Ronnie Aldrich, born Ronald Frank Aldrich (15 February 1916, Erith, Kent, England – 30 September 1993, Isle of Man) was a British easy listening and jazz pianist, arranger, conductor, and composer. The only son of a store manager, he was three years old when he started playing the piano. He was educated at The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone, and taught violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Before World War II, Aldrich went to India to play jazz and first gained fame in the 1940s as leader of The Squadronaires, up until their disbanding in 1964.He 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 in BBC Glasgow. He also recorded special tracks that were released by Reader's Digest. Recently, all the Decca recordings were released in 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 E. Mary Aldrich, his wife for more than 30 years. He died of prostate cancer at age 77 in the Isle Of Man.
Ronnie Aldrich was England's one-man answer to Ferrante and Teicher, Aldrich churned out a steady stream of albums featuring his "Twin Pianos" for London's Phase 4 label, starting in 1961--most of them no more distinguished than F&T's post-"prepared piano" recordings.
2
Thames Television appointed him as their musical director, and he managed to combine this with his extensive radio and recording work.
3
Military service did not seem to rule out occasional work in the recording studios, and Ronnie Aldrich's illustrious recording career appears to have commenced on 3 May 1940 as pianist with the RAF Dance Orchestra, later to become famous as 'The Squadronaires'. One of his colleagues in the band was guitarist Sid Colin, who also provided many of the vocals.
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Many of his sessions for radio stations have been released by Apple iTunes in m4a format.
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He was noteworthy for the recording development of playing two pianos in his recordings (the Decca Phase 4 Stereo series). His technique could be deceptively simple: often he would begin by picking out a melody in single notes, before eventually revealing that he could make his two hands sound like many more. Added to this was a carefully chosen supporting orchestra, frequently providing a lush and sophisticated backdrop through the use of strings, but on other occasions he allowed the percussion to come to the fore.
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His many and varied recordings proved to remember him as a versatile and talented musician, who never short-changed his audience.
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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.
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A big wartime hit was "If I Only Had Wings", for which Aldrich provided the music to Colin's lyrics. (Sid Colin later achieved fame as a scriptwriter).
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He was married twice and had a daughter from his first marriage. At the time of his death he was married to E. Mary Aldrich, his wife for more than 30 years.
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Students today can discover the ingredients of his success, through a collection of his dance band, jazz and popular arrangements which is held at Leeds College of Music.
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Although he possessed a natural talent, he studied the piano extensively during his youth, including a period at London's Guildhall School of Music which was cut short when he was drafted into the Royal Air Force during World War 2. Prior to that he had followed the usual pattern working at various local dances with different ensembles, including a spell with the Folkestone Municipal Orchestra.
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The only son of a store manager, he was three years old when he started playing the piano.
13
He was appointed musical director at Thames Televisio and thus was widely known as the musical director for the television programme The Benny Hill Show.
14
He 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 in BBC Glasgow.
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The success of his Phase 4 LPs resulted in no less than nineteen albums being recorded, under the expert guidance of several producers including Hugh Mendl, Mark White and, latterly, Tony D'Amato. Arthur Bannister was the famous sound engineer who knew how to balance the Aldrich pianos perfectly with the backing, often provided by the London Festival Orchestra.
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He recorded special tracks that were released by Reader's Digest.
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Before World War II, Aldrich went to India to play jazz.
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Ronnie Aldrich became leader of the Squadronaires when its famous director Jimmy Miller left in 1950, a post he held until it eventually disbanded in 1964, following their final season at the Palace Ballroom, Douglas, Isle of Man.
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Recently, all the Decca recordings were released in CD format by Vocalion.
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In his later years Ronnie Aldrich settled in the Isle of Man, where he and his wife Mary lived in a castle. He found it the perfect location to indulge his big passion, sailing, and one of his neighbours was his former producer Mark White (at one time also head of BBC Radios 1 & 2).
Music Department
Title
Year
Status
Character
Benny Hill's World Tour: New York!
1991
TV Movie musical director
The Benny Hill Show
1969-1989
TV Series musical director - 56 episodes
Benny Hill's Crazy World
1988
Video musical director
Chance in a Million
1984-1986
TV Series music arranger - 18 episodes
Video Spotlight
1985
Video musical director - uncredited
Singles
1984
TV Series musical director - 1 episode
Benny Hill's V!deo S!deshow
1982
Video musical director - uncredited
Benny Hill's Video Revue
1981
Video musical director
The David Nixon Show
1972-1977
TV Series musical director - 52 episodes
The Tommy Cooper Hour
TV Series music director - 6 episodes, 1973 - 1975 music arranger - 3 episodes, 1974 musical arrangements - 1 episode, 1974 musical director - 1 episode, 1973
The Best of Benny Hill
1974
musical director
All Star Comedy Carnival
1972
TV Movie music director presentation
David Nixon's Magic Box
1970-1971
TV Series music director - 18 episodes
Eddie in August
1970
TV Short musical director
Joey Boy
1965
musician: piano, "Joey Boy Theme" - as Ronnie Aldridge
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Family Man
2000
performer: "Sleigh Ride"
WWF Armageddon
1999
TV Special performer: "The Stripper" - uncredited
The Benny Hill Show
1969-1985
TV Series performer - 17 episodes
The Projectionist
1971
music: "Strictly Pleasure" - uncredited
The Sea Shall Not Have Them
1954
music: "If I Only Had Wings" - uncredited
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Benny Hill: The Hill's Angels Years
2006
Video
The Best of Benny Hill
1974
uncredited
A Present for Dickie
1969-1970
TV Series 6 episodes
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Highway
1987
TV Series
Himself
The Benny Hill Show
1970
TV Series
Himself - Conductor
Six-Five Special
1957-1958
TV Series
Himself - and The Squadronaires
Queue for Song
1938
TV Series
Himself - Pianist
Starlight
1937
TV Series
Himself - Accompanist
Known for movies
The Benny Hill Show (1969-1989) as Music Department
The David Nixon Show (1972-1977) as Music Department
The Best of Benny Hill (1974) as Music Department
Chance in a Million (1984-1986) as Music Department
$5 Million
