blues numbers. Fame was influenced by jazz, blues, and the musicians Mose Allison and Willie Mabon. He was one of the first white musicians to be influenced by ska after hearing it in cafés in Jamaica and Ladbroke Grove in England. He recalled The Flamingo Club was "full of American GIs who came in from their bases for the weekend" who played for him the song "Green Onions" by Booker T. & the M.G.'s. "I had been playing piano up to that point but I bought a Hammond organ the next day." In 1963, the band recorded its debut album, Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo. Produced by Ian Samwell and engineered by Glyn Johns, the album was released in place of a planned single by EMI Columbia. It failed to reach the chart, but the October 1964 follow-up, Fame at Last, reached No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart. Ronan O'Rahilly failed to get Fame's first record played by the BBC. After it was rejected by Radio Luxembourg, O'Rahilly announced he would start his own radio station to promote the record. The station became the offshore pirate radio station Radio Caroline. ... Source: Article "Georgie Fame" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.


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The Mini-Affair

as Georgie Hart
Released: 1967-01-01

A leading pop star is kidnapped in swinging London.

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Ronnie's

as Self (voice)
Released: 2020-10-23

The story of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club

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Dolly Story

as uncredited
Released: 1968-04-23

Swinging London - a phenomenon which emphasized the young, the new and the modern. Fashion,...

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Van Morrison Live In London

as Self - organ
Released: 2008-02-10

Van Morrison showcases tracks from albums including Keep It Simple, Magic Time and Vanlose...

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Mr Parnes, Shillings & Pence

as Self
Released: 1986-01-01

A 1986 documentary film about the life and career of Larry Parnes who managed a stable of early...

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Van Morrison: The Concert

as Self
Released: 1990-01-01

Van Morrison: The Concert is the second video released by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van...

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Top of the Pops

as Self
First aired: 1964-01-01

The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s...

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Top of the Pops

as uncredited
First aired: 1964-01-01

The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s...

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Discorama

as Self
First aired: 1959-02-04

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Cilla

as Self
First aired: 1968-01-30

A mostly live weekly entertainment show starring Cilla Black and her special guests.

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Hullabaloo

as Self
First aired: 1965-01-12

Hullabaloo is an American musical variety series that ran on NBC from January 12, 1965 through...

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Shindig!

as Self - Singer
First aired: 1964-09-16

Shindig! is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to...

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Jukebox Heroes

as Self
First aired: 2001-07-17

Series on the unsung heroes of British pop.

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The Price of Fame or Fame at any Price

as Self
First aired: 1969-09-17

Featuring the combined and various talents of Georgie Fame and Alan Price

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