Matt Monro Forum

I have just listened to david Jacobs last programme , a week late having found that Don Black had taken over, while i am glad that Don is doing the show , it was a sad day when David closed the collection cabinet for the last time, he has been the mainstay of "our kind of music " on radio 2 for so many years and I in particular was brought up listening to his shows, from his slots following Pete Murray at lunchtime right to the present day. He was very helpful to me at the beginning of my singing career playing a few tracks on the show and inviting me to take part in a couple of live broadcasts at the Golders Green Hippodrome. Such a lovely guy with a deep knowledge and love the music that we, on this forum hold dear. I wish him the best in his retirement , as i am sure we all do here, and also hope that his health improves.
he joins that band of elite presenters that in my opinion will never be replaced, including Alan Dell, and Benny Green , whose son incidentally presented a very entertaining show recently using his fathers last script, and i noted how much like his father he sounded.

HOPE YOU ARE ALL WELL HERE !!!

We know just how you feel Mark, it's really sad tht we won't be hearing David's familiar voice that's entertained us on both TV and radio for so many decades, and you have so many lovely memories to cherish of David.
Several of us on the forum have written to David to express our sadness of him leaving the programme, and also to thank him for the pleasure that he has given us.
We met David at one of our Sinatra Music Society meetings. He was so friendly and charming.
His late night programme completed our Sunday, but we are very grateful that Don Black has taken over David's slot. At least our kind of good music is guaranteed.
Don spoke warmly of Matt tonight and played " Memphis In June" and I've a feeling there will be more to come.
We always listened to the Benny Green programme on Sunday Afternoons. Benny was one of the celebrity's who kindly appeared at one of our Cricket Charity match's.

Robert has started a new thread on Don Black. I think we will all agree last night's show was a great start for him.

L& H interesting to read you attended the Sinatra Music Society, back in my late 20's I ran the Edinburgh branch and that was how I met Peggy as she is one of his biggrst fans.

Karl we have been members of the London branch of SMS for 32 years and still have the quarterly " Perfectly Frank" magazine sent to us. We regularly attended the Annual convention in Birmingham in the Eighties and Nineties, but must confess we haven't attended a monthly meeting for some time.
That's interesting that you met Peggy at one of the meetings, although I don't think there is a branch in Edinburgh any more, but there is one in Glasgow.

Lena & Harry Smith wrote:Karl we have been members of the London branch of SMS for 32 years and still have the quarterly " Perfectly Frank" magazine sent to us. We regularly attended the Annual convention in Birmingham in the Eighties and Nineties, but must confess we haven't attended a monthly meeting for some time.
That's interesting that you met Peggy at one of the meetings, although I don't think there is a branch in Edinburgh any more, but there is one in Glasgow.

Yes L&H it was the late Frank Allison from Glasgow who got me started and gave great advice.

The Perfectly Frank magazines were always great to read and I remember one member had a record shop in Birmingham (was it Ray Purslow?) and always had great titles on offer from the singers we love. Peggy was upset when she had to cancel her subscription as she could no longer read the print.

We hired a bus once and visited the Glasgow monthly meeting but that was all many years ago, it was thanks to the SMS that I was able to get tickets to see Ol' Blue Eyes at the Albert Hall lin London in 1977 - a night I will never forget it was sheer magic!

Ray Purslow was a fountain of knowledge and attended our Syd Lawrence conventions for many years when they were originally held at Pontins at Pakefield ,bringing with him a vast quantity of CDs and LPs
for our delight.

He ran a record shop in Birmingham until he retired,but I believe you can still get stuff from him as he runs a mail order firm from home?

How WONDERFUL to have seen Sinatra 'live' Karl

I visited his record shop, everytime I was in Birmingham--bought quite a few records from him over the years, It was amazing the stuff that he had there.

Ray Purslow has always been a power of information where music is concerned and was always ready and willing to help if needed.
Many years ago we were particularl keen to get the Sinatra stringed version of Stardust, where he sings just the verse alone, and just one phone call to Ray, and there it was waiting for us at his stall at the convention.
He still writes articles for the In Tune magazine.

I have a ton of SInatra vinyl some of it bought from Ray almost unplayed including some Italian imports and V-Discs on LP. If anyone is looking for a particular title let me know.

I have only been to Birmingham once on a package deal for a Neil Diamond concert, I always wanted to have a good browse in Ray's shop!