Syd Dale

Syd Dale (20 May 1924 – 15 August 1994) was an English self-taught composer and arranger of big band, easy listening and library music. His music played an important role on television, radio and advertising media of the 1960s and 1970s and is still in use today.
Dale was born in York, and started as an apprentice technician at Rowntree's chocolate factory at 16. Soon big band music became his passion. He spent as much time as possible listening to bands and studying the arrangements. Three years later, in 1945, he left the factory and joined several local bands as pianist and arranger.
In 1952 he was recruited as a pianist with The Squadronaires, the dance orchestra of the Royal Air Force, where he worked with the conductor Ronnie Aldrich. The band toured extensively. In February 1953 they recorded Dale's arrangement of "Jeepers Creepers," his first recording session. He also played in several London hotels, and later joined the Cyril Stapleton Show Band. Dale married his wife Audrey while he was still working at Rowntree's. In 1958 the twins Ian and Erica were born, and the family were living in Maida Vale. In 1960 they moved to 1, Turpington Lane in Bromley. A decade later he was able to buy the mansion Kerchesters, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood, Surrey, from where he ran his own studios and record label.
Dale died on 15 August 1994, at the age of 70.
==Links to Peel==
The Syd Dale Orchestra was the backing group for the British band, Nirvana's 1967 session for the Top Gear programme, playing the orchestral arrangements of songs from their LP The Story of Simon Simopath, on which he is credited as "conductor" Peel also played Syd Dale's 'Theme To Screen Test (Marching There And Back)' on his 19 April 2000 show.
==Sessions==
1. Recorded with Nirvana: 1967-12-04. First Broadcast: 10 December 1967
*Take This Hand / Pentecost Hotel / Wings Of Love / We Can Help You / Satellite Jockey
==Other Shows Played==
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*19 April 2000: Theme To Screen Test (7") Trunk
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists