Frank Chacksfield

Born on May 9, 1914, in Battle, Sussex, England, and deceased on June 9, 1995, pianist and organist Frank Chacksfield notched a string of 1950s hit singles, above all with “Ebb Tide.”

Chacksfield took up the piano during childhood and, while still a boy, served as deputy organist at the local church. Although his parents urged him away from music as a livelihood, he persisted. By the late 1930s, then in his mid-twenties, he was directing small bands throughout Britain. In 1940 he joined the British army; during the war his first radio broadcast, “Original Songs At the Piano,” originated from Glasgow and soon earned him the post of arranger for Stars In Battledress, the World War II entertainment troupe.

After the war he accompanied Charlie Chester’s comedy ensemble Stand Easy. The link with Chester yielded Chacksfield’s first recording, as accompanist to one of Chester’s principal vocalists, Frederick Ferrari. At the same time he assembled his own unit, the Tunesmiths, and conducted orchestras for Henry Hall and Geraldo.

Chacksfield joined Decca and made his solo recording debut in the early 1950s. He soon registered a novelty hit with “Little Red Monkey,” which rose to number three on the British charts in spring 1953. That summer he scored a Top 10 success on both sides of the Atlantic with “Theme from Limelight,” featuring a lush, sweeping orchestra. The following year “Ebb Tide” duplicated the “Limelight” arrangement and enjoyed comparable success, becoming his first U.S. hit single at number two.

For the balance of the decade Chacksfield issued a run of popular instrumental singles together with their companion albums. In the 1960s he hosted a weekly British radio program; later he made occasional appearances on UK radio shows.

Chacksfield continued recording into the 1990s; his final album was Thanks for the Memories (Academy Award Winners 1934-55), released in 1991.