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Tony Hatch's 80th Birthday

Ken Bruce presents a special concert to wish a very happy 80th birthday to one of the country’s greatest songwriters – Tony Hatch.

Join Ken Bruce as we wish a very happy 80th birthday to one of the country’s greatest songwriters – Tony Hatch.

The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra and Capital Voices conducted by Richard Balcombe are joined by special guests Claire Sweeney, Jenna Russell, Michael Dore and Oliver Tompsett, to pay tribute to the man whose music-making career spans an incredible 70 years and whose songs provided a soundtrack of the sixties.

Close by the portals of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Broadcasting Houses stands All Souls, Langham Place and it was here that the young Tony Hatch first made his treble voice heard as head chorister. Tony left school when he was just 15 and started his career as a tea boy in London’s Tin Pan Alley – Denmark Street. He'd brew the tea and do the filing, but he was sometimes asked to play piano for visiting artists. He once played at an audition for the "Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's Talent Selection Group" for a new band called "The Lower Third". A member of the audition panel wrote β€I don’t think they’ll get better with more rehearsalsβ€ - but their lead singer did; his name was David Bowie. Tony produced a number of early tracks by Bowie for Pye records before Bowie left Pye for Philips and released "Space Oddity". Tony meanwhile went on to become one of our top producers and songwriters.

He’s worked with the likes of Chubby Checker, Pat Boone, The Searchers, Adam Faith, Sasha Distel, Matt Monro, Bruce Forsyth, Frank Sinatra and of course, Petula Clark. For Petula he wrote "Downtown" and then with the song-writing partnership of Jackie Trent there came β€Don’t Sleep in the Subwayβ€, β€Colour My Worldβ€, β€I Couldn’t Live Without Your Loveβ€; β€The Other Man’s Grass Is Always Greenerβ€, "Where Are You Now?" and "Who Am I?". For Scott Walker he wrote "Joanna" and for Morecambe and Wise - "Positive Thinking".

Tony's compositions are not confined to radio. Switch on the box and you are likely to hear a Tony Hatch signature tune. He is responsible for some of our best loved television themes including β€Crossroadsβ€, β€Emmerdaleβ€, β€Sportnightβ€, β€Mr and Mrsβ€ and β€Neighboursβ€.

Tony's 80th birthday falls on 30th June. In this evening’s concert recorded at the Alexandra Palace Theatre – a venue steeped in television history - we’ll hear a selection of Tony’s favourite themes, songs and archive clips from his long career.

Concert recorded at Ally Pally - 16th April 2019.

1 hour, 57 minutes

Last on

Fri 27 Dec 2019 20:00

Music Played

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    High Adventure (Friday Night Is Music Night Sig Tune)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    That's Entertainment

  • Claire Sweeney, Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Down Town

  • Josh MacRae

    Messing ABout On The River

    • Hello Children Everywhere: Volume 3.
    • EMI.
    • CDS 7 95569 2.
    • 11.
  • Gerry Dorsey

    Crazy Bells

    • The Tony Hatch Songbook.
  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Joanna

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    I Couldn't Live Without Your Love

  • The Searchers

    Sugar And Spice

    • Call Me: The Songs Of Tony Hatch CD1.
    • Castle Music.
    • CMDD 536.
    • 3.
  • David Bowie

    Good Morning Girl

    • Early On (1964-1966).
    • Rhino Records.
    • R2 70526.
    • 15.
  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    I Love The Little Things

  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    If You Ever Leave Me

  • Petula Clark

    Downtown

    • Early On (1964-1966).
  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    The Other Man's Grasss

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Don't Sleep In The Subway

  • Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Tony Hatch TV Medley

  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Where Are You Now My Love

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    If Only (The Card)

  • Jenna Russell, Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Opposite Your Smile (The Card)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Beautiful In The Rain

  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Who Am I?

  • Benny Hill

    Harvest Of Love

    • You Are Awful.. But We Like You!: Showbiz Comedy Titbits Of The '60s And '70s.
    • Pye.
    • 5.
  • Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise

    Positive Thinking

    • Classic Morecambe And Wise Songs And Sketches.
    • EMI.
    • 528 6022.
    • 15.
  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Forget Him

  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Colour My World

  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Call Me

  • Frank Sinatra

    Downtown

    • Strangers In The Night.
    • Warner.
    • 8.
  • Claire Sweeney, Jenna Russell, Oliver Tompsett, Michael Dore, Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Down Town

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    High Adventure (Friday Night Is Music Night Sig Tune)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    That's Entertainment (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Claire Sweeney, Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Down Town (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Josh MacRae

    Messing About On The River

  • Gerry Dorsey

    Crazy Bells

  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Joanna (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    I Couldn't Live Without Your Love (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • The Searchers

    Sugar and Spice

  • David Bowie

    Good Morning Girl

  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    I Love The Little Things (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    If You Ever Leave Me (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Petula Clark

    Downtown

    • The Ivor Novello Winners.
    • EMI.
  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    The Other Man's Grass (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Don't Sleep In The Subway (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Tony Hatch TV Medley (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Where Are You Now My Love (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Jenna Russell & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    If Only (The Card) (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Jenna Russell, Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Opposite Your Smile (The Card) (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Beautiful In The Rain (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Who Am I? (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Eric Morecambe & Ernie Wise

    Positive Thinking

  • Oliver Tompsett & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Forget Him (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Claire Sweeney & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Colour My World (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Michael Dore & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Call Me (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Frank Sinatra

    Downtown

  • Claire Sweeney, Jenna Russell, Oliver Tompsett, Michael Dore, Capital Voices & Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Down Town (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    Happy Birthday To You (Friday Night is Music Night)

  • Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Concert Orchestra

    High Adventure (Friday Night Is Music Night Sig Tune)

Broadcasts

  • Fri 17 May 2019 20:00
  • Fri 27 Dec 2019 20:00