Ronald Frank Aldrich (15 February 1916 – 30 September 1993) was a British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, conductor and composer.

Early life

He was born Ronald Frank Aldrich on 15 February 1916 in Erith, England, the only son of a store manager. He started playing the piano at three years old and was educated at the Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone and learned violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He travelled to India in the late 30s ahead of World War Two to play jazz and first gained fame in the 1940s as the leader of a Royal Air Force band called The Squadronaires who had a twenty-year-long career before they disbanded in 1964.

Education and career

Aldrich was educated at The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone, and taught violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Before the Second World War, he went to India to play jazz and first gained fame in the 1940s with the Squadronaires, which he led from 1951, when the band was then billed as Ronnie Aldrich and The Squadronaires, up until their disbanding in 1964. Aldrich was noteworthy for the recording development of playing two pianos in his recordings (the Decca Phase 4 Stereo series). He recorded for the Decca Record Company Ltd in the 1960s and 1970s, moving to Seaward Ltd (his own company) licensed to EMI in the 1980s. He also regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 2 with his own orchestra as well as with the BBC Radio Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra, based at BBC Glasgow. Aldrich also recorded special tracks that were released by Reader's Digest. All the Decca recordings have been released on CD format by Vocalion. Many of his sessions for radio stations have been released by Apple iTunes in m4a format. He was appointed musical director at Thames Television, and thus was widely known as the musical director for the television programme The Benny Hill Show. He was married twice and had a daughter from his first marriage. At the time of his death, he was married to Edith Mary Aldrich (1919-2006), his wife for more than 30 years. In later years he moved to the Isle of Man where he lived with his wife in Strathallan Castle, formerly the Clifton Hotel, in Port St. Mary, but he continued to work in London, where he remained a member of the local Branch of the Musicians Union. He died of prostate cancer at age 77 on 30 September 1993 in Clatterbridge, Cheshire. He found his final rest at St. Luke's Churchyard, Baldwin Braddan, Middle, Isle of Man.

Discography

Ronnie Aldrich and the Squadcats Decca Discography "Ronnie Aldrich And His Two Pianos" (PFS is the Decca (UK) original catalogue number; SP is the London label (USA) version) / (*) Also issued as "Romantic Screen Themes" in Japan (London SLC4484) / (**) Togetherness (UK double-disc set) was issued as two separate albums in the USA Decca (Polygram) Discography (One Piano) Amberjack Discography (One Piano) Seaward Music recordings licensed to EMI (One Piano) Seaward also issued a vinyl LP, The Wonderful World of Man, which contained recordings of the sounds of the Isle of Man, where Ronnie Aldrich lived from the 1960s onwards. This record was sold in the island to tourists. Decca Discography "The New Big Band"

Titles recorded by album

Melody and Percussion for Two Pianos (1961) Ronnie Aldrich and His Two Pianos (1962) The Magnificent Pianos of Ronnie Aldrich (1963) The Romantic Pianos of Ronnie Aldrich (1964) Christmas with Ronnie Aldrich (1964) The Magic Mood of Ronnie Aldrich (1965) That Aldrich Feeling (1965) All-Time Piano Hits (1966) Where The Sun Is (1966) Two Pianos in Hollywood (1967) Two Pianos Today! (1967) For Young Lovers (1968) This Way "In" (1968) It's Happening Now (1969) Destination Love (1969) Togetherness (1970) Released as two separate albums in US: Here Come The Hits! (+) and Close to You (++) Love Story (1971) The Phase 4 World of Burt Bacharach (1971) Great Themes to Remember (1972) Invitation to Love (1972) Come to Where The Love Is (1972) Soft and Wicked (1973) Top of The World (1973) The Way We Were (1974) In The Gentle Hours (1975) Love (1975) Reflections (1976) Today in the Old Fashioned Way (1977) Webb Country (1977) With Love and Understanding (1977) Released as "Evergreen" in US. (*)not included in American release. Melodies from The Classics (1978) Emotions (1978) Tomorrow's Yesterdays (1979) For The One You Love (1980) One Fine Day (1981) Silver Bells / Winter Wonderland (1981) Imagine (1981) Night Birds (1982) Sea Dreams (1984) For All Seasons (1987)

Other sources