Ivor Raymonde facts for kids

Ivor Raymonde (born Ivor Pomerance; 22 October 1926 – 4 June 1990) was a British musician, songwriter, and actor. He was famous for creating special music arrangements that mixed rock and orchestra sounds. He worked with many artists, especially Dusty Springfield, in the 1960s.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Ivor Raymonde was born on October 22, 1926. He studied music at the Trinity College of Music. During the Second World War, he served as a Bevin Boy. This meant he worked in coal mines to help the country during the war.

After the war, Ivor started his music career. He played jazz and classical piano. He performed in many big bands. By the early 1950s, he even led his own band.

Working at the BBC

Later, Ivor became a music director at the BBC. He worked alongside another famous musician, Wally Stott. He also sometimes worked as a session musician. This means he was hired to play on recordings for other artists. He helped arrange and play on Johnny Duncan's hit song "Last Train to San Fernando."

Ivor Raymonde was also an actor. He appeared with comedian Tony Hancock in his first TV series in 1956.

Success as a Producer and Arranger

Ivor Raymonde then joined Philips Records. Here, he became a record producer. A producer helps artists create their music, from recording to the final sound. He worked with Frankie Vaughan, arranging his hit songs "Tower of Strength" and "Loop de Loop." He also worked with Marty Wilde and the Springfields.

Working with Dusty Springfield

In 1963, Dusty Springfield started her solo career. Ivor played a song he had written for her. This song became her very first big hit, "I Only Want to Be with You." It reached number 4 on the UK singles chart.

Ivor and lyricist Mike Hawker then wrote Dusty's second hit song, "Stay Awhile." Ivor continued to arrange music for Dusty Springfield throughout the 1960s.

Other Famous Artists

Ivor Raymonde arranged and produced hits for many other popular artists. These included Helen Shapiro, Billy Fury, the Walker Brothers, Susan Maughan, Ken Dodd, and Alan Price. He also worked with bands like Honeybus, Eternal Triangle, Los Bravos, and The Flies.

In the 1970s, Ivor worked at DJM Records. He arranged and produced albums for actor Edward Woodward. Later, he worked with famous musicians like Ian Dury, Julio Iglesias, and Richard Anthony.

Family and Legacy

Ivor Raymonde had four children. His son, Simon Raymonde, is also a musician. Simon was part of the band Cocteau Twins. He also helped start and now manages an independent record label called Bella Union.

In 2018, a collection of Ivor Raymonde's recordings was released. It was called Paradise: The Sound of Ivor Raymonde. It was put out by the Bella Union label. A second collection was released in 2019. These albums help new generations discover Ivor's amazing musical work.