Ted Heath (bandleader) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ted Heath
Background information
Birth name	George Edward Heath
Also known as	Ted
Born	(1902-03-30)30 March 1902 Wandsworth, London, England
Died	18 November 1969(1969-11-18) (aged 67) Virginia Water, Surrey, England
Genres	Big band, jazz
Occupation(s)	Bandleader, composer, musician
Instruments	Trombone
Years active	1916–1969
Labels	Decca, London

George Edward Heath (born March 30, 1902 – died November 18, 1969) was a famous British musician. He was also a leader of a big band. His band is often called Britain's best big band after World War II.

Ted Heath's band recorded over 100 albums. They sold more than 20 million copies! It was the most popular band in Britain during the 1950s. Even after Ted Heath passed away, his band continued to play as a ghost band until the year 2000.

How Ted Heath Started in Music

Ted Heath started playing music when he was just six years old. He played the tenor horn first. His dad, Bert, was a trumpeter and led the Wandsworth Town Brass Band. He encouraged Ted. Later, Ted switched to playing the trombone. Both Ted and his dad often played together. They recorded many dance band songs in the 1920s and 1930s.

After the war, Ted and his brother Harold, with three other musicians, formed a small band. They played for people outside London Bridge Station. Then they walked through the streets of London, playing music. One day, Ted was spotted playing on the street. He was asked to play with the Jack Hylton Band. This was his first professional chance! He didn't stay long because he needed more experience. But it made him want to be a professional musician even more.

Ted Heath's Music Journey in the 1920s

Ted Heath's first real band job was with an American band. This band, called the Southern Syncopated Orchestra, was touring Europe. They needed a trombone player for a show in Vienna, Austria. The drummer, Benny Payton, taught Ted a lot about jazz and swing music. Ted had to pay his own way back home when the band ran out of money. During this time, Ted heard famous musicians like Bunny Berigan and Paul Whiteman when they toured Europe.

Next, Ted played with a small band called the Metro-Gnomes. Later, in the late 1920s, he joined Jack Hylton's bigger stage band again. He stayed with them until 1930. Around this time, he also started playing for other dance orchestras.

Ted Heath in the 1930s

In 1928, Ted Heath joined Bert Ambrose's orchestra. They played at The May Fair Hotel in London. He stayed there until 1935. Then he moved to Sydney Lipton's orchestra at the Grosvenor House Hotel. Bert Ambrose was very strict. He taught Ted how to be a good bandleader. During this time, Ted became the best trombone player in Britain. He was known for his perfect sound. He continued to play on many recordings as a studio musician.

When Second World War started in September 1939, the Sydney Lipton Band broke up. Ted, his wife Moira, and their children went back to London. In late 1939, Ted joined Maurice Winnick's band at The Dorchester hotel. Ted also played with Benny Carter on some recordings during the late 1930s and early 1940s.

Ted Heath in the 1940s

In 1940, Ted Heath joined Geraldo's orchestra. They played many concerts and radio shows during the war. They even traveled to the Middle East to play for the Allied Forces there. Ted often sang with Geraldo's vocal group, 'Three Boys and a Girl'.

In 1941, Geraldo asked his band members to suggest a favorite song for their broadcasts. Ted had written a song called "That Lovely Weekend." His wife had written him a poem about a rare weekend they spent together during his war travels. Ted put the poem to music. He suggested "That Lovely Weekend" to Geraldo. It became a big hit during the war. The money Ted earned from this song and another one, "Gonna Love That Guy," helped him start his own band.

Ted Heath and His Music Band

Ted Heath was inspired by Glenn Miller and his Army Air Force Band. He talked with Miller about starting his own band when Miller toured Britain. Ted admired how precise Miller's band was. He felt he could be just as successful with his own orchestra.

In 1944, Ted convinced Douglas Lawrence, who organized dance music for the BBC, to support his new band. Lawrence was unsure because Ted wanted a much larger and more jazz-focused band than anyone had seen in Britain before. This new band was like American bands. It had five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, piano, guitar, double bass, and drums. The new Ted Heath Band first played on a BBC radio show in 1944.

In 1945, the BBC said that only permanent bands that toured could play on the radio. So, Ted Heath and his Music band officially started on D-Day, 1944.

In late 1945, an American bandleader named Toots (Tutti) Camarata came to the UK. He was the music director for the film London Town (1946). Ted Heath's band was the main orchestra for the film. However, the movie was not a success.

Ted Heath's band played at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool in 1946. They also toured Scandinavia. They played for two weeks at the London Casino with Lena Horne. They also backed Ella Fitzgerald at the London Palladium.

The band quickly became very popular. Ted Heath's Band and his musicians often won awards in Melody Maker and the NME (New Musical Express). These were Britain's top music newspapers. Ted Heath was asked to perform for King George VI at two Royal Command Performances in 1948 and 1949.

In 1947, Ted Heath convinced Val Parnell to let him use the London Palladium on alternating Sundays. This was for his "Sunday Night Swing Sessions." The band was a huge hit! They played 110 Sunday concerts, ending in August 1955. These concerts made the band even more popular. They allowed the band to play more jazz music than they could in ballrooms. Besides the Palladium concerts, the band regularly played at the Hammersmith Palais and toured the UK every week.

Success in the 1950s and US Tour

In April 1956, Ted Heath planned his first tour of America. This was a special deal. Ted Heath would tour the United States, and Stan Kenton would tour Britain at the same time. This agreement was a big deal between the British Musicians' Union and the American Federation of Musicians. It ended a 20-year disagreement. Ted Heath's tour included Nat King Cole, June Christy, and the Four Freshmen. They played 43 concerts in 30 cities in just 31 days. The tour ended with a big concert at Carnegie Hall on May 1, 1956.

During the Carnegie Hall show, the band's instrument truck was late because of bad weather. The instruments arrived just minutes before the show began! The band had no time to warm up or practice. The audience called for so many encores that Nat King Cole, who was backstage, had to come out and ask people to leave.

During the tour, Nat King Cole was attacked on stage in Birmingham, Alabama. Ted Heath was very upset and almost stopped the rest of the tour. But Cole convinced him to continue. They remained good friends until Cole died in 1965. They also worked together on music many times. Ted Heath later toured the US successfully again. He also toured Australia and Europe.

The 1950s were the most popular time for Ted Heath and His Music. They made many recordings. Ted Heath became a household name in the UK, Europe, Australasia, and the US. He won the New Musical Express Poll for Best Band/Orchestra every year from 1952 to 1961. Ted Heath was asked to perform for King George VI again in 1951. He also performed for Elizabeth II in 1954.

He was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life in 1959. Ted Heath and his band also appeared in several movies. These included Dance Hall (1950), It’s a Wonderful World (1956), and Jazz Boat (1960).

Ted Heath in the 1960s

In the early 1960s, Ted Heath used Decca's special Phase 4 Stereo recording methods. He continued to order many new songs and arrangements. Some of his biggest hits in the US happened during this time. He performed constantly until his health became poor in 1964. He had a stroke on his 62nd birthday and collapsed on stage in Cardiff. After that, the band toured less, but they still recorded several albums.

Working with Other Artists

Ted Heath had close friendships and working relationships with many famous people. These included Nat King Cole, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Marlene Dietrich, Johnny Mathis, and Tony Bennett. He also worked with singers like Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Lena Horne, June Christy, Mel Torme, The Four Freshmen, and Donna Hightower.

Many talented musicians played in his band. Some early members were Ronnie Scott (saxophone) and Stan Tracey (piano). Other famous players included trumpeters Kenny Baker and Eddie Blair. Saxophone players like Don Rendell and Tommy Whittle also played with him. Trombonists included Don Lusher and Wally Smith. Drummers like Jack Parnell and Ronnie Verrell were also part of the band.

In the 1950s, singers Dickie Valentine, Lita Roza, and Dennis Lotis joined the band. This made the band even more popular with teenagers. Ted Heath asked many top arrangers of the time to write music for his band. The band's music library had over 800 original arrangements!

Ted Heath's Family Life

Ted Heath was married twice. His first wife was Audrey Keymer. They married in 1924, and she passed away in 1932. They had two sons, Raymond and Robert. His second wife was Moira Tracey. She was a ballet dancer and a talented songwriter. She received special awards for her work in television and songwriting. Moira passed away on January 24, 2000. Ted and Moira had four children: Martin, Valerie, Nicholas, and Timothy.

Two of Ted Heath's sons, Nick Heath and Tim Heath, continued the family's music tradition. They became successful managers for artists and owned record and music publishing companies. Nick Heath still works as a music producer today. Ted Heath's grandson, James Heath (Nick's son), is a film and music video director.

Ted Heath's Legacy

Ted Heath passed away in 1969 at age 67. However, his band re-formed after a TV tribute in 1976. The Heath family approved this. The band continued to perform concerts. For 25 years, trombonist Don Lusher led the band until 2000. Many of the original musicians who played with Ted Heath were part of this band. Their final concert in December 2000 was sold out at London's Royal Festival Hall.

Count Basie, another famous bandleader, said that Ted Heath's band was as good as the best American big bands. Ted Heath's band is widely considered the best swing band Britain ever produced.

Ted Heath Archives and Awards

Leeds College of Music in Leeds, UK, has a large collection of Ted Heath's recordings and items. These are available for people to research.

The Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London has created "The Ted and Moira Heath Award." This award helps promising jazz musicians.