Derek Hilton

As the longtime music director for Britain’s Grenada Tv, composer Derek Hilton authored a huge selection of Television themes. He also offered as an arranger for performers including Shirley Bassey, Tony Bennett, and Tom Jones. Blessed Feb 3, 1927, in Whitfield, Britain, Hilton started piano lessons at age group six, and by 14 was leading his very own music group, the Rhythmic Blue Records. In 1945 he was needed responsibility in the King’s Very own Yorkshire Infantry, but finished up playing piano in the entertainment revue Superstars in Battledress behind performers including Peter Retailers and Spike Milligan. Hilton also offered as an arranger for performers Gracie Areas and Kay Kendall before time for civilian lifestyle, where he toured with orchestra market leaders Johnny Dankworth and Sonny Rose. In 1953 Hilton came back to his indigenous Manchester area to instruct on the Regional College of Music at Decibel Studios; he moonlighted within a jazz trio that in 1956 was employed to try out the press reception for Granada’s start, and there companies from the quiz present Spot the Melody employed him to replacement for the program’s regular accompanist. The Derek Hilton Trio was shortly a featured component of two daily Granada broadcasts, Clear at Four and folks and Places. Following that Hilton began composing designs and incidental music for various other Granada broadcasts, included in this Coronation Road, All Our Yesterdays, Mr. Rose, The Caesars, Paris 1900, Spoils of Battle, and Some sort of Loving. By his very own count number, Hilton penned about 250 theme music in all, along with his initiatives for 1973’s Nation Matters earning an Ivor Novello Certificate of Honour. As his tv commitments allowed, he was also a sought-after pop arranger, additionally collaborating with Johnny Mathis, Jack port Jones, and Pal Greco. After finding a Bafta nomination for his focus on 1986’s Shed Empires, Hilton retired from Granada, for quite some time operating as musical movie director for the P&O and Cunard cruise liner lines; he passed away July 11, 2005.