Georgie Fame
Biography
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.
Known For & Full Filmography14 Titles
Drama Series - 1964, 16 episodes • as Self
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.
Drama Series - 1964, 16 episodes • Main Cast Role
The biggest stars, the most iconic performances, the most outrageous outfits – it’s Britain’s number one pop show.
Drama Series - 1959, 16 episodes • as Self
An outstanding performance featuring brilliant storytelling, high stakes drama, and unforgettable character arcs.
Drama Series - 1964, 16 episodes • as Self - Singer
Shindig! is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles at the time who also created the show along with his wife Sharon Sheeley and production executive Art Stolnitz. The original pilot was rejected by ABC and David Sontag, then Executive Producer of ABC, redeveloped and completely redesigned the show. A new pilot with a new cast of artists was shot starring Sam Cooke. That pilot aired as the premiere episode.
Drama Series - 1968, 16 episodes • as Self
A mostly live weekly entertainment show starring Cilla Black and her special guests.
Drama Series - 1965, 16 episodes • as Self
Hullabaloo is an American musical variety series that ran on NBC from January 12, 1965 through August 29, 1966. Similar to Shindig! it ran in prime time in contrast to ABC's American Bandstand.
Drama Series - 2001, 16 episodes • as Self
Series on the unsung heroes of British pop.
Movie - 1968, 2h 15m • Main Cast Role
Swinging London - a phenomenon which emphasized the young, the new and the modern. Fashion, music, art, media, life style and attitude. An era of optimism, and hedonism. A cultural revolution.
Movie - 2008, 2h 15m • as Self - organ
Van Morrison showcases tracks from albums including Keep It Simple, Magic Time and Vanlose Stairway, backed by a full band and joined by guests including guitarist Mick Green and organ maestro Georgie Fame.
Movie - 2020, 2h 15m • as Self (voice)
The story of Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club
Drama Series - 1969, 16 episodes • as Self
Featuring the combined and various talents of Georgie Fame and Alan Price
Movie - 1990, 2h 15m • as Self
Van Morrison: The Concert is the second video released by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, first released in 1990. Recorded in New York at the Beacon Theater on 30th November 1989, the concert featured two special guests and long-time friends Mose Allison and John Lee Hooker, each of whom performed some of their own songs. This concert mainly consisted of Morrison's work from his last two albums, including four songs from both Avalon Sunset and Irish Heartbeat, and features jazz singer Georgie Fame on Hammond organ. Some reviewers have stated that Van Morrison was not in best shape during the concert, with his voice probably strained by a cold.
Movie - 1967, 2h 15m • as Georgie Hart
A leading pop star is kidnapped in swinging London.
Movie - 1986, 2h 15m • as Self
A 1986 documentary film about the life and career of Larry Parnes who managed a stable of early British rock and roll stars including Billy Fury, Tommy Steele, Joe Brown and Marty Wilde.