Biography
Born on 24 August 1924 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, and passing away in London on 4 October 1990, Alyn Ainsworth earned widespread regard as a musical director and arranger across recording sessions, television broadcasts and West End productions. He began guitar lessons at seven, left school at fourteen to sing as a boy soprano with Herman Darewski’s Orchestra and performed at the London Palladium. After his voice changed he returned to Bolton, took a post as assistant golf professional, led his own group the Falcons on guitar and pursued formal studies in musical arranging. By the late 1940s he served as staff arranger first for Oscar Rabin and later for Geraldo, one of Britain’s foremost dance bands.
In 1951 he started providing arrangements for the newly established BBC Northern Variety Orchestra; when conductor Vilem Tausky transferred to the Northern Symphony Orchestra, Ainsworth was appointed the NVO’s resident conductor. December 1952 saw BBC Television introduce The Good Old Days from the City Variety Theatre in Leeds, a music-hall programme that continued for more than three decades with musical support supplied by Ainsworth and the Northern Variety Orchestra. Budget constraints prompted the BBC to disband most of the string section, retain a single player and rename the ensemble the Northern Dance Orchestra. Assisted by trumpeter Syd Lawrence, Ainsworth refined the NDO into a world-class ensemble. Stationed in Manchester for ten years, he and the orchestra featured on countless radio and television programmes, backing vocalists including Frankie Vaughan, Ronnie Hilton and David Whitfield. Joined by vocalist Sheila Buxton and announcer Roger Moffat, the unit also hosted its own late-night series, Make Way For Music, which earned strong critical praise.
Ainsworth relocated to London in 1961 to act as musical director for the American import Bye Bye Birdie, which starred Chita Rivera and British rock ’n’ roller Marty Wilde. Between 1958 and 1965 the Alyn Ainsworth Orchestra supplied orchestral recordings for George Martin. Throughout the 1960s he emerged as a principal conductor and arranger for West End productions such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hello, Dolly!, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, She Loves Me and Sweet Charity, while also orchestrating Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s The Roar Of The Greasepaint – The Smell Of The Crowd. The decade marked the beginning of an extended partnership with Shirley Bassey, for whom he served as musical director during numerous cabaret engagements at home and overseas.
His British television work encompassed Val Parnell’s Sunday Night At The London Palladium, International Cabaret From The Talk Of The Town, The David Nixon Show, Dee Time, The Cannon And Ball Show, Search For A Star, Night Of Hundred Stars, The BAFTA Awards, Live From Her Majesty’s, Bruce’s Big Night Out, more than ten Royal Command Performances and numerous specials spotlighting Cilla Black, Russ Abbott, Stanley Baxter, Vera Lynn and Lulu; he also wrote theme music for several of these programmes. Additional compositions included “Bedtime For Drums,” “Italian Sunset,” “Mi Amor,” “Pete’s Party” and “If I Were A Buddy Rich Man.” Ainsworth maintained close ties with the Brotherhood Of Man, conducting their Eurovision Song Contest performance that secured victory in 1976 with “Save Your Kisses For Me.” He collaborated with visiting American artists Johnny Mathis, Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilow, worked with the Beverley Sisters on recordings such as “Triplets” and was engaged for a period to twin Teddie. His own discography featured the rock ’n’ roll single “18th Century Rock,” issued under the name Alyn Ainsworth with The Rock-A-Fellas, together with the albums Themes And Dreams and True Love.
A consummate professional, Ainsworth routinely conducted the opening house of one West End production and the evening house of another after daytime television rehearsals. He delivered peak performances under intense deadlines, inspired fellow musicians and remained the dependable choice for major events.
In 1951 he started providing arrangements for the newly established BBC Northern Variety Orchestra; when conductor Vilem Tausky transferred to the Northern Symphony Orchestra, Ainsworth was appointed the NVO’s resident conductor. December 1952 saw BBC Television introduce The Good Old Days from the City Variety Theatre in Leeds, a music-hall programme that continued for more than three decades with musical support supplied by Ainsworth and the Northern Variety Orchestra. Budget constraints prompted the BBC to disband most of the string section, retain a single player and rename the ensemble the Northern Dance Orchestra. Assisted by trumpeter Syd Lawrence, Ainsworth refined the NDO into a world-class ensemble. Stationed in Manchester for ten years, he and the orchestra featured on countless radio and television programmes, backing vocalists including Frankie Vaughan, Ronnie Hilton and David Whitfield. Joined by vocalist Sheila Buxton and announcer Roger Moffat, the unit also hosted its own late-night series, Make Way For Music, which earned strong critical praise.
Ainsworth relocated to London in 1961 to act as musical director for the American import Bye Bye Birdie, which starred Chita Rivera and British rock ’n’ roller Marty Wilde. Between 1958 and 1965 the Alyn Ainsworth Orchestra supplied orchestral recordings for George Martin. Throughout the 1960s he emerged as a principal conductor and arranger for West End productions such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Hello, Dolly!, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, She Loves Me and Sweet Charity, while also orchestrating Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s The Roar Of The Greasepaint – The Smell Of The Crowd. The decade marked the beginning of an extended partnership with Shirley Bassey, for whom he served as musical director during numerous cabaret engagements at home and overseas.
His British television work encompassed Val Parnell’s Sunday Night At The London Palladium, International Cabaret From The Talk Of The Town, The David Nixon Show, Dee Time, The Cannon And Ball Show, Search For A Star, Night Of Hundred Stars, The BAFTA Awards, Live From Her Majesty’s, Bruce’s Big Night Out, more than ten Royal Command Performances and numerous specials spotlighting Cilla Black, Russ Abbott, Stanley Baxter, Vera Lynn and Lulu; he also wrote theme music for several of these programmes. Additional compositions included “Bedtime For Drums,” “Italian Sunset,” “Mi Amor,” “Pete’s Party” and “If I Were A Buddy Rich Man.” Ainsworth maintained close ties with the Brotherhood Of Man, conducting their Eurovision Song Contest performance that secured victory in 1976 with “Save Your Kisses For Me.” He collaborated with visiting American artists Johnny Mathis, Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilow, worked with the Beverley Sisters on recordings such as “Triplets” and was engaged for a period to twin Teddie. His own discography featured the rock ’n’ roll single “18th Century Rock,” issued under the name Alyn Ainsworth with The Rock-A-Fellas, together with the albums Themes And Dreams and True Love.
A consummate professional, Ainsworth routinely conducted the opening house of one West End production and the evening house of another after daytime television rehearsals. He delivered peak performances under intense deadlines, inspired fellow musicians and remained the dependable choice for major events.